Pitt Panthers make QB change against Boston College

PITTSBURGH – The Pitt Panthers will make a change at quarterback before their final 2024 regular season game against Boston College.

Action Network’s Brent McMurphy reported that redshirt junior quarterback Nate Yarnell will start for the Panthers vs. Eagles in place of starting quarterback and redshirt freshman Eli Holstein.

Holstein suffered a sack and injury in the first quarter of a 37-9 loss to Louisville. Medical staff attended to him and had to put a cast on his left leg. They also brought out a cart for him and took him from the field.

He returned to the sideline but did not play the rest of the game. Redshirt junior quarterback Nate Yarnell entered the game and completed 11 of 23 passes for 96 yards, along with one touchdown, one interception and three rushes for 12 yards.

Walk-on redshirt freshman quarterback David Lynch finished the game for the Panthers on the final two drives and will likely serve as Holstein’s backup.

Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi said the injury was not season-ending but did not say whether or not he would play against the Eagles. It’s likely he has a chance to play in the bowl game.

This was the third game Holstein had to leave early for Pitt this season, coming in the 41-13 home win over Syracuse after suffering a serious blowout in Week 9 and in the 24-19 home loss against Virginia in Week 11.

Holstein went to Syracuse the following week to play then-20th-ranked SMU on the road in Week 10, but did not perform well in the 48-25 loss, completing 29 of 48 passes for 248 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

He rushed five yards and slid on a drive in the third quarter, but Virginia junior linebacker Trey McDonald hit Holstein late and hard. He took off his helmet and medical personnel rushed to help him.

The officials would disqualify McDonald after ruling that the hit qualified for a targeting penalty.

Yarnell was forced to step in and struggled, completing just 4 of 12 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions in the loss to the Cavaliers.

Yarnell would have to start for Pitt vs. Clemson in Week 12 because Holstein is not yet medically cleared to play.

He improved his game by completing 34 of 54 passes for 350 yards and a touchdown and an interception in the 24-20 loss to the Tigers. He almost led the Panthers to victory, but a late defensive touchdown and a poor final drive doomed them.

Holstein received medical clearance and was given the starting nod before the game against the Cardinals. He led a good first drive by the Panthers, but threw an interception in the end zone, giving the ball back to the Cardinals.

He has completed 180 of 291 passes, 61.8%, for 2,228 yards and 17 touchdowns with seven interceptions in 10 games this season. He also ranks second at Pitt with 328 rushing yards on 81 carries, 4.0 yards per carry and three touchdowns on the ground.

His 17 touchdown passes and four 300-yard passing games are among the most by a Pitt freshman since Alex Van Pelt in 1989.

Holstein was named the ACC Rookie of the Week five times, the Davey O’Brien Award Weekly twice, and the Walter Camp Award Weekly once.

He is also on two award lists, including the Davey O’Brien Award, which recognizes the best quarterback in college football, and the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

Holstein beat Yarnell for the starting job the week before the first game of the season, a 55-24 home win against Kent State on Aug. 31.

Yarnell had started three games ahead of Clemson for Pitt this season, a 34-13 road win over Western Michigan on Sept. 17, 2022, a 24-16 win over Boston College on Nov. 16, 2023 and then a 30-19 loss against Duke on November 25, 2023.

His game against the Eagles was one of the best he played in college, as he led a 2-8 team to victory by completing 11 of 19 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown and five runs for 24 yards and a touchdown completed.

Pitt will look to end its four-game losing streak against Boston College and close out the regular season with a win.

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