Kade Bell Confirms Pitt's Starting QB

New offensive coordinator Kade Bell explained why the Pitt Panthers will roll with Nate Yarnell as their starting quarterback.

PITTSBURGH -- Head coach Pat Narduzzi said it earlier in the offseason and his new offensive coordinator confirmed it weeks later - the Pitt Panthers will have a clear-cut starter at quarterback entering spring practices. 

“Nate [Yarnell]’s the guy going into spring," Kade Bell, who took the offensive coordinator job at Pitt just weeks after the 2023 season ended, said. "I thought he played really well in the last two games of the season. He’s going to have the opportunity to go out there with the one’s and it’s his job to lose."

Bell praised Yarnell's intelligence, command of the offense and growing leadership skills that he has picked up since taking control of the unit.

Yarnell took over as the starter in Week 11 against Boston College, with the Panthers having already cycled through Phil Jurkovec and Christian Veillieux. The Panthers won one of his two starts as Yarnell completed 36 of 56 passes (66.7%) for 472 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He scored a rushing touchdown as well.

The Panthers kept their quarterback room stocked despite the loss of Jurkovec to graduation by adding Eli Holstein, a true freshman transfer from Alabama, and retaining redshirt sophomore Christian Veilleux. Veilleux started five games and completed 52% of his 157 passes for 1,034 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. 

2024 quarterback recruit Julian Dugger joined the Panthers as a mid-year enrollee last month and freshman Ty Dieffenbach is set to enter his second year in the program next fall. 

Bell said there will still be competition between Veilleux and Yarnell during spring practices but they will also use that time to see what they have in Dieffenbach, Holstein and Dugger, none of whom have played a snap of live college football yet. 

"I’m really big on getting everybody reps. I think that matters. Obviously, you’ve got to get him a bunch reps," Bell said. "We’ve got to build the system around him and what he does well and then when other guys are in there, I’ve got to find out what they do well too. Because Nate's really the only one besides Christian that has some game film. So the other young guys that are here, we’ve got to find out what they do well and try to put them in position in practice and see what they can do to grow and develop.”

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