Pitt's Quarterback Options After Mason Heintschel Injury

The Pitt Panthers got heartbreaking news as it was revealed that quarterback Mason Heintschel will miss the remainder of the season with an ACL tear. Heintschel left the game against Virginia Tech in the third quarter after a hard hit to the leg and was later seen on the sideline on crutches.

Still, the Panthers walked out of that game with a win to move to 5-0 on the season, thanks in part to backup quarterback Holden Geriner throwing for 78 yards and a touchdown.

Geriner transfered to Pitt to be the veteran in the quarterback room, but it may not be a given that he's going to start the rest of the season. Pitt has several promising young quarterbacks on the roster, just as Heintschel was last year.

Pitt's 2024 season got derailed after an injury to quarterback Eli Holstein, which doesn't have to happen this season if the team can emphasize what's led them to be 5-0 while finding the right fit at quarterback.

Holden Geriner

The obvious choice is Geriner, who will likely start next week against North Carolina.

Geriner is in his fifth year of college and has played for Auburn and Texas State. He didn't see much action until he got to Pitt, in fact, he threw the first touchdown pass of his collegiate career in the game against Bucknell.

Across the three games he has played in for Pitt, Geriner has thrown for 219 passing yards and two touchdowns. He hasn't shown any reason to be doubted, especially after going 8/12 on pass attempts, throwing a touchdown and not having any turnovers when Pitt needed him the most in this last game.

This trust could be seen as the second half progressed, with the play calls easing on the constant run plays and instead allowing Geriner to make the plays himself.

"I can't thank the guys on the team enough [for the] continued support," Dailey said postgame. "Preparation leads to confidence, so I was able to go out there and felt ready for the game."

Corey Dailey

If Pitt wants to go the true freshman route again, Corey Dailey will likely be the pick.

Dailey, a six-foot-six prospect from Texas, got some action at the end of the Bucknell game. Instead of just taking a knee at the end, head coach Pat Narduzzi let Dailey lead a drive that ended in a touchdown pass to Tyreek Robinson.

Dailey went for 57 passing yards on 3/5 attempts in that drive.

"We need to see [Dailey] play and make those decisions," Narduzzi said when asked about playing Dailey at the end of the game. "These guys work too hard not to get reps."

Other Quarterbacks on the Roster

Another freshman from Texas who could be an option is Angelo Renda. Renda led one of the best teams in the state during his high school tenure, passing for over 8,000 yards and rushing for over 1,500 yards.

There are two walk-ons, sophomore Beau Jackson and freshman Davin Friedman. Jackson is the only returning quarterback from last season on the roster besides Heintschel, so there could be some benefit to a player more familiar with the program.