Quarterback
The competitors: Eli Holstein // Nate Yarnell
At no point in this offseason has Pat Narduzzi definitely said he has arrived at a decision on the team’s starting quarterback. However, it was greatly implied during and after spring ball that Nate Yarnell was the leading man for the job. Once camp started, it was then made clear that there was an open competition between Yarnell and incoming Alabama transfer Eli Holstein.
I don’t think this competition has been window dressing either. Holstein may not have been 100% during the spring, so Kade Bell and company wanted to give him an honest look during fall camp, and by all accounts he has performed well. He has pushed Yarnell, not so much because he is failing, but simply because Holstein is just playing that well. I think the coaches are intrigued with the athleticism and the overall upside he can bring.
The word out of the last scrimmage was that the offense had some struggles. Not necessarily with turnovers, but rather just minor operation issues. It will be interesting to hear the tone coming out of this final scrimmage because you would think they would like to come to a resolution about this position sooner than later. I think the possibility exists of both quarterbacks getting an opportunity to play in the season opener against Kent State as well. We could get a more definitive decision on this soon, or we may be left to keep waiting until game week.
Running Back
The competitors: Rodney Hammond // Desmond Reid
While I think Derrick Davis will be able to carve out a role, I think the running back position comes down to the two guys we expected all along. Rodney Hammond is back for a fourth season, looking to finally be that true No. 1 guy, while Desmond Reid is making his debut with the Panthers after a successful two-year run at Western Carolina.
Narduzzi called this spot a ‘work in progress’ earlier this week, so again, maybe we’ll see if one guy emerges over the other. But truthfully, I expect Hammond and Reid both to have roles in this offense, and it might not matter so much who the actual starter is. Given the expected pace Pitt is expected to play at, then there will be plenty of snaps for two running backs to have comfortable positions in this offense, and maybe even a third could play like Davis. Although, Pitt was burned a bit last season, and some earlier years of the Narduzzi tenure, by not committing to one guy. When the game gets tight in the late quarters, it’s nice to know that there is ‘the guy’ to help ice the game away, so we’ll see if that ever gets cleared up before the season.
Wide Receiver
Projected starter: Konata Mumpfield
The competitors: Kenny Johnson, CJ Lee, Daejon Reynolds, Poppi Williams
It is pretty clear Konata Mumpfield is going to be the team’s top pass-catching option for this upcoming season. Mumpfield is a good player, and has fallen victim to Pitt’s quarterback situation the past two years. Since he arrived at Pitt, he has had five different starting quarterbacks, which has altered his production considerably. He has 102 catches and six touchdowns in two seasons with Pitt, and could have his best year yet, provided the quarterback play improves.
More often than not, I expect Pitt to play with three wide receiver sets, so there are plenty of snaps out there. Right now, there are four guys battling for the two other starting spots, but again, if this offense clicks and operates at a high level, there will be snaps available for all of them.
It sounds like Raphael ‘Poppi’ Williams has really impressed this camp with some athletic plays. I think Daejon Reynolds has really stepped up as a leader for this group, and provides a bigger target than the rest of the room. Then there’s super talented sophomore Kenny Johnson, who should excel in this offense much more than his role in 2023. Narduzzi indicated that Pitt has five receivers they feel good about right now, and named those four guys by name. He did not indicate who that fifth wide receiver was, but I believe it to be CJ Lee. Coming from Western Carolina, his prior knowledge of this offense should be beneficial getting him on the field.
Tight End
Projected starter: Gavin Bartholomew
Gavin Bartholomew has had this job on lock down since the end of his freshman season, and it won’t be changing. I think Oregon State transfer Jake Overman should see some action, and recently true freshman Malachi Thomas received some praise. That should be the depth chart, in that order, going into the season.
Offensive Line
Projected starters: Branson Taylor (LT), Ryan Baer (RT), Ryan Jacoby (LG), and BJ Williams (RG)
The competitors: Terrence Moore // Lyndon Cooper
No, Pitt has not come out and clearly defined its starting guards and tackles for this season, but the names above are kind of my feel at this point. Nobody is unseating Taylor and Baer at tackle. I think Jacoby and Williams are ahead of guys like Jason Collier and Isaiah Montgomery for guard. I feel it’s a safe bet that this alignment will hold true on the initial depth chart.
If a tackle gets hurt, I believe Terrence Enos is the No. 3 guy there. If a guard or center gets hurt, they have Collier, or they could shuffle some things around a bit.
Outside of quarterback, however, the center position is probably the best race in camp. The incumbent starter is Terrence Moore and he is being challenged by NC State transfer Lyndon Cooper. Moore was a nice recruiting win out of Ohio, and broke through as a starter last year due to some injuries. He played well in 2023, but also got hurt in the spring, which left a crack open for Cooper, who seemingly ran with it. Narduzzi has implied at times that Cooper is ahead and Moore is trying to get his job back from him. It’s still not settled, so this scrimmage is big for that competition. The loser of this competition, should also be a factor to help out at guard if need be.
The competitors: Eli Holstein // Nate Yarnell
At no point in this offseason has Pat Narduzzi definitely said he has arrived at a decision on the team’s starting quarterback. However, it was greatly implied during and after spring ball that Nate Yarnell was the leading man for the job. Once camp started, it was then made clear that there was an open competition between Yarnell and incoming Alabama transfer Eli Holstein.
I don’t think this competition has been window dressing either. Holstein may not have been 100% during the spring, so Kade Bell and company wanted to give him an honest look during fall camp, and by all accounts he has performed well. He has pushed Yarnell, not so much because he is failing, but simply because Holstein is just playing that well. I think the coaches are intrigued with the athleticism and the overall upside he can bring.
The word out of the last scrimmage was that the offense had some struggles. Not necessarily with turnovers, but rather just minor operation issues. It will be interesting to hear the tone coming out of this final scrimmage because you would think they would like to come to a resolution about this position sooner than later. I think the possibility exists of both quarterbacks getting an opportunity to play in the season opener against Kent State as well. We could get a more definitive decision on this soon, or we may be left to keep waiting until game week.
Running Back
The competitors: Rodney Hammond // Desmond Reid
While I think Derrick Davis will be able to carve out a role, I think the running back position comes down to the two guys we expected all along. Rodney Hammond is back for a fourth season, looking to finally be that true No. 1 guy, while Desmond Reid is making his debut with the Panthers after a successful two-year run at Western Carolina.
Narduzzi called this spot a ‘work in progress’ earlier this week, so again, maybe we’ll see if one guy emerges over the other. But truthfully, I expect Hammond and Reid both to have roles in this offense, and it might not matter so much who the actual starter is. Given the expected pace Pitt is expected to play at, then there will be plenty of snaps for two running backs to have comfortable positions in this offense, and maybe even a third could play like Davis. Although, Pitt was burned a bit last season, and some earlier years of the Narduzzi tenure, by not committing to one guy. When the game gets tight in the late quarters, it’s nice to know that there is ‘the guy’ to help ice the game away, so we’ll see if that ever gets cleared up before the season.
Wide Receiver
Projected starter: Konata Mumpfield
The competitors: Kenny Johnson, CJ Lee, Daejon Reynolds, Poppi Williams
It is pretty clear Konata Mumpfield is going to be the team’s top pass-catching option for this upcoming season. Mumpfield is a good player, and has fallen victim to Pitt’s quarterback situation the past two years. Since he arrived at Pitt, he has had five different starting quarterbacks, which has altered his production considerably. He has 102 catches and six touchdowns in two seasons with Pitt, and could have his best year yet, provided the quarterback play improves.
More often than not, I expect Pitt to play with three wide receiver sets, so there are plenty of snaps out there. Right now, there are four guys battling for the two other starting spots, but again, if this offense clicks and operates at a high level, there will be snaps available for all of them.
It sounds like Raphael ‘Poppi’ Williams has really impressed this camp with some athletic plays. I think Daejon Reynolds has really stepped up as a leader for this group, and provides a bigger target than the rest of the room. Then there’s super talented sophomore Kenny Johnson, who should excel in this offense much more than his role in 2023. Narduzzi indicated that Pitt has five receivers they feel good about right now, and named those four guys by name. He did not indicate who that fifth wide receiver was, but I believe it to be CJ Lee. Coming from Western Carolina, his prior knowledge of this offense should be beneficial getting him on the field.
Tight End
Projected starter: Gavin Bartholomew
Gavin Bartholomew has had this job on lock down since the end of his freshman season, and it won’t be changing. I think Oregon State transfer Jake Overman should see some action, and recently true freshman Malachi Thomas received some praise. That should be the depth chart, in that order, going into the season.
Offensive Line
Projected starters: Branson Taylor (LT), Ryan Baer (RT), Ryan Jacoby (LG), and BJ Williams (RG)
The competitors: Terrence Moore // Lyndon Cooper
No, Pitt has not come out and clearly defined its starting guards and tackles for this season, but the names above are kind of my feel at this point. Nobody is unseating Taylor and Baer at tackle. I think Jacoby and Williams are ahead of guys like Jason Collier and Isaiah Montgomery for guard. I feel it’s a safe bet that this alignment will hold true on the initial depth chart.
If a tackle gets hurt, I believe Terrence Enos is the No. 3 guy there. If a guard or center gets hurt, they have Collier, or they could shuffle some things around a bit.
Outside of quarterback, however, the center position is probably the best race in camp. The incumbent starter is Terrence Moore and he is being challenged by NC State transfer Lyndon Cooper. Moore was a nice recruiting win out of Ohio, and broke through as a starter last year due to some injuries. He played well in 2023, but also got hurt in the spring, which left a crack open for Cooper, who seemingly ran with it. Narduzzi has implied at times that Cooper is ahead and Moore is trying to get his job back from him. It’s still not settled, so this scrimmage is big for that competition. The loser of this competition, should also be a factor to help out at guard if need be.
