Inside The Panthers

Pitt Names Starting QB for Spring Practice

The Pitt Panthers will start spring ball with a clear-cut starter at quarterback.

Stephen Thompson

Pitt Names Starting QB for Spring Practice
Pitt Names Starting QB for Spring Practice /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers will enter spring ball without a quarterback controversy, according to ESPN's David Hale. He appeared on the ACC Network show, All-ACC to report on Pitt's offseason progress and said there is a clear QB1 in Pittsburgh. 

"The other really interesting thing to me is [Pitt head coach] Pat [Narduzzi] said we're going to go into the spring with Nate Yarnell as our clear-cut No. 1 on the quarterback depth chart," Hale said on 'All ACC'. "It is his job to lose.'

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. 

Pitt has some talent in their quarterbacks room and Narduzzi  - at least for now - is riding with the player who had the least amount of recruiting hype coming out of high school, but has shown him the most on the field. 

"They brought in Eli Holstein from Alabama, they still have Christian Veilleux on the roster. They've got some depth at the position," Hale added. "He still sounds very bought-in on Nate Yarnell and what the rest of the team thinks of Nate Yarnell too. So some enthusiasm about offense in Pittsburgh at the very least."

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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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