PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The 18th ranked Panthers found out on Monday they will start at 8p Saturday at #20 SMU. Will Eli Holstein be their quarterback?
The redshirt freshman has started every game of the 7-0 season, but left in the fourth quarter Saturday against Syracuse with an undisclosed injury. He came out after he was tackled following a running play to the sidelines when a Syracuse defender landed on him.
Initially it looked like Holstein wanted to stay in the game, but walked under his own power to the medical tent and then fairly quickly headed to the locker room, again under his own power, for the rest of the game.
“It’s a wait and see and we’ll see,” said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi on Monday. “You guys know I don’t talk about injuries.”
Narduzzi said back-up quarterback Nate Yarnell will get some first-team reps in practice this week. Holstein beat out Yarnell for the starting job in a competition that went down to the final week before the start of the season.
While struggling in the last few games, Holstein is still third in the ACC in total offense (299.1 yards-per-game), fifth in pass efficiency (156.2) and touchdowns (17) and sixth in passing yards per game (258.2).
“Eli doesn’t care about the stats, he wants to win football games,” Narduzzi said. “Eli is the same guy every day in practice. He is the same guy. He practices hard. He pays attention to details. You’re not looking at this grumpy (guy) at practice one day and then the next day he’s happy. Then game day he’s this. He’s the same person, which is what you like. You like that consistent personality.”
A redshirt junior, Yarnell has played in 10 career games completing 68-102 for 961 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception.
We may not know who starts until game time. Pregame starts at 5p on Saturday with the Voice of the Panthers Bill Hillgrove called the game with former Panthers Pat Bostick and Dorin Dickerson & long-time Pitt announcer Larry Richert.