The status of both starting quarterbacks is the top storyline heading into Saturday’s Top 25 matchup between No. 18 Pitt and No. 20 SMU in Dallas.
Coach Pat Narduzzi had said the Panthers (7-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) were taking a “wait-and-see” approach when it comes to Eli Holstein before announcing on the coach’s radio show Wednesday that his starter will play.
“Eli Holstein is ready to go and got cleared today,” Narduzzi said on 93.7 The Fan. “Eli Holstein is ready to roll. That’s excellent news.”
Similarly, SMU coach Rhett Lashlee had said Kevin Jennings was questionable for the Mustangs (7-1, 4-0). On Friday, Lashlee told ESPN that the sophomore has been medically cleared to play and will start on Saturday after taking a hit to his knee in a victory over Duke last weekend.
Holstein sustained an undisclosed injury in the fourth quarter of Pitt’s 41-13 victory over Syracuse last week.
Holstein, a redshirt freshman transfer from Alabama, has thrown for 1,808 yards with 17 TDs and five interceptions in seven games. Pitt’s backup is Nate Yarnell, who has seen action in three games this season, going 17-of-26 passing for 171 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
The Panthers will face a challenge against SMU’s defense, which ranks tied for 33rd in the country in total defense (327 yards per game) and tied for seventh in interceptions (12).
“Defensively, they’re four-down, change it up coverage-wise a little bit, but to me they’re very similar to us defensively in my opinion because I think they’re simple,” Narduzzi said. “I don’t think they do a lot. I think what they do is sound and they just play hard and play fast. That’s why they’ve had so much success.”
For SMU, if Jennings had not been cleared, backup Preston Stone would get the nod. Jennings was injured Saturday but did not miss a drive during SMU’s 28-27 overtime win over Duke. Lashlee didn’t disclose the specific injury.
“Our guy’s availability is up in the air,” Lashlee said earlier this week. “We got a bunch of guys beat up and most of them practiced today, not all of them, but even Kevin, not 100 percent sure he’s cleared yet.”
But signs seemingly pointed toward Jennings being available when he met with the media this week. Jennings has thrown for 1,594 yards with 10 TDs and five interceptions this season.
“I feel great, just trying to get my body back right,” Jennings told reporters. “As of right now, feel really good. Just stay in the treatment room and get myself back up. It was a really tough hit. I was down for a little bit, but thank God I was able to bounce back and come back in the game.”
SMU receiver Jake Bailey, who is considered day-to-day, has caught 19 passes for 275 yards with one TD this season.
Outside of the injury concerns, this is a must-see ACC matchup pitting teams who were not favored to contend for a conference championship.
SMU was picked seventh while Pitt was picked 13th in the ACC preseason rankings.
This will be Pitt’s first trip to SMU, which has won the last three matchups, including a 28-6 victory in the Compass Bowl on Jan. 7, 2012 in their most recent meeting. The teams have met six times, four at Pitt and twice in a bowl game.
–Field Level Media
