Inside The Panthers

Eli Holstein Leads Pitt with Maturity, Confidence

Quarterback Eli Holstein led the Pitt offense with maturity and confidence in Backyard Brawl win.

Matthew Scabilloni

Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) throws a pass against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) throws a pass against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers comeback in the Backyard Brawl vs. the West Virginia Mountaineers had a number of important key plays, with most from young, redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein.

The Panthers were down 34-24 with 4:55 remaining and home fans started to exit Acrisure Stadium, expecting a loss. At this moment, Pitt's offense only accounted for four yards on three possessions in the second half before this drive.

But these Pitt fans must've forgot that Holstein led a historical comeback last week in similar circumstances.

Pitt faced a 27-6 deficit to Cincinnati on the road last week midway through the third quarter and Holstein led four scoring drives for three touchdowns and the game-winning field goal, 28-27, for the biggest comeback in 50 years for the program.

The same was about to happen this week in Pittsburgh. Holstein turned around his play late in the second half by listening to his offensive coordinator, Kade Bell.

"{Bell} told me to trust my receivers, trust myself {and] trust the timing," Holstein said. " I got to realize the receivers are going to be there, I just got to trust that the guy is going to be there... [It's] something that I needed to do, I did that in the fourth quarter and that's how we won the game."

The first receiver Holstein put his trust in during the fourth quarter was a receiver that hadn't made a catch all season long, redshirt junior wide receiver Daejon Reynolds.

Holstein lofted a throw to the endzone with a West Virginia defender draped all over Reynolds, but he came down with the ball in triple coverage despite a defender fouling him.

"I saw him stack the DB and I said, "Hey just give him a shot," Holstein said. "I threw it up there and I thought it was holding at first, and I was like "hey at least we are going to get the penalty." Then I saw him come down with it and I was [like] "hell yeah, I appreciate that Dae Dae, thanks for helping me out."

After the circus catch by Reynolds, Pitt's defense earned a crucial three-and-out to send Holstein and the Pitt offense back out onto the field with two minutes remaining.

The Panthers offense, as they were in Cincinnati a week ago, proved they were ready for the moment.

"Nobody was skittish, nervous," Holstein said. "We were all confident in what we can do. We had a two-minute drive last week so we knew we could do it."

The lack of nerves was apparent. The Pitt offense executed a methodical six-play, 77-yard drive that lasted 1:27. Holstein accounted for 69 yards, with 40 through the air and 29 on the ground.

Throughout the drive all Holstein tried to do was muster an effective drive for the Panthers, by taking what the Mountaineer defense gave him.

"I saw that there was a play there to make and I just wanted to make them," Holstein said. "My team needed me to step up and make plays and it was there and that was some of the plays I could make."

The six-play drive was capped off by redshirt junior running back Derrick Davis powering through West Virginia defenders for a one-yard touchdown run.

Then, with 32 seconds remaining, the Pitt defense easily shut down the West Virginia offense. Senior quarterback Garrett Greene capped off the 107th edition of the Backyard Brawl by going 0-for-4 with an interception on the final Mountaineer drive.

it's impossible to narrow down an exact reason for a team to make inexplicable comebacks like this, but a possible thing Pitt fans could point to is the closeness of the players on the team.

"I don't know if our team can get closer together," Holstein said. "We are all brothers, we are always hanging out with each other. We are as close as a team I've ever been a part of."

Sixth year linebacker Brandon George reiterated the family aspect for the recent comebacks for the Panthers and praised Holstein for his play and maturity in his first season starting, after sitting at Alabama last season.

"He shows a great amount of leadership," George said. "That's something you don't often see from any freshman, especially a freshman quarterback. He transferred in, he fitted well, he's one of our brothers through thick-and-thin. I'll ride through hell for that man."

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi gave credit to Holstein for staying in it, even dealing with a number of sacks and going down to their biggest rival, he still got the win.

"I mean, it tells you he's tough," Narduzzi said. "He's got a lot of toughness to him. He's got moxie. He's a football player. That's what quarterbacks are supposed to be. We've seen quarterbacks like that here at Pitt before. He finds a way to get it done. He doesn't care. He doesn't come off, he's not whining and crying, like, what's going on, protect me, protect me. He don't care. He just goes out and plays, and we made enough plays to get it done."

Holstein finished the game completing 21-of-30 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns. He is the first Pitt quarterback to throw for three touchdowns in three consecutive games since Kenny Pickett and the first Pitt quarterback to do it in the first three games of a season since Rod Rutherford in 2003.

Pitt will continue to rely on Holstein the rest of the season, as they try to achieve their goal of winning an ACC Championship.

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Matthew Scabilloni

MATTHEW SCABILLONI

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