Pitt is sticking with redshirt freshman QB Eli Holstein after impressive performance in debut

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The quarterback competition at Pittsburgh is over.

Coach Pat Narduzzi named Eli Holstein the starter for Saturday’s game at Cincinnati (1-0), taking away the “or” that linked Holstein and Nate Yarnell when the team’s first official depth chart was released last week.

Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, separated himself from Yarnell by throwing for 336 yards and three touchdowns in a 55-24 victory over Kent State in the opener. The 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman completed 30 of 40 passes, looking at ease in first-year offensive coordinator Kade Bell’s up-tempo attack.

Narduzzi saw enough that he did away with any pretense before facing the Bearcats, saying Monday that Holstein has earned the starting job until further notice.

“You look at the tape and he just made really good decisions,” Narduzzi said. “He’s calm. It’s his first start; you never knew what was going to happen. But Eli was impressive on game tape.”

Holstein’s 336 yards passing were the second most in school history by a freshman in his first start. Yet it wasn’t just the numbers that stood out to Narduzzi, but also the way Holstein looked at ease directing an entirely new offense.

“Just his composure on game day, how he carried himself, how he led the offense, how there wasn’t a bunch of false starts and mechanical issues as far as just the operation,” Narduzzi said. “It was a clean start. That’s tough to do for a redshirt freshman.”

Yarnell ended last season as the starter and was atop the depth chart at the beginning of training camp last month only to see Holstein — who was limited by a hamstring injury during spring drills — steadily make inroads until he pulled even. Though Narduzzi named Holstein the starter for the opener, he stressed at the time that both quarterbacks would play.

Yet by the time Yarnell saw the field, the Panthers were well in front thanks to Holstein. Yarnell did throw for 33 yards and a touchdown to finish the blowout, but Holstein’s play made Narduzzi’s choice going forward an easy one, though Narduzzi was quick to praise Yarnell for the way he’s handled the news.

“He knows it’s a long season,” Narduzzi said. “We all know it’s a long season. If we get our quarterback hit like we did last week, Nate will be the guy in there, and we’ve got a heck of a lot of confidence in him.”

Pass protection was an issue briefly early against the Golden Flashes, with Holstein taking three sacks. It didn’t impact the outcome, and Pitt ran off 80 plays, which is about the speed Bell wants the offense to play at going forward.

“The tough part is you’re trying to run it fast as an offense and everybody is getting lined up quick,” Narduzzi said. “Again, to Eli’s credit and Nate’s credit, those guys were getting lined up and a lot of times you’ve got to make sure they’re all lined up before you snap the ball. Someone is making sure they’re on or off the line of scrimmage, and we didn’t have any of those, and we moved pretty quick, so I think it’s only going to get better.”

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