Pat Narudzzi Keeping Pitt's Starting QB Secret

The Pitt Panthers are keeping the identity of their starting quarterback under wraps.

PITTSBURGH -- Phil Jurkovec took the first half and Christian Veilleux played the second in the Pitt Panthers' 41-24 loss to No. 17 North Carolina but who will be under center to open this week's contest against Virginia Tech is anyone's guess. 

Concerns of an injury to Jurkovec, who took a targeting hit in the waning seconds of the first half last week, have lingered over Pitt's offense all week and left the door open for Veilleux to make his first start as a Panther. Head coach Pat Narduzzi did little to quell speculation about who will be his starter, saying he has a "pretty good idea" of who it will be but isn't willing to share that publicly. 

Narduzzi said at the beginning of the week that he didn't know who would start at quarterback on Saturday, but did add that Jurkovec would play if healthy and if not, he would turn to Veilleux. Redshirt sophomore Nate Yarnell remains the third-stringer. 

Jurkovec's struggles this season have been well-documented. Against Cincinnati and West Virginia in Weeks 2 and 3, he completed 18 of 52 passes for 261 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. But Jurkovec rebounded against North Carolina, completing 73% of his 15 passes for 109 yards before he was knocked out with an undisclosed injury. 

Veilleux entered in relief of Jurkovec and completed just seven of 18 passes for 85 yards and a pair of interceptions and lost a fumble as well. 

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