Narduzzi coaches Spartans

Pat Narduzzi, a former Ursuline High and Youngstown State football standout, continues to follow in the coaching footsteps of his father, Bill Narduzzi, a former YSU coach.

Pat Narduzzi recently completed his second season as defensive coordinator for the Michigan State football team and helped the Spartans to another successful season under coach Mark Dantonio, a former YSU assistant coach under Jim Tressel.

Michigan State (9-4) tied for third place in the Big Ten Conference standings and earned a berth in the Capital One Bowl where the Spartans lost to Georgia, 24-12, on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla.

Narduzzi was an All-Ohio football selection at Ursuline before graduating in 1985, and while his father was concluding an 11-year coaching career at YSU (1975-85).

Pat was a freshman linebacker at YSU in Bill’s final year at the Penguins’ helm, and led the Ohio Valley Conference in tackles.

Bill completed his YSU coaching career in 1985 with a 68-51-1 record, including 10-2 and 11-2 in 1978 and 1989, and was succeeded by Tressel. He shifted to Columbia University (New York) to become defensive coordinator and linebacker coach for two seasons before dying of cancer in 1988 at age 51.

Pat, meanwhile, transferred from YSU to Rhode Island and became a three-year starting linebacker from 1987-89.

Narduzzi, Dantonio together last five seasons

Pat Narduzzi and Dantonio, a native of Zanesville, have been together for five seasons, the last two at Michigan State after serving in the same capacities at Cincinnati for three years (2004-06).

Narduzzi has coached at six colleges in his career, beginning in 1990 at Miami of Ohio, his father’s alma mater, as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons (1990-91). He remained at Miami to become receivers coach (1992) before shifting to Rhode Island to coach linebackers (1993-97) and become defensive coordinator (1998-99). He then shifted to Northern Illinois to coach linebackers (2000-02), before returning to Miami of Ohio to become defensive coordinator (2003).

Narduzzi earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education at Rhode Island in 1990 and a master’s degree in sports psychology at Miami of Ohio in 1992.

He and his wife, Donna, have four children: Arianna, Christina, Patrick and Isabella.

Harding’s Rucker, Cironi on Michigan State roster

Two Youngstown-area player were on the Michigan State roster this season. Both are from Warren Harding High: Chris L. Rucker, (6-2, 190), sophomore cornerback; and Rocco Cironi, (6-6, 308), junior offensive tackle.

Rucker was MSU’s No. 7-leading tackler with 45 stops, including 31 solo hits, with four tackles for losses of 18 yards, two pass interceptions for four yards and four pass breakups.

In 2007, Rucker played in eight games as a true freshman, including four starts at field corner. He was sidelined for the last five games of the regular season after undergoing eye surgery to repair two detached retinas. He had 24 tackles, including 15 solos and nine assists.

The son of Hank and Gloria Powell, Rucker is majoring in criminal justice.

Cironi played in three games as a sophomore in 2007.

And as a freshman in 2006, he played in seven games in 2006, including starting assignments at left tackle in back-to-back road games vs. Northwestern and Indiana. He was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team as selected by The Sporting News. He graded out 90 percent or higher in six of seven games as a freshman.

The son of Dale and Elaine Cironi, he is majoring in interdisciplinary studies in social science-human resources.

XJohn Kovach writes about college athletes for The Vindicator. Write him at kovach@vindy.com.