Sep 27, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) warms up before the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt Backup QB Enters Transfer Portal

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI
By Mitchell Corcoran | Last updated Jan 2, 2026 7:00 AM ET

PITTSBURGH — Pitt Panthers backup quarterback Eli Holstein has officially entered the NCAA Transfer Portal, On3's Pete Nakos reported.

Holstein came into this season as the starter until he was benched for true freshman Mason Heintschel after four games. Holstein finished his final season in Pittsburgh with 1,081 yards, 12 touchdowns, six interceptions and completed 61.6% of his passes.

Pitt quarterback Eli Holstein has officially entered the transfer portal, @On3sports has learned. https://t.co/6xwWSNVP6b
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) January 2, 2026

Pitt now has two quarterbacks in the transfer portal. David Lynch entered the portal on Dec. 31. Lynch played in the three games in 2024, where he threw for 111 yards and three interceptions.

With Holstein's departure, the projected quarterback room for 2026 currently looks like Heintschel, senior Cole Gonzales, freshman Beau Jackson and incoming freshmen Angelo Renda and Corey Dailey.

Holstein Back In the Portal

Holstein started his college career at Alabama in 2023 but did not play and redshirted. He sat behind notable quarterbacks like Jalen Milroe and now-Alabama starter Ty Simpson.

In his first season as a starter, Holstein had 2,225 yards, 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 10 games until he suffered a season-ending injury.

Prior to his injury, Holstein had four 300+ yards games and five three-touchdown games.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Holstein returned healthy for the 2025 season, where he started strong with 519 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions in the first two games of the year against Duquesne and Central Michigan.

Holstein's season took a turn when he completed under 60% of his throws for 303 yards, one touchdown, one interception and was sacked six times in the embarrassing 31-24 overtime loss to West Virginia. His final start as Pitt's quarterback came in the 34-27 loss to Louisville, where he threw for 228 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions and completed just 53.5% of his pass attempts and was benched in the fourth quarter for Gonzales.

Pat Narduzzi said the following week that Holstein would start against Boston College, but come gameday, the true freshman Heintschel made his first-career start, where he threw for 323 yards, four touchdowns, no intercptions and completed 73.2% of his throws in the 48-7 win. The rest was history.