Pitt Starting Lineup vs. Kent State

Pitt Panthers football revealed their starting lineup vs. Kent State in the first game of 2024.

Pittsburgh Panthers Konata Mumpfield (9) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on September 9, 2023 / Michael Longo/For USA Today Network / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers revealed their starting lineup for the season opener vs. Kent State, beginning 2024.

Pitt Football Starting Lineup vs. Kent State

Offense

Quarterback-Eli Holstein
Running Back-Desmond Reid
Wide Receiver-Kenny Johnson
Wide Receiver-Konata Mumpfield
Wide Receiver-Daejon Reynolds
Wide Receiver-Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr.
Tight end-Gavin Bartholomew
Left Tackle-Branson Taylor
Left Guard-Ryan Jacoby
Center-Lyndon Cooper
Right Guard-BJ Williams
Right Tackle-Ryan Baer

Defense

Defensive End-Nate Matlack
Defensive Tackle-Nick James
Defensive Tackle-Isaiah "Ghost" Neal
Defensive End-Jimmy Scott
Star Linebacker-Kyle Louis
Mike Linebacker-Brandon George
Money Linebacker-Braylan Lovelace
Safety-Phillip O'Brien Jr.
Safety-Javon McIntyre
Cornerback-Ryland Gandy
Cornerback-Rashad Battle

Special Teams

Longsnapper-Nilay Upadhyayula
Placekicker-Ben Sauls
Punter-Caleb Junko
Holder-Cam Guess

Holstein, an Alabama transfer, won the quarterback battle against redshirt junior Nate Yarnell, who started the final two games of the 2023 season. Junior running back Desmond Reid gets the start at his position over senior Rodney Hammond Jr., who is ineligible for the 2024 season.

The Panthers will start Johnson, Mumpfield, Reynolds and Williams, who transferred in from San Diego State, at wide receiver against the Golden Flashes.

O'Brien gets the start over fellow senior defensive back Donovan McMillon, who was listed as a starter at strong safety. McIntyre joins O'Brien at safety.

James, an Indiana transfer, and Neal both make their first starts at defensive tackle. Scott and Matlack, and Kansas State trasnfer, will both start at defensive end, making this an entirely defensive line from last season.

George, Lovelace, Louis will start at linebacker, while Gandy and Battle, both from Georgia, start at cornerback. Battle missed most of the past two seasons with injury.

Cooper, an NC State transfer, won the starting spot at center over redshirt junior Terrence Moore Jr., who started nine games at center in 2023.

Jacoby comes back after missing all of 2023 with an injury and will start at left tackle. BJ Williams, who started at right guard for most of 2023 as a true freshman, keeps his spot to begin 2024.

Taylor and Baer will do as they did throughout the end of the 2023 season, starting at both left tackle and right tackle, respecitvely.

Upadhyayula is the new starting longsnapper, a transfer from UConn. Sauls and Junko continue to start at placekicker and punter for Pitt.

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