Pitt Changes Offensive Line Starters vs. Clemson

Pitt Panthers changed the offensive line starters vs. Clemson.

Dec 30, 2022; El Paso, Texas, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers wide receiver Bub Means (15) celebrates with offensive lineman Ryan Jacoby (61) after scoring a touchdown against the UCLA Bruins defense in the first half of the 2022 Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images / Ivan Pierre Aguirre-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers revealed their starting lineup vs. the No. 20 Clemson Tigers, their final home game of the 2024 season, which saw changes to the offensive line.

Pitt Football Starting Lineup vs. Clemson

Offense

Quarterback-Nate Yarnell
Running Back-Desmond Reid
Wide Receiver-Kenny Johnson
Wide Receiver-Konata Mumpfield
Wide Receiver-Daejon Reynolds 
Wide Receiver-Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr.
Wide Receiver-Censere "C.J." Lee
Tight end-Gavin Bartholomew
Left Tackle-Ryan Baer
Left Guard-Ryan Jacoby
Center-Lyndon Cooper
Right Guard-BJ Williams
Right Tackle-Jackson Brown

Defense

Defensive End-Nate Matlack
Defensive Tackle-Sean FitzSimmons
Defensive Tackle-Nick James
Defensive End-Jimmy Scott
Star Linebacker-Kyle Louis
Mike Linebacker-Brandon George
Money Linebacker-Rasheem Biles
Safety-Donovan McMillon
Safety-Phillip O'Brien Jr.
Cornerback-Tamon Lynum
Cornerback-Ryland Gandy

Special Teams

Longsnapper-Nilay Upadhyayula
Placekicker-Ben Sauls
Punter-Caleb Junko
Holder-Cam Guess

Pitt will bring back sixth year Ryan Jacoby to the offensive line, starting at left guard, and redshirt sophomore Jackson Brown to right tackle.

This is the second straight game with big changes to the offensive line for the Panthers. They moved redshirt sophomore Ryan Baer, who started the first eight games of 2024 and nine games last season at right tackle, to left tackle ahead of their game vs. the Cavaliers.

Jacoby comes back in for redshirt junior Terrence Enos Jr., who started against Virginia at left guard. He previously played at left tackle vs. Syracuse in Week 9 and SMU in Week 10

Previous left tackle starter, redshirt senior Branson Taylor, suffered a season-ending injury after the Cal game in Week 7, which led to Enos taking over left tackle.

Brown transferred to Pitt from Cal ahead of the 2023 season and will make his season debut and first career college start vs. Clemson. He played in three games last season and is the son of the late Tony Brown, who was a great offensive lineman at Pitt from 1982-85.

Redshirt junior quarterback Nate Yarnell will also get his first start of the season for the Panthers, taking over for the injured redshirt freshman Eli Holstein.

Holstein departed early from the last game, a 24-19 loss to Virginia at home in Week 11. He would rush five yards and slide down on a drive in the third quarter, but Virginia junior linebacker Trey McDonald hit him late and hard. He took off his helmet and medical personnel rushed off to help him out.

The officials would disqualify McDonald, after determing the hit qualified for a targeting penalty.

Yarnell has started three games prior for Pitt before, a 34-13 win on the road over Western Michigan on Sept. 17, 2022, a 24-16 victory over Boston College on Nov. 16, 2023 and then a 30-19 loss to Duke on Nov. 25, 2023.

Redshirt senior defensive back Tamon Lynum will also get his second start at cornerback over redshirt senior Rashad Battle, who missed out last game and only played two snaps vs. SMU.

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