Seeking a 'Spark,' Pitt Turns to Former Penn State QB Christian Veilleux

'He's athletic and he's fired up,' Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said of the 2021 Penn State recruit.

Former Penn State quarterback Christian Veilleux will take over as Pitt's starting quarterback this week when the Panthers host Louisville at Acrisure Stadium. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi confirmed the change from former starter Phil Jurkovec to Veilleux at his weekly press conference Monday, saying the Panthers "needed a spark."

"Obviously last week we made a change at the quarterback spot," Narduzzi said. "I got a ton of confidence in Phil Jurkovec. I still do. Even if you won't and don't, I still do. But it felt like we needed a spark at that position to see what happens. So that's kind of what we did. So Christian will be the guy lined up there and expect to have a good week this week, as we did last week at that position, and kind of see what happens."

Veilleux, a 2021 Penn State recruit, transferred to Pitt after two seasons with the Nittany Lions. He played in three games last season as Penn State's No. 3 quarterback behind Sean Clifford and Drew Allar. During the 2022 season, Penn State coach James Franklin said he hoped that Veilleux would return to the program in 2023.

Veilleux has played in two games for Pitt, notably against North Carolina after Jurkovec left the game with an injury. He completed 7 of 18 passes for 85 yards and threw two interceptions against the Tar Heels. Veilleux will make his first college start on Pitt's Homecoming against 14th-ranked Louisville (6-0). The Panthers (1-4) rank last in the ACC in passing offense.

"Christian has got a great release," Narduzzi said. "You've seen a little bit of him play this year so far. He's got a great quick release. He throws a great ball. He can sling it around. He's athletic, and he's fired up. So I think he wants to have his opportunity, and we're going to find out what he looks like Saturday night."

Narduzzi said Veilleux would get a full look as the starter. "I'm not going to pull the plug on him," the coach said. Narduzzi added that Veilleux could provide that spark "if he goes out and makes some throws, makes some plays, that's how you get a spark. Just something different, and we'll find out."

More on Penn State

Penn State Football on SI.com

Penn State Q&A: What we know about the Lions' 5-0 start

First look: Penn State vs. UMass

Quarterback commit Ethan Grunkemeyer discusses committing to Penn State and his relationship with Drew Allar

What we learned about Penn State during the bye week

The week's best Penn State football stories

Penn State addresses 'big concern' on offense during bye week

What has changed with Penn State's offense this season?

Penn State is 'starting to feel the soul of our defense'

Quarterback Drew Allar is moving in the right direction

Penn State unveils future Big Ten football opponents

AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich. And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network.