PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Once again Pitt found itself a play from a loss. Again, it was freshman quarterback Eli Holstein stepping up, leading the Panthers Saturday to a 38-34 win over visiting West Virginia.
“Eli's done an incredible job,” said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. “When he needs to make a play, he makes a play with his feet or his arm.”
Mountaineers ran off a 12-play drive taking over six minutes for a field goal and after stopping Pitt on a second and third and one, the next possession, WVU went 68 yards on 9 plays with a one-handed touchdown catch.
With 4:55 to play in the game, the Mountaineers were up 10 points.
Then Holstein, playing his third college game, took over.
“I wasn’t playing the best football I could play, especially in those first three quarters,” Holstein said. “I was trying to force things. Trying to do too much, trust my receivers, trust my o-line. That fourth quarter, five minutes left, those leaders on our team, those seniors-Branson, Gavin, Konata-they got all of us together. Everybody to their job and trust each other and we will be alright.”
Ensuing drive
· Holstein 10-yard run
· After a false start, Holsten scrambled 24 yards
· An 11-yard pass to Konata Mumpfield was followed by an unsportsmanlike penalty
· After consecutive holding penalties made it 1st and 30 with 3:18 to play and down 10, Holstein hung in the pocket and threw a 40-yard touchdown to Daejon Reynolds to make it a three-point game
· An 11-yard pass to Konata Mumpfield was followed by an unsportsmanlike penalty
· After consecutive holding penalties made it 1st and 30 with 3:18 to play and down 10, Holstein hung in the pocket and threw a 40-yard touchdown to Daejon Reynolds to make it a three-point game
“I knew it was man-to-man,” Holstein said. “I knew Dae Dae is a big, physical receiver that can go up and get the ball. I saw them stack the DBs, I said ‘hey, give him a shot’. So I threw it up there. I thought it was (defensive) holding at first. I was like, hey, at least we are going to get the penalty. I saw him come down with it and I was like ‘hell ya’.”
Defense got only its second sack of the game, Jimmy Scott knocking down Garrett Greene for a loss of 11. Holstein got the ball at the Panthers own 23-yard-line.
· Scramble for 7 yards
· Pass to Gavin Bartholomew right-side for 17 yards
· Clock running, Holstein calmly gets Pitt to the line and completes a deep middle pass to Mumpfield for 23 yards
· QB keeper, Holstein up the middle for 17 yards to the WVU 13. He would keep it again to the Mountaineers one-yard line when his helmet came off. It’s the only thing that kept Holstein off the field, Nate Yarnell would come in and handoff to Derrick Davis for a one-yard TD and the game-winner.
Last week it was Holstein leading a 21-point comeback with just under five minutes to play in the third quarter in Cincinnati.
These weren’t the only plays Holstein made over the course of the Backyard Brawl:
· A 12-yard scramble to get the Panthers in the red zone and on that series he bought time with his feet and found Reid open in the end zone for a 10-7 lead· Following a holding on the defense gave Pitt a first down, Holstein made a perfect throw to Rafael Williams for 19 yards. He would scramble and find Williams again for 11 yards.
· Following a holding on the defense gave Pitt a first down, Holstein made a perfect throw to Rafael Williams for 19 yards. He would scramble and find Williams again for 11 yards.
· Another defensive penalty got them out of their own infraction, Holstein broke out of an arm tackle and calming floated a pass to Reid open in the end zone for a 19-yard TD and a 17-14 lead.
· 22-yard completion to Konata Mumpfield made 3rd and 23 a 4th and 1. Poorly executed play to Johnson was a turnover on downs
Panthers matched its win total from last season and host Youngstown State Saturday at 3:30 on 93.7 The Fan.
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