Christian Veilleux Puts His Own Stamp on Pitt Offense
PITTSBURGH -- Christian Veilleux received the news that he would be the Pitt Panthers' new starting quarterback nonchalantly. He had a conversation with the coaches first. Then they delivered the message to his team. Then it was time to get to work.
As Veilleux prepares to make the first start of his collegiate career, the transfer doesn't want anyone to look at him as the savior of a team mired in a 1-4 start. He's here to do his job and support what he thinks is a good team with potential yet to be unlocked.
"Our plan is good, our players are good, our plays are good, our coaching is good - we just got to execute," Veilluex said. At the end of the day, if you’re not executing, no matter what team you play for, you’re not going to win football games. So we’ve just got to go execute, believe in our plan, believe in our own ability and I think that’s going to make a huge difference.”
Veilleux is taking over for graduate transfer Phil Jurkovec, the maligned graduate transfer who completed 50.9% of his passes for 818 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions over five starts. Careful to add that he didn't want to make it sound like he thinks he's better than Jurkovec, Veilleux said he believes he has a personality and leadership style that will help the unit take steps forward.
He's worked hard to understand the makeup of his teammates during his 10 months in Pittsburgh. Veilleux wants to know what makes them tick so he can respond to their needs as players.
“Leadership for me is having a personal relationship with the guys, knowing who they are, how they act, how they behave, knowing how to address certain players," Veilleux said. "For me, my leadership role is just to understand how everyone functions and try to attack everybody differently based on what they prefer.”
He's had all of spring practices, the summer, training camp and the first half of the regular season to get to know his receivers, running backs and offensive linemen that make up the first team but now he has to truly master an offense and demonstrate that mastery for the first time.
But Veilleux hasn't changed his routine, even with more on his plate as the starter. He continues to take detailed notes - upwards of 24 pages on his iPad filled with formations, coverages, game scenarios and opponent tendencies, which he matches up with film and then runs through plays in his head, parsing where to go with the ball at what moment.
It all adds up to what Veilleux believes will be smart, effective and efficient moves with the ball this weekend against No. 14 Louisville, all of which will be of the utmost importance as Pitt tries to pull off an upset under what's forecasted to be rainy conditions at Acrisure Stadium.
"I guess my biggest asset would be getting the ball out quick based on our plan and what we’re trying to do," Veilleux said. "Obviously, the weather’s not going to be great on Saturday so we’ll see how it goes. But I think my operation and making decisive decisions is what I bring to the table.”
Veilluex has also leaned on Jurkovec as he used the bye week to get up to speed with the offense, asking him questions that his experience can answer.
And Veilleux has leaned on his own limited experience as well. He entered late in the first half against North Carolina in Week four after Jurkovec suffered an injury. Veilleux completed just seven of 18 passes for 85 yards and turned the ball over three times, but said he took some important lessons from his first action against an ACC opponent.
Now, like the rest of the team, he's hoping to turn that experience into more positive results.
"I take full responsibility for those turnovers," Veilleux said. "it was a good learning experience, get that game action out of the way and now being able to prepare as a starter, take everything I learned from that week and apply it to this week.”
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