Alabama transfer Eli Holstein to start at quarterback for Pitt against Kent State

Redshirt freshman Eli Holstein will be the starting quarterback for the first snaps of Pitt’s football season when the Panthers meet Kent State at noon Saturday, coach Pat Narduzzi said Thursday.

The Alabama transfer was named Pitt’s starting quarterback, though incumbent Nate Yarnell also will play, Narduzzi said.

That division of labor will be determined based on how the game unfolds, Narduzzi said.

“We’ll play it from there,” the coach said. “We’ve got a lot of faith in both of them. We don’t have a set plan yet, but we’ll plan out as we go. If things are going really good and we’re moving the ball and being productive, then we’ll stick with (Holstein) a little longer. If things aren’t going so well, we’ll play it by ear.”

Narduzzi said Holstein’s “hard work” and “preparation” were difficult to ignore.

“Little by little (he continued to improve),” he said. “We looked at practice this week and completion percentage. All the little details. I just felt like he’s come a long way, and he deserved to get that nod.”

Narduzzi said midway through camp he noticed Holstein, who had a hamstring injury in the spring, was starting to step up and compete for a job that many outside the program thought would be Yarnell’s.

“Just watching him continuing to get better every day and make good decisions with the ball. It’s all about the ball,” he said. “Protecting the football and making smart decisions is critical. Now, you have to go out and do that in the game, as well.”

Narduzzi said the situation remains “an open competition,” and he added both quarterbacks have done a good job running the offense. He added that Yarnell, like Holstein, is seeing the field well, a prerequisite for any quarterback.

“We’ll find out what happens on game day. (In) scrimmages it’s hard to say who’s who,” he said. “When the lights are on and 12:07 (p.m.) comes (Saturday), we think both of them will operate it the right way.”

Narduzzi said he detected “a little tear in (Holstein’s) eye” when he broke the news to him.

“He put his head down, hand in his face and was, obviously, excited. I’m happy for him, can’t wait to go watch both of them play.”

Narduzzi said Yarnell, who started three games over the past two seasons, was “understanding” of the decision.

“He’s a team guy. He’s selfless, about as good a team guy you’re going to have in that locker room. He was great.”

Asked how much influence offensive coordinator Kade Bell had in the decision, Narduzzi said, “Kade’s gotta be the No. 1.” But the head coach is not detached from it, he said.

“(Bell) sits in that meeting room (with the quarterbacks). But we’ll have conversations a lot. We talk about it, at least, every two days in my office. It’s good communication. It can’t be one guy.

“I trust Kade to make the right decision, but if I ever feel it’s the wrong decision, I’m going to step up and veto.”

Holstein did not play for the Crimson Tide last season and transferred to Pitt. He was one of the nation’s top recruits in the Class of 2023 after throwing for 7,014 career yards and 62 touchdowns at Zachary (La.) High School.

Yarnell played the final two games of Pitt’s 2023 season, completing 36 of 54 passes for 472 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. He also started and finished a 34-13 victory against Western Michigan in 2022.