We’re still 101 days out from the Backyard Brawl, but the temperature in Pittsburgh is already boiling. When former West Virginia CB Beanie Bishop stomped on the Pittsburgh Panthers logo inside the shared Steelers-Pitt facility, he tossed gasoline on a fire that never really cooled off. But while the hate simmers loud and clear between fan bases, Pat Narduzzi has more pressing concerns than symbolic stomping. His QB—Eli Holstein—is the real storyline heading into this season.
Last year, Pitt’s QB situation was unsettled until Eli Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, wrestled the starting job from Nate Yarnell by the end of fall camp. Insider Chris Peak said it best on Cover 3: “Well, I think right now he is the QB1. Last year at this time, I would have told you Nate Yarnell was the QB1. They took him to the ACC media days and everything, and by the end of training camp, Eli Holstein had won the job.”
The transition wasn’t perfect, but Holstein showed enough flashes to remain the guy through spring camp. “Tomorrow is not promised to anyone, but Eli Holstein ended the season as the starting quarterback. He was the starting quarterback,” Peak added.
Peak pointed to Holstein’s learning curve, noting just how raw the former four-star was. “He didn’t play at all when he was at Alabama as a true freshman. Didn’t get on the field. He transferred, and he’s playing real football, live football, for the first time since high school.”
His growing pains were front and center, particularly during the Cincinnati game. “Eli Holstein was bad for 40 minutes. I mean, bad enough that you would consider benching him. And it’s a credit to Pat Narduzzi that he didn’t. He stuck with him, and Holstein ended up playing great in the final 20.” That’s the rollercoaster that defined his 2023—up, down, then back up. But to move Pitt forward, he has to stay up.
The numbers paint a similar picture. Eli Holstein threw for 2,225 yards with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions—respectable, especially for a redshirt freshman. But his inconsistencies loomed large. His 14.7% off-target throw rate ranked 100th in the FBS. That’s the kind of stat that spells doom against elite secondaries. Still, his 6’4″ frame and cannon arm are undeniable assets, and his downfield ability gives Pitt a vertical dimension that can stretch defenses—if he can refine his ball placement and decision-making under pressure.
The road to contention won’t be forgiving. The ESPN FPI ranks Pitt’s schedule 53rd nationally, 12th toughest in the ACC. Not a death march—but no cupcake stroll either. Pitt doesn’t get the benefit of facing Alabama or Georgia every week, but with rivalry roadblocks like WVU and key conference matchups, every stumble could cost them. To crash the CFP party in the new expanded 12-team format, double-digit wins will likely be a minimum requirement. Holstein has to be more than just good. He has to be reliable.
Pat Narduzzi, for his part, hasn’t shied from the drama. “There’s a lot of hate in this rivalry,” he said in a radio interview with 93.7 The Fan. “I’ve been around a lot of rivalries, but the hate that West Virginia has for Pitt, the disrespect, to me, that makes a rivalry. Sometimes it’s not clean.” That’s the tone heading into the Backyard Brawl—but if Holstein doesn’t deliver, the nastiest bruises might not come from Morgantown. So here we are.
Will eight be enough for Pitt’s Backyard Brawl and Bowl dreams?
With a non-conference history that walks the tightrope between blue-blood throwdowns and manageable MAC matchups, Pitt has long tried to schedule smart. West Virginia, Cincinnati, Notre Dame, and Tennessee have all made their appearances, keeping the Panthers battle-tested. And come 2025, the big dogs return, with both Notre Dame and West Virginia locked back in.
But for this season, expectations are sharper and more defined. Per Panthers insider Chris Peak, it all starts with the number eight. “I mean, I think you got to win eight in the regular season at a minimum. I think you have to start there.” Anything less than eight wins—and things start to feel like a backslide. Not disastrous, but not satisfying either.
Still, it’s not just about the win total. It’s who you lose to that tells the story. “If you win eight and your losses are Louisville, Notre Dame, Florida State, and something other than West Virginia (Miami or Georgia Tech), something like that, it wouldn’t be great, but I think you’d accept it,” Peak explained. “You’d have a chance to go potentially get a ninth win in a bowl game. You might get a favorable draw.”
What you definitely can’t do is lose the Backyard Brawl. “Obviously, they don’t want to lose at West Virginia,” Peak said bluntly. Those rivalry games? Total wild cards. But get to eight, avoid disaster, and maybe the season still ends with a smile—and a bowl trophy.
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