Pitt Hoping to Get Starting QB Back

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers still have one more game left in the season, but also have questions as to who will play at quarterback in it.

Pitt redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein has dealt with injuries this season, forcing him to leave early in the 41-13 win at home vs. Syracuse after suffering hard hit out of bounds in Week 9 and in the 24-19 loss to Virginia at home in Week 11.

Holstein would play the following week after Syracuse vs. then ranked No. 20 SMU on the road in Week 10, but didn't perform well in the 48-25 loss, completing 29-of-48 passes for 248 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

He would rush five yards and slide down 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 off to help him out.

The officials would disqualify McDonald, after determing the hit qualified for a targeting penalty.

He then missed the 24-20 loss to then ranked No. 20 Clemson at home in Week 12, but would return vs. Louisville on the road in Week 13.

Holstein took a sack in the first quarter in the 37-9 blowout loss against the Cardinals and went down with an injury. Medical staff tended to him and had to put an air cast on his left leg. They would also bring out a cart for him and take him off the field.

He would return to the sidelines, but didn't play the rest of the game. Redshirt junior quarterback Nate Yarnell came in and then walk-on redshirt freshman quarterback David Lynch closed out the game.

Holstein then missed the season finale on the road vs. Boston College, a 34-23 defeat in Week 14.

Pitt will face Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field, home of the Detroit Lions in the NFL, on Dec. 26 with a 2 p.m. kickoff.

Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi spoke to members of the media on a zoom call, with Rockets head coach Jason Candle also there. He is hoping that Holstein will return for this matchup and that the team overall will recover prior to.

“Well, we’re hoping,” Narduzzi said. “I went to church at 7:30 on Sunday morning. I pray every morning when I’m driving to work. So, we’re hoping. I think there’s a good shot. I’m no doctor, our trainers make that call, but I would imagine on the 26th, we’re going to be a heckuva lot healthier than we were coming out of the [Boston College] game, I'll tell you that.”

Lynch will serve as the backup for that matchup, as both Yarnell and redshirt freshman quarterback Ty Dieffenbach left for the transfer portal.

Holstein completed 180-of-291 passes, 61.8%, for 2,228 yards and 17 touchdowns to seven interceptions in 10 games this season. He also ranks second on 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 rank tied for the most by a Pitt freshman since Alex Van Pelt in 1989.

Holstein earned ACC Rookie of the Week five times, Davey O'Brien Award Weekly honors twice and Walter Camp Award Weekly honors once for his play early on, as Pitt started 7-0 for the first time since 1982.