Sep 2, 2023; Little Rock, Arkansas, USA; Western Carolina Catamounts quarterback Cole Gonzales (9) passes in the first quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

New Pitt QB Set Significant Record Last Season

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI
By Kevin Sinclair | Last updated Apr 28, 2025 2:00 PM ET

It was a good news/bad news day for Pitt Panthers when a quarterback from the portal announced his commitment roughly two hours before the projected No. 2 passer announced his decision to depart Pittsburgh.

In comes Cole Gonzales, out goes Julian Dugger. What are the Panthers getting in Gonzales?

If you start with his most significant achievement as a college quarterback, look no further than his eye-popping, record-setting performance back on October 19.

After leading the Catamounts to back-to-back wins against Wofford (Oct. 5) and Citadel (Oct. 12) at home over the previous two weeks, Gonzales and Western Carolina went on the road to take on Furman. It would be the young quarterback's all-time best day on the football field.

Gonzales put together an incredible 620 passing yards and five touchdowns as Western Carolina cruised to a 52-20 victory, setting a school record.

Week 8 Performance

QB Cole Gonzales - WCU

• 620 Passing yards 5 TDs pic.twitter.com/dTdyk90ZfW
— NCAAF Nation (@NCAAFNation247) October 19, 2024

With that performance, the Florida native had not only set a school record, snapping a 24-year bar set by David Rivers back in 2000, but Gonzales also set a single-game passing record in the Southern Conference.

His tosses of 15, 62, 23, 20, and 48 yards marked his fourth outing with five touchdown passes since arriving at Western Carolina under then-offensive coordinator Kade Bell. It's also worth noting that Gonzales distributed the football to a whopping 11 different receivers that day in Greenville, South Carolina.

As Pitt fans saw firsthand last year, many don't appreciate the value of quality, capable depth at the quarterback position until the starting quarterback is hurt. Prior to last week, Pitt fans expected the player to come off the bench in the event of Eli Holstein being sidelined in 2024 to be Julian Dugger.

Although there was plenty of positive feedback related to the rising sophomore throughout spring camp, Dugger has just one start under his belt.

Now that Gonzales enters the equation, set to battle true freshman Mason Heintschel as Pitt's top reserve quarterback, Coach Kade Bell now has a seasoned passer behind Holstein, boasting 23 starts over three seasons, including the prolific performance on the road at Furman.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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