Pitt QB Gametime Decision vs. Clemson

Pitt Panthers starting quarterback is a gametime decision vs. Clemson.

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

PITTSBURGH -- Pitt Panthers redshirt freshman Eli Holstein departed the last game vs. Virginia with an injury, putting his availability into question ahead of their Week 12 matchup vs. Clemson.

Holstein would rush five yards and slide down on a drive in the third quarter, but Cavaliers 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.

He didn't return to the game and redshirt junior quarterback Nate Yarnell had to come into the game. Yarnell struggled, completing just 4-of-12 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions, as the Panthers lost 24-19 to the Cavaliers.

This was the second game that Holstein left a game with an injury, as he took a hard hit out-of-bounds in the fourth quarter and had to depart in the 41-13 win vs. Syracuse in Week 9.

He would play the following week vs. then ranked No. 20 SMU 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.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi announced that Holstein has not received clearance to play vs. Clemson and that it will come as a game-time decision as to if he plays or not.

"Probably big question is, "How's Eli doing?" Narduzzi said. "But, he has not been cleared yet...So he's not been cleared yet. So it'll be a gametime decision. So we'll just continue to wait and make sure we take of our guys."

Holstein has completed 177-of-286 passes, 62%, for 2,177 yards and 17 touchdowns to six interceptions in eight 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 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.

Narduzzi is confident in Yarnell if he does have to make the start vs. Clemson and fully backs him after a strong week of practice.

"We got to get rolling on offense," Narduzzi said. "Whether it's Eli or Nate, we got a ton of confidence. I've said that since I made Nate Yarnell the starter a year ago and so we got great confidence in him and he'll go out and play even better because he got more reps in this week."

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