Inside The Panthers

Former Pitt QB Nate Yarnell Finds New Home

Former Pitt Panthers quarterback Nate Yarnell found a new home.

Dominic Campbell

Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Nate Yarnell (19) passes against the Clemson Tigers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Nate Yarnell (19) passes against the Clemson Tigers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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PITTSBURGH -- Former Pitt Panthers quarterback Nate Yarnell has found a new home, where he'll play his football in 2025.

Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic reported that Yarnell, who entered the transfer portal on Dec. 6, committed to Texas State, bringing him back closer to home for his final season of college football.

Yarnell played for Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas, a three-strar recruit in the Class of 2021 and committed to Pitt on April 30, 2020.

He enrolled early in 2021, but didn't play at all that season, serving as a member of the ACC Championship team.

Yarnell made an emergency start the following season in 2022, after both Pitt quarterbacks, Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti, suffered injuries in the loss to then ranked No. 24 Tennessee in Week 2 at home.

He got that start the following game on the road vs. Western Michigan in Week 3, completing 9-of-12 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown, leading Pitt to a 34-13 victory.

Yarnell came on one more time that season in 2022 in the Sun Bowl. He came in for two plays late in the first half, while Patti had to sit out, but would head back to the bench as Patti returned later and would lead Pitt to a 37-35 win over UCLA.

He came off the bench in two games the following season, losses to Notre Dame on the road in Week 9 and against Syracuse at Yankee Stadium in Week 11.

Yarnell earned his first start of 2023 against Boston College at home in Week 12. He completed 11-of-19 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown and also ran five times for 24 yards and a touchdown in the 24-16 victory.

He earned another start in the season finale vs. Duke on the road in Week 13. He completed 25-of-35 passes, 71.4%, for 265 yards and two touchdowns in the 30-19 loss.

Yarnell came out of the ensuing spring practices as the starter, but would lose that spot to Alabama transfer and redshirt freshman Eli Holstein before the season started.

Holstein would deal with in-game injuries in 2024, forcing Yarnell to come in, doing so in the 41-13 win at home vs. Syracuse after suffering hard hit out of bounds in Week 9 and in the 24-19 loss to Virginia at home in Week 11.

Holstein would play the following week after Syracuse vs. then ranked No. 20 SMU on the road 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.

He would rush five yards and slide down on a drive in the third quarter, but Virginia junior linebacker Trey McDonald hit Holstein 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.

Yarnell had to come in and struggled, completing just 4-of-12 passes for 44 yards and a touchdown and two interceptions in the defeat vs. the Cavaliers.

Yarnell would have to start for Pitt vs. Clemson in Week 12, with Holstein still not medically cleared for the game.

He improved his play, as he completed 34-of-54 passes for 350 yards and one touchdown and an interception in the 24-20 loss to the Tigers. He almost lead the Panthers to a victory, but a late touchdown from the Tigers and a poor final drive doomed them.

Holstein would also suffer an injury in the 37-9 road loss to Louisville in Week 13.  Medical staff tended to him and had to put an air cast on his left leg. They would also bring out a cart for him and take him off the field.

Yarnell came in and completed 11-of-23 passes for 96 yards, along with one touchdown and one interception and three rushes for 12 yards. Redshirt freshman quarterback and walk-on David Lynch would come in for the final two drives.

He would also start the last regular season game, 34-23 road loss to Boston College in Week 14. Yarnell completed 23-of-42 passes, 54.8%, for 296 yards, a career-high three touchdowns and an interception.

Yarnell ended his final season completing 98-of-167 passes, 58.9%, for 1,056 yards and 10 touchdowns to five interceptions.

He is one of two quarterbacks from Pitt that entered the transfer portal, along with redshirt freshman Ty Dieffenbach.

Yarnell is also one of five former Pitt players that have found new schools. This includes defensive linemen in walk-on/redshirt sophomore Thomas Aden, who landed at Kent State, and redshirt junior Nakhi Johnson, who transferred to Tulsa, plus two more fellow redshirt juniors in offensive lineman Terrence Moore, who departed for Toledo anddefensive back Noah Biglow, who landed at Louisiana Tech.

The other Panthers on defense who transferred feature defensive linemen, redshirt junior Elliot Donald and redshirt freshman David Ojiegbe, and redshirt freshman defensive back Jaremiah Anglin Jr.

Pitt also had four other offensive players enter the transfer portal, including running backs in seniorRodney Hammond Jr. and redshirt freshman Montravius Lloyd, plus wide receivers in redshirt juniorDaejon Reynolds and redshirt freshman Lamar Seymore

The Panthers have returning quarterbacks in redshirt sophomores, Holstein and Lynch, rising redshirt freshman Julian Dugger and incoming freshman Mason Heinschel, who played for Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio.

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Dominic Campbell
DOMINIC CAMPBELL

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