PITTSBURGH — Pitt released its Week 1 two-deep depth chart just a couple of minutes before Pat Narduzzi walked up to the podium. So, he knew what the topic of conversation would be.
The bold “OR” between Nate Yarnell and Eli Holstein on the depth chart.
Narduzzi has been exceptionally tight-lipped when discussing the Pitt quarterback competition this summer. He’s admitted, as he did again Monday, that Yarnell was the starter after spring b all but Holstein caught up during the summer. The battle between the “two very good quarterbacks,” as Narduzzi has called them, is too close to call still.
“Obviously that quarterback position is one that you guys probably take great interest in, probably more than I do,” Narduzzi said Monday. “I didn’t know who it is, but we feel like Nate and Eli both are guys that we consider starters. So, those two have competed their tails off all camp and we’ll go out there and go. I think the starter will be determined how we practice this week. Got a practice in yesterday, so we’ll see how they practice and pick up the game plan. But the plan right now is to play both those guys on Saturday and let the competition begin on the field.”
Narduzzi confirmed that both Yarnell and Holstein will play against Kent State in the season opener on Saturday. The order remains uncertain.
“It’s one of those that I think is too close to just say, ‘Hey, this is what it is, let’s take a chance at it,’” Narduzzi said. “I think both of them are very capable, I think they both are guys that could win football games for us and I’m excited to watch both of them play.”
The last time that Pitt rotated quarterbacks early in the season was in 2015 when Chad Voytik and Nathan Peterman both played in the buildup to conference play against Virginia Tech in Week 4.
Narduzzi, when reflecting upon the decision to play both quarterbacks as long as he did, wished he decided upon Peterman as the starter more quickly. So, that could point toward a potential decision this time around. Pitt doesn’t have the good fortune of playing an FCS and Group of Five team in back-to-back weeks this time either.
Eli Holstein (10) of the Pittsburgh Panthers attempts a pass during the Pitt spring game.
Yarnell, who started the final two games of the 2023 s eason (and performed well), entered the summer as the starter.
Holstein, who arrived as a high-profile transfer from Alabama in January, started the spring slowly after picking up an injury early but finished strong and hasn’t looked back since. I don’t think it’s Yarnell doing anything to lose the starting job so much as it’s Holstein impressing the coaching staff.
Yarnell may have entered the summer with the “upper hand,” attending the ACC Kickoff in Charlotte, N.C. last month and serving as the QB1 throughout the spring and summer, but Narduzzi approached this summer with a new perspective.
“You can say upper hand, like what’s the percentage? I think any time there’s a period of time where something has finished, you finish spring ball — hey, this is the guy,” Narduzzi said last week. “But then you go into another period, and you come out fall camp and you’re going to do the same thing. And that’s at every position. You could be a starter at th
e end of spring ball; that doesn’t mean you’re a starter.
“But there’s a battle going on, and I think they’re both pressing, working at it, working their tails off, coming in late, spending more time just to be the best. Sometimes that can pay off, sometimes that can backfire on you. But we’re seeing them compete every day; I love the competition. You gotta love what you see out there in two really good quarterbacks battling.”
Yarnell and Holstein will continue to battle this week during practice, with a Pitt starter unlikely to be announced until warmups on Saturday. They will both have an opportunity against the Golden Flashes in an offensive scheme that will look the same.
“The offense is not going to change that much based on who they are,” Narduzzi said. “But they’re very similar in what they can do. Like I said, they can operate and manage it offensively. That’s the first thing. It’s not like one is going to be slower than the other. They can both operate at a fast tempo, and we’ll find out what skills come out there on game day and who’s got those intangib les on game day and who’s going to bring us the best package.”
Yarnell has the edge in terms of experience (completing 36-of-54 pass attempts (66.7%) for 472 yards with four touchdowns and one interception in two starts last season), but while Holstein doesn’t have any experience at the college level, he’s not far removed from being one of the top quarterback recruits in the class of 2023.
There’s no real timeline for when a season-long starter will be named. But Narduzzi, as he said when reflecting upon the 2015 quarterback competition, would like to name a true starter sooner than later.
“I like to do what comes — whatever happens,” Narduzzi said. “I think we maybe could all be sitting in that press conference room after the game going, ‘Okay, looks like that guy.’ We can all have our opinions. I want to know as soon as possible. I don’t want to drag it on. I want to do it as soon as I possibly can.”
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!
College football is back. The wacky, wild and unexpected that makes the sport so beloved was on full display Saturday with rainy weather, walk-off field goals and near-upsets welcoming fans back. Here are five takeaways from Week 0. Iowa State secured a major win Most college football programs haven't played a down yet, but No. 22 Iowa State has already secured a very important win. Five different teams have won the Big 12 in the last five seasons. Iowa State has been close during that stretch, but hasn't been one of the. Defeating rival No. 17 Kansas State, 24-21, to open the season is a big step forward, no matter how sloppy it was. It's Iowa State's fifth win in the last six Farmageddon meetings. In a wide-open Big 12 race, beating another challenger early in the year means something. The Dan Mullen era at UNLV got off to a rocky start The former Florida and Mississippi State head coach spent the last three seasons away from coaching, but he's returned to the sideline at UNLV. The Rebels needed all 60 minutes to hold off FCS Idaho State, 38-31, despite being favored by 25.5, according to DraftKings. It's not like Idaho State is an FCS juggernaut either. The Bengals have won just 10 games since 2021, but behind 555 yards of total offense they nearly pulled off the upset. UNLV's saving grace was four interceptions. It's just one game, but it showed there's work to do for Mullen. A short week of practice is in store ahead of a Friday matchup at Sam Houston State. Jalon Daniels made a statement Looking for a Heisman-worthy performance? Look no further than Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels. He was nearly flawless in the first half of KU's 31-7 win over Fresno State, going 13-for-15 for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't need to finish the blowout and wound up with three total touchdowns. Daniels' talent is unquestioned, but his health has hampered both his career and the Jayhawks. He started every game last season, which was a welcome sight after missing 10 games in 2023 to a back injury and four games in 2022 for a shoulder injury. If he stays healthy, KU could be a factor in the Big 12 race. Stanford has fallen hard From 2009-18, Stanford won at least eight games each season. More recently, the Cardinal haven't won more than four games in each of the last six seasons. New quarterback Ben Gulbranson struggled in his Stanford debut, going 15-for-30 for 109 yards and a pick. Meanwhile, Hawaii's Micah Alejado (27-for-39 for 210 yards and two touchdowns) suffered a foot injury early in the game, but hobbled his way through the game to give his team a 23-20 victory. Stanford has lost nine of its last 10 games dating back to September 28, 2024. These are tough times for a once-proud program. Week 0 needs a little more energy College football's Week 0 isn't a new thing, but it does feel like the sport needs to decide how big it's going to be. The Aer Lingus College Football Classic has become the tentpole event of Week 0, bringing two quality programs to Ireland. However, the game generates excitement in the early part of the day, but the rest of Saturday left much to be desired. There isn't another marquee matchup, and it seems the primetime slot could provide another big moment to kick off the season. Schedules are made well in advance, but a fun idea would be to have the defending champion play in primetime during Week 0. Honor the champion, raise a banner and give the program an opportunity to stand alone in the limelight before the full slate of Week 1 games.
According to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, New York Jets starting quarterback Justin Fields did not throw a pass that traveled 10 yards in the air during his two preseason appearances. Some have voiced concerns about the Jets' passing attack with Fields in the lineup, but he insisted while speaking with reporters on Tuesday that he's "fine with taking eight-yard completions every play." On Wednesday, Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand addressed Fields' comment. "He's going to play the play the way the defense allows him to play it," Engstrand said about Fields, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. "So if they're going to allow him to take a shot down the field, he's going to take it. If they don't allow him, he's going to check the ball down, and we'll move on to the next play. We're all good with that." Fields completed just one of five passes for four yards in the Jets' 31-12 loss to the New York Giants on Saturday. According to Fox Sports, he connected on four of nine pass attempts for 46 yards across his first two preseason appearances of the summer. Despite such lackluster numbers, first-year Jets head coach Aaron Glenn suggested on Tuesday that he is ignoring "the noise that happens on the outside" regarding the team's passing offense. On Wednesday, Jets passing game coordinator Scott Turner praised Fields for knowing when to take a checkdown and when to challenge an opposing defense. "I think you've seen a lot of quarterbacks in this league, Josh Allen pops into mind, who really cut down his turnovers last year and won MVP by not always trying to make the big huge play, but make the right play. Justin has done a nice job with that," Turner said. ESPN stats show that Fields averaged 6.9 yards per pass attempt over six starts and 10 appearances with the Pittsburgh Steelers last season. Per Pro Football Reference, 22 qualified quarterbacks had a better yards per pass attempt average for the 2024 campaign. Dan Graziano of ESPN noted Wednesday that the $10M guaranteed that the Jets owe Fields for 2026 "won't prevent them from" looking for an upgrade at the position next year if he doesn't make "a major leap as a passer." It's still early into this experiment, but there's no sign that such a leap is coming anytime soon.
The Green Bay Packers have completed their last preseason game before the start of the NFL regular season, doing so in dominant fashion against the Seattle Seahawks. With a final score of 20-7, the Packers got the final word after the two teams had several brutal fisticuffs on Thursday’s joint practice. The team had several players star in their roles during their final auditions before roster cuts on Tuesday, but while Saturday’s game was all Green Bay, several players also missed their chance to leave a lasting impression. Winner: Ty’Ron Hopper impresses with several splash Plays Any Green Bay Packers fans who watched Saturday afternoon’s preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks are now familiar with the name Ty’Ron Hopper. The second-year linebacker out of Missouri was all over the field, making several impressive plays. He finished with three tackles, a sack, and some good plays in coverage as well. Additionally, he had a forced fumble on a fourth-down play where Seahawks QB Jalen Milroe had achieved enough yardage to move the chains, but found himself unable to hold onto the ball. Hopper was not a name getting a lot of attention entering camp, but there’s no chance of him not making the roster following an excellent preseason. With starters Quay Walker, Edgerrin Cooper, and Isaiah McDuffie cemented as the top three ‘backers for the team, Hopper appears to firmly have his hands on the reins for the fourth spot. Winner: Kalen King makes his presence felt Kalen King may have been an outside shot to make the roster a few weeks ago, but it seems like many think the former Penn State star has done enough. King ran with some of the Green Bay starters on defense during the opening periods of the game and had several important contributions. None stands out more than his fumble recovery, which was one of four turnovers forced by the team on the afternoon. In addition to the fumble recovery, he had a strong tackle on Jalen Milroe as the Seattle quarterback scampered towards the end zone, which resulted in no gain. While the secondary remains an area of concern for the Pack, King looks like he may have done enough to ensure he is a part of it entering the season. Loser: Rookie Anthony Belton still has a lot to learn Rookie offensive tackle Anthony Belton has certainly had his struggles this preseason. Just a week after being called for five first-half penalties against the Indianapolis Colts, Belton continued to show up with some poor moments against Seattle. Although he was only called for one false start on Saturday afternoon, head coach Matt LaFleur was seen ripping into Belton during the late first half. Later, it was revealed that LaFleur was upset with Belton’s stance on a third–down play where the team was hoping to secure field goal position. Belton will likely not be counted on for many snaps on offense this upcoming season. He clearly has a way to go before he can develop into a reliable player. Loser: Sean Clifford fails to impress in third-string QB battle King certainly had a strong day, but for another Penn State alum, it was more of a struggle. Reserve quarterback Sean Clifford did not have his best outing in limited action. Clifford finished 6-9 passing, but managed only 19 yards. He had multiple inaccurate balls on some shorter throws that many would expect him to convert. Competing with Clifford for the last quarterback spot is Taylor Elgersma, who had a better day. He went 6-8 for 33 yards. Even though both QBs did not do much of note against Seattle, Elgersma has had a much better preseason overall. In fact, his QB rating was over double of that of Clifford’s entering the final preseason game. Saturday’s contest was a chance for Clifford to rebound, and he failed to take advantage of the opportunity. One other advantage that Elgersma has is that he is four years younger than Clifford. Despite Clifford being just a second-year pro, he is already 27 years old. Theoretically, Elgersma has more room to grow if he was kept around.
The Astros have designated right-hander Shawn Dubin for assignment, according to Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle. Righty AJ Blubaugh has been called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move (KPRC 2’s Ari Alexander reported earlier on Saturday that Blubaugh was on his way to the Astros’ active roster). Dubin is out of minor league options, so Houston had to go the DFA route in order to remove him from its active roster. Dubin doesn’t have the service time or the past outright necessary to reject an outright assignment to Triple-A, so chances are he’ll just remain in the Astros’ farm system if he clears waivers. A pitching-needy team might consider claiming Dubin off the waiver wire, though his out-of-options status will probably scare off a few clubs, plus his case for sticking on a big league roster isn’t helped by his brutal month of August. Dubin had a 1.33 ERA over his first 20 1/3 innings of 2025, even if that standout ERA wasn’t quite supported by his secondary metrics. A forearm strain sent him to the 15-day injured list near the end of June, however, and since returning on Aug. 12, Dubin simply hasn’t looked the same. He has been tormented for 13 earned runs over five appearances and 5 1/3 innings since being activated from the IL, inflating his ERA up to 5.61 over 25 2/3 total frames. A bout of shoulder inflammation during Spring Training already put Dubin on the IL to begin the season, and he then didn’t make his 2025 debut until May 11 since an ankle injury set back his recovery. Things seemed fine once he finally got onto the Astros’ mound, yet whether Dubin is just rusty or is still feeling some after-effects from his forearm issue, his recent performance has been too rough for Houston to ignore. Selected in the 13th round of the 2018 draft, Dubin has spent his entire career in Houston’s organization, debuting in the Show with seven innings during the 2023 season. He then had a 4.17 ERA over 45 1/3 innings in 2024, getting a couple of spot starts but primarily working out of the bullpen. Dubin battled control problems last year, but while his walk rate is vastly improved in 2025, his strikeout rate has dropped (from 23.7% to 18.9%). The Astros’ bullpen has been strong for most of 2025, but the relief corps has hit some major roadblocks beyond just Dubin’s struggles. Star closer Josh Hader will miss at least the rest of the regular season due to a capsule sprain, and southpaw Bennett Sousa (already on the 15-day IL) is now also a question mark, as he’ll be shut down for the next two weeks while dealing with a flexor/pronator strain. Blubaugh is a rookie who has only nine MLB innings on his resume, but he’ll at least be a short-term fresh arm to act as a long man in the pen.