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Aug 30, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Cataurus Hicks (3) catches a touchdown pass behind Duquesne Dukes defensive back DJ Cerisier (2) during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pitt WRs Giving Eli Holstein Massive Boost

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Panthers on SI
By Mitchell Corcoran | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 4:00 PM ET

PITTSBURGH — Pitt Panthers redshirt sophomore quarterback Eli Holstein had a career performance in Week 1 against Duquesne.

The Panther's second-year starting quarterback tossed a career-high four touchdowns in the win. It was a much-needed performance for Holstein, considering that the last college football game he played was in November, when he suffered a season-ending injury.

The first few drives of the game were a little shaky, and Holstein admitted after the game that he had to knock off some rust. But he turned it on for the second and third quarters.

After throwing an interception in the end zone to start the second quarter, Holstein completed 10 of 14 passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns. A key to Holstein's improvement was the help he was getting from all of his pass catchers.

"You get to go out there and not really have to worry about who I'm throwing to," Holstein said after the Week 1 win. "It's all predicated on what's open and not who it is. I can just go out there and play free, throw to the open guy, no matter who it is, and they're going to go out there and make plays."

That was evident against the Dukes. Holstein had 15 completions to nine different targets.

But it wasn't just the quantity of options Holstein had that helped him get going; it was also what his receivers did when no one was open.

During the fourth drive of the second quarter. Holstein took the snap from the Duquesne 20-yard line, no one got open down the field and the pocket started to collapse. Holstein stepped up and fired the ball over the middle to Kenny Johnson in the end zone for a touchdown.

Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

But when Holstein released the ball, Johnson wasn't open or in the middle of the field. He was covered by a corner and a safety at the left hash. Holstein fired it into open space, and Johnson adjusted mid-play to get open.

"It's just kind of one of those things, it's like go find space and find the space that Eli likes," Johnson said. "I know certain throws are more comfortable for Eli. I know certain spots are more comfortable in general. So, it's just finding those dead spaces, finding those dead areas."

To Holstein's credit, he was able to buy time to make that throw with the use of his legs. He wasn't running around like Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen, but he used his legs effectively to push the defensive end outside and step into a wider pocket. That's something Pat Narduzzi would like to see more of in the future.

"That was probably the biggest difference from the first series to the second series," Narduzzi said. "He saw it on the iPad. 'OK, you’re right.' When he starts stepping up in the pocket, finding the receivers, or taking off running, is when things change a little bit for him. I think he realizes that when he watches the tape on the sideline and afterwards."

The combination of Holstein using his legs and the receivers finding open space should result in more big plays for Pitt, like against Duquesne. It's a play that Johnson says the offense has been working on for months.

"We've seen that play a couple times, just doing the scramble drill during the spring and summer, just really working on that," Johnson said. "Coach Narduzzi put a big emphasis on that, scrambling once the play breaks down, and just finding space. Eli and I just got a great connection, and he found me. I don't know how he did, but he found me."

Pitt's receivers don't just help Holstein during the scramble drill, though; they help him when the ball is in mid-air, too. Blue Hicks caught two touchdown passes from Holstein in Week 1, with one being slightly overthrown to the corner of the end zone, but Hicks managed to haul it in with one hand.

"We're just starting," Hicks said. "We didn't do anything yet. We're just getting started."

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

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