PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – When Eli Holstein was good in 2024, he was very good. He led miraculous comebacks against West Virginia and Cincinnati and helped the Panthers start the season 7-0. Coinciding with the team's losing streak was losing Holstein. Now he's back, but at what level?
November 9 against Virginia was the last time Holstein played significant time in a game. Will there be rust? How will it flow even though a number of the same players return?
"I thought Eli was good," said Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell after practice Wednesday. "From where he was in spring after the injury to where he is now, he made a big jump. Obviously, he is taking care of his body right he's back in really good shape. He's just back confident from the injury that he had."
"I think from the beginning of camp to where he is now, I really think the last week and a half he's taken another step."
Part of the reason Bell believes he's improved in the last 10 days is that they've started to get out of camp mode, where they are installing an entire offense, to game plan mode. Bell said Holstein is definitely a 'game plan guy'. That he loves things structured and that is the position they will be in for the next couple of months, give or take a bye week.
There were reports of Holstein throwing a few interceptions during training camp, it's not something that worries Bell. The second-year Pitt offensive coordinator said he was listening to Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell the other day and he was saying he doesn't care about training camp interceptions. His belief is he would rather his quarterbacks take chances in practice. If you won't make that throw in a practice, you aren't going to attempt it in a game.
Bell then pointed out after a quarterback does that, its where the real teaching moment comes in for the offensive coaches about why they threw the pick. What was wrong that led to the interception and that could be mental or mechanical, or both.
What he doesn't want is Holstein to be tentative because of picks in practice. He wants him to take shots. Bell said if he doesn't take those chances against his own teammates, he won't do it in a game. He believes teams are going to gear up to stop All-American Desmond Reid so Holstein is going to have to 'let it rip'.
"I think he's been doing that this summer," Bell said. "I think he's been more aggressive throwing down the field."
His 17 touchdown passes tied a Pitt freshman record last year. He threw three touchdowns passes in each of his first five college games and despite playing in under 10 games, and a few of them were partial, the redshirt freshman was Pitt's second-leading rusher with 328 yards.
Bell runs an aggressive system and it needs an aggressive quarterback. Healthy again, Holstein ready to take another step.
