Inside The Panthers

Pitt Loses Starting QB vs. Louisville

Pitt Panthers lose their starting quarterback vs. Louisville.

Dominic Campbell

Nov 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) passes against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Nov 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) passes against the Virginia Cavaliers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have dealt with injuries throughout this season and lost their starting quarterback vs. Louisville.

Panthers quarterback, redshirt freshman Eli Holstein, took a sack in the first quarter against the Cardinals and went down. Medical staff tended to him and had to put an air cast on his left leg. They would also bring out a cart for him and take him off the field.

Redshirt junior quarterback Nate Yarnell came in for Holstein, making his fourth appearance in the past five games.

Holstein is currenty on the sidelines in crutches, according to Karl Ludwig of Pittsburgh Sports Now.

This is the third game that Holstein has had to leave early for Pitt this season, doing so in the 41-13 win at home vs. Syracuse after suffering hard hit out of bounds in Week 9 and in the 24-19 loss to Virginia at home in Week 11.

Holstein would play the following week after Syracuse vs. then ranked No. 20 SMU on the road in Week 10, but didn't perform well in the 48-25 loss, completing 29-of-48 passes for 248 yards, no touchdowns and one interception.

He would rush five yards and slide down on a drive in the third quarter, but Virginia junior linebacker Trey McDonald hit Holstein 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 had to come in and struggled, completing just 4-of-12 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions in the defeat vs. the Cavaliers.

Yarnell would have to start for Pitt vs. Clemson in Week 12, with Holstein still not medically cleared for the game.

He improved his play, as he completed 34-of-54 passes for 350 yards and one touchdown and an interception in the 24-20 loss to the Tigers. He almost lead the Panthers to a victory, but a late defensive touchdown and poor final drive doomed them.

Holstein received medical clearance ahead of the game vs. the Cardinals and got the start. He led a good first drive for the Panthers, but would throw an interception in the end zone, giving the Cardinals the ball back.

He came into the Louisville game completing 177-of-286 passes, 62%, for 2,177 yards and 17 touchdowns to six interceptions in nine games this season. He also ranked second on Pitt with 323 rushing yards on 79 carries, 4.1 yards per carry, and three touchdowns on the ground.

His 17 touchdown passes and four 300-yard passing games rank tied for the most by a Pitt freshman since Alex Van Pelt in 1989.

Holstein has earned ACC Rookie of the Week five times, Davey O'Brien Award Weekly honors twice and Walter Camp Award Weekly honors once.

He is also on two award watch lists, including the Davey O'Brien Award, which recognizes the best quarterback in college football, and the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

Holstein beat out Yarnell for the starting job in the week leading up to the first game of the season, a 55-24 blowout of Kent State at home on Aug. 31.

Yarnell had started three games prior to Clemson this season for Pitt, 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.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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