PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Supported by the head coach, Pat Narduzzi said it was Panthers offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti that made the decision to change quarterbacks as Christian Veilleux will start against Louisville on Saturday. But Phil Jurkovec is not leaving the quarterback room.
The Pitt starter for the first five games, Jurkovec will be the back-up quarterback this week with Nate Yarnell as the third-stringer.
"He's an unbelievable guy," Narduzzi said of Jurkovec. "Phil will do whatever you ask him to do. He just wants to win. He took it like a champion and he will do anything-run down on a kickoff, play defense. He will do anything."
But he won't play tight end.
"No, he's been in the quarterback meetings," Narduzzi said. "He's a quarterback, that's what he is. Could he be a tight end someday? We are talking down the line. He is a quarterback here at Pitt."
Narduzzi said he didn't poll the team about the decision. He said it's never easy to make that move, but said it's not about how they feel, it's about the guys around the new quarterback executing.
"You got to change it up at some point," Narduzzi said Monday. "You have to figure out if that's going to help at all. Can't tell you it's going to. They got to all execute around him. That's the key. I've said that for five weeks, everyone has to execute together.
Veilleux will get the same type of opportunity as Jurkovec, while he will be evaluated, this is not a week-by-week decision. Narduzzi also said this is not a move to look to next year, it's a move about winning games right now.
"Christian has a great, quick release," Narduzzi said. "He throws a great ball. He can sling it around. He's athletic and he's fired up. He wants to have his opportunity and we'll see what it looks like Saturday night."
