Narduzzi Confident in New Starting QB Holden Geriner

PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi said it is an image that will stand out to him for a long time seeing starting quarterback Mason Heintschel on crutches next to his mom and dad on the sidelines after the win at Virginia Tech. It’s the hard reality of the excitement of that moment and going forward without your record-setting quarterback.

Heintschel will be with them in spirit and acting as a coach on the sidelines according to Narduzzi. But he won’t be the quarterback.

What can the Pitt head coach tell us about Holden Geriner?

“I can tell you this our players love Holden as well, and (freshman backup quarterback) Corey Dailey for that matter, but they love Holden. And obviously, he'll be our starting quarterback.”

While Narduzzi didn’t want to spell out the differences between the quarterbacks as to potentially give North Carolina head coach Bill Belichick some game-planning information, Geriner is more of a pure passer, less mobile, although can use his legs occasionally. The last time he started a game was in high school and in his final two seasons he threw 61 touchdowns to six interceptions. His senior season he was the Atlanta-area AAAA Offensive Player of the Year with 36 TD to 3 INT.

Coming out of high school, recruiting services like 247 Sports touted he had the ability to be an NFL quarterback if he kept progressing. The following schools offered him scholarships—Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, West Virginia and others, but enrolled at Auburn.

“You watch how he throws the ball, he throws a nice ball,” Narduzzi said. “He's composed. He might not have played a whole lot of football, but he's been around a lot of ball. He's not a freshman, he's not as sophomore, he has been around a lot football, so I just think it's his composure. His ability to go in there in the big moments and make good decisions.”

But he never got the chance at Auburn, three seasons there and he threw nine total passes. Last year he transferred to Texas State, but threw only one pass. Yet he got on Pitt’s radar and there was enough belief to bring him aboard just in case something like Friday night happened.

“That's why it's important to have a guy that you trust that maybe hasn't had an opportunity to be who he wants to be,” Narduzzi said. “And this is a great opportunity for Holden. You talk about just what he can do to help this football team. I mean, you think about the opportunity he's got now. This is what he was looking for.”

For months we have written numerous stories of how Heintschel has prepared for this season. Narduzzi said Geriner prepares the same way. The Pitt head coach said Geriner spends extra time above and beyond gearing up for a game.

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“He's just an unbelievable kid,” Narduzzi said. “That's all I could say. I mean, he he's been a guy that's known his role coming in here and he's just sat there and soaked up the knowledge. I think Kade's done a hell of a job with him. We've got a ton of faith in him. Just the way he carries himself, acts in the building.”

Narduzzi said Geriner is coachable and has improved every day, he gives a lot of that credit to Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell. He’s confident Bell will come up with a game plan to focus on his strengths, just like Narduzzi said he has with Heintschel.

To beat the Tar Heels and Belichick having a week to prepare for an inexperienced quarterback, it’s going to take all.

“It's more than just one player,” Narduzzi said. “And like I said, I think game plan-wise and what we do, I mean you just watch Holden play. I mean that guy makes some plays. He didn't throw it in the dirt, did he?”

“I mean absolutely we have a team that can win an ACC Championship with Mason or without Mason. And obviously it's a lot better with Mason, but I don't think there's any doubt in this room.”

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