Inside The Panthers

Pitt Lands Transfer QB From Alabama

The Pitt Panthers added some young depth to their quarterback room.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Lands Transfer QB From Alabama
Pitt Lands Transfer QB From Alabama /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers made a talented addition to their quarterback room this offseason when a former blue-chip recruit announced that he would join the program for spring ball. 

Former Alabama quarterback Eli Holstein, a 6'3 and 232-pound player, announced on Twitter that he would join the Panthers after spending one season and not appearing in any games as a true freshman with the Crimson Tide. He visited the Pitt over the weekend. 

Holstein was unanimously considered a four-star recruit coming out of high school in the class of 2022 and a top-10 player in his state. ESPN ranked him as high as the No. 5 quarterback in the class and No. 29 player overall in the class. 

Holstein fielded offers from the likes of Arkansas, Auburn, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Louisville, Miami, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, South Carolina, Stanford, Texas A&M and Utah before signing with Alabama almost exactly one year ago.

As a senior at Zachary High School in Louisiana, Holstein completed 65% of his 244 passes for 2,153 yards, 22 touchdowns and three interceptions while also rushing for 505 yards and nine touchdowns on 64 carries. He was even better as a junior - 3,779 total yards and 43 total touchdowns as Zachary amassed a 15-0 record capped by a state championship win in 2021. 

The Panthers lost Phil Jurkovec, who was named the starting quarterback during spring ball in 2023 and held that role up until the bye week of this past season, to graduation. 

They retained his two replacements, Nate Yarnell and Christian Veilleux, who both got multiple games of starting experience this season. A competition between those two - and now possibly Holstein - is expected during spring and summer practices heading into the 2024 campaign. 

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Published
Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper.  He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press.  During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general.  You can reach Stephen by email at stephenethompson00@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Read his latest work:

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