PITTSBURGH — Nate Yarnell entered the spring as the Pitt starting quarterback, and that’s not going to change entering the summer.
All five scholarship quarterbacks received reps in Saturday’s spring game at Acrisure Stadium, but only Yarnell and Eli Holstein recorded double-digit passing attempts. Holstein is going to continue to push Yarnell, but Pat Narduzzi confirmed that Yarnell has earned that QB1 moniker.
“Yes, he will be (starting quarterback entering summer camp),” Narduzzi said following the scrimmage.
Yarnell was efficient — and effective — in just over a half of action Saturday, completing 12-of-16 pass attempts for 108 yards and a touchdown. His 34-yard touchdown strike to Lamar Seymore in the third quarterback, his only drive of the quarter, was a highlight.
It was probably the highlight of offensive play Saturday.
Yarnell has put together a consistent spring. He’s emerged as a leader in the locker room, voted as the best teammate by his peers, and his play on the field Saturday only reinforced his standing amongst his peers. It’s remarkable to Narduzzi that this is the first season that Yarnell is receiving first team reps.
“This is the first opportunity he’s had since he’s been here to get reps with the ones, and to me, that’s the most impressive thing,” Narduzzi said. “He just keeps learning. He’ll have this offense mastered by the end of summer camp.”
Yarnell — a 6-foot-6, 215-pound redshirt junior from Austin, Tx. — made two starts last season. And in those two starts, against Boston College and Duke, he completed 36-of-54 pass attempts (66.7%) for 472 yards with four touchdowns (one rushing) and one interception.
Kade Bell sees potential and knows what to do to put Yarnell in the best position to succeed.
“To me, the reason we’re putting everything on Nate and putting everything on the quarterbacks is because, by the first game, I’m going to know what Nate’s good at,” Bell said last month. “With all the tips he’s had already in the first half of the spring, shoot, I’m gonna know who Nate is as a quarterback and I’m going to know what his strengths are, what his weaknesses are and then it’s my job after fall camp — Hey, this is what Nate does well, let’s put him in a position to be successful.”
Bell prides himself on his ability to scheme wide receivers open. Yarnell will have an opportunity to succeed if he can put his trust in Bell and continue to reach for the standard that Bell demands from his quarterbacks. He connected on 75% of his balls and hit his deep shot in live action Saturday. And there’s a lot of room for improvement.
“Coach Bell is asking a lot of me and that’s exactly what I want,” Yarnell said. “He’s expecting me to be able to process exactly what he wants, the way he wants it and we’re gonna get it done.”
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