Pitt Football Hosting Virginia Transfer QB

The Pitt Panthers are hosting a Virginia transfer quarterback on a visit.

Nov 9, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Virginia Cavaliers quarterback Anthony Colandrea (10) runs with the ball as Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis (9) chases during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers have looked for new football talent following the opening of the transfer portal and are looking at a quarterback from the ACC.

Virginia quarterback transfer, Anthony Colandrea, spoke to Hayes Fawcett of On3 and said that he is taking three visits. These include two confirmed dates, Ole Miss on Dec. 14 and Pitt on Dec. 16, and he'll visit Syracuse, "sometime next week."

Colandrea came out of Lakewood High School in Saint Petersburg, Fla. as a consensus three-star quarterback in the Class of 2023. 247Sports rated him as the No. 45 quarterback and No. 144 recruit in Florida and On3 had him at No. 110 at his position and No. 229 recruit in the state.

He sat behind quarterback Tony Muskett to start 2023, but would play the next three games after the season opener and then final four games of the season, as Musket dealt with injuries.

Colandrea finished with 154-of-246 passes completed, 62.6%, for 1,958 yards and 13 touchdowns to nine interceptions in 2023. He was 1-6 in his seven starts, with the sole win vs. Duke, 30-27 at home in Week 12, where he completed 21-of-30 passes, 70%, for 278 yards and three touchdowns, along with nine carries for 66 yards.

He set Virginia freshman records with his completions, passing yards and 2,183 yards of total offense.

Colandrea won the starting quarterback battle going into this season and would play well early on for the Cavaliers, as they started 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the ACC. He completed 66.4% of his passes for 1,211 yards and eight touchdowns to four interceptions.

Things started to go wrong for Colandrea and Virginia the rest of the way, as he went 1-5 in his next six starts, completing 57.9% of his passes for 917 yards and five touchdowns to seven interceptions.

His sole win came against then ranked No. 18 Pitt on the road in Week 11, completing 16-of-24 passes for 143 yards and one touchdown, leading the comeback in the 24-19 victory.

Muskett would start in the final game for the Cavaliers, as Colandrea watched his team suffer a 37-17 road defeat to rival Virginia Tech in the Commonwealth Cup to end the season.

Pitt is likely looking at Colandrea as a backup to rising redshirt sophomore quarterback Eli Holstein. Backup quarterback, redshirt junior Nate Yarnell, entered the transfer portal and is searching for a starting job elsewhere,.

Holstein dealt with injuries late in the season, departing early from three games and missing two games in the final six contests of 2024.

The Panthers will hope Colandrea, if he does commit, comes in and fills the role of the reliable backup next season, especially if Holstein misses time with injury.

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