PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – You don’t often get injury news from Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi, but he wanted to quickly give an update on starting quarterback Eli Holstein, plus the starting left tackle after a 41-13 win over Syracuse Thursday night.
The redshirt freshman quarterback had a defender land on him as he was tackled early in the fourth quarter on a running play by the sidelines. He would start to go back in the game, but ended up walking to the injury tent. After a brief time in there, he would walk, all the time under his own power, to the locker room.
“Eli is going to be fine,” Narduzzi said after the game. “He’s in there smiling, happy, jumping around. We will be fine. Just out of precaution, kept him out. At first, we thought he just had dirt in his eye. It was a little more than dirt, but he’s fine and happy.”
Holstein finished 11 of 15 for 108 yards and two touchdowns, He rushed six times for a net of 20 yards.
News not as good for captain and starting left tackle Branson Taylor. Narduzzi said the senior is out for the year with a knee injury.
“He’s in good shape right now and on the mend,” Narduzzi said. “We are going to miss him. He was on Facetime in the locker room.”
Taylor played in 45 career games at Pitt and is replaced by junior Terrence Enos.
Panthers play Saturday, November 2 at SMU at a time yet to be announced.