Inside The Panthers

Phil Jurkovec, Pitt QBs Ranked Sixth in ACC

ESPN's David Hale ranked the Pitt Panthers' quarterback unit the sixth-best in the ACC.

Stephen Thompson

Phil Jurkovec, Pitt QBs Ranked Sixth in ACC
Phil Jurkovec, Pitt QBs Ranked Sixth in ACC /
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PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers brought in three new scholarship quarterbacks this winter to offset the losses of Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti. 

Graduate transfer Phil Jurkovec has already earned the upper hand and starter status out of a group that also includes redshirt sophomore Nate Yarnell, Penn State transfer Christian Veilleux and true freshman Ty Dieffenbach. While there is some potential in this group, there are plenty of questions as well, which is what led ESPN's David Hale to rank it the sixth-best unit among their ACC peers, in a second tier with Miami, Louisville, Wake Forest, NC State and Syracuse. 

Jurkovec is one of a couple of ACC quarterbacks who posted strong seasons earlier in their careers and are looking to make a bounce back after regressing in 2022. Hale wrote that Jurkovec, Miami's Tyler Van Dyke and Virginia-turned-NC State signal-caller Brennan Armstrong all posted QBRs under 53 in 2022 after sitting above 75 in either the one or two seasons prior. 

He ranked seventh among qualified returning ACC quarterbacks by Pro Football Focus' grades, but it's reasonable to see how Jurkovec can return to form with a better cast around him. The Panthers should be able to offer the frequently-pressured Jurkovec some respite. Four offensive lineman who started a game last season return 

"Phil Jurkovec was pressured on 45.5% of his dropbacks last season, easily the highest rate in FBS," Hale wrote. "Since 2018, only [three] other Power 5 quarterbacks have had worse. [For what it's worth], last year, Pitt's Kedon Slovis had the longest time to first pressure of any ACC quarterback."

The potential is there, as Jurkovec's 2020 and 2021 seasons illustrate, but that will, at least in part, be dependent upon how the pieces Pitt places around him play. 

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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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