After two years with Pitt, redshirt junior quarterback Eli Holstein is officially moving on. The 21-year-old entered the transfer portal shortly after last season ended, and last week, found a new home in Virginia.
Holstein burst onto the scene as Pitt’s potential quarterback of the future in 2024. Then a redshirt first-year, Holstein started 10 games for Pitt in 2024 before injury cut his season short. He was a budding star early in his Pitt days, and went into this past season cemented as the starter.
But as is sometimes the case in sports, you can fall just as fast as you rise. Just weeks into the 2025 season, Holstein saw his role on the team fall from starting quarterback to down-on-his-luck backup.
Holstein made his fourth and final start of the season against Louisville, a loss that would flip Pitt’s season on its head and result in a permanent change at the sport’s most important position. Turnovers, particularly ones near the goal line, haunted the former Alabama product and played a big role in his demise.
He would attempt just 11 more passes in blue and gold the rest of the season as Mason Mania swept through the campus. In its wake, Holstein was left stapled to the bench and out of a job.
But sometimes, when a player’s time somewhere ends unceremoniously, it’s fun to look back at the good times you had with them. So today, I wanted to take a look back and remember the good times with Eli Holstein.
Comeback vs. the Bearcats
Holstein had a flair for the dramatic in his first year, and he wasted little time showcasing that. In just his second collegiate start, Holstein was pivotal in powering a Pitt comeback on the road against Cincinnati, down 27-6 with less than five minutes to go in the third quarter.
After the Bearcats kicked a field goal to extend their lead to 21, the Panthers finally showed some signs of life. On their next drive, Holstein found himself in the red zone and on third-and-goal, fired a strike to then-senior wide receiver Konata Mumpfield for Pitt’s first touchdown of the day.
Then in the fourth quarter, Holstein struck again. For Pitt’s second touchdown, Holstein executed a fourth down situation perfectly, patiently waiting for a receiver to break open and then finding a streaking Mumpfield wide open down the field for a 38-yard touchdown. They weren’t done, though. Later in that fourth quarter, Holstein found then-junior running back Desmond Reid running across the field for a 56-yard catch-and-run score.
But even through all of that, Pitt needed one more go from him. Having failed two separate two-point conversions, the Panthers found themselves down by two with about two-and-a-half minutes to go. The drive started pretty ugly, but once Pitt reached midfield, Holstein saved one of his better throws for a bomb to Mumpfield deep down the field. Four plays later, a field goal kick by redshirt senior Ben Sauls gave Pitt the lead and, 17 seconds later, the win.
Holstein finished that game going 20-of-35 for 302 yards and three touchdowns, with just one interception.
The Backyard Brawl
Holstein’s last ride captaining Pitt in the Backyard Brawl might not have gone the Panthers’ way. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his own stellar chapter in one of the great rivalries of college football.
A year ago, Holstein led the charge on a 10-point comeback with less than five minutes to go. After West Virginia tacked on their fourth touchdown of the day to make it 34-24, Holstein and his offense had their work cut out for them.
Holstein got most of the early part of the drive going with his legs, ripping off two double-digit runs to escape pressure. Then, as Pitt penalties started to mount, Holstein had to rely on his arm. On a 2nd-and-30, he launched one up to redshirt junior Daejon Reynolds in the endzone for a 40-yard touchdown. The connection between Holstein and Reynolds, who drew a pass interference penalty on the play as well, brought the Panthers within striking distance.
After Pitt’s defense was able to force the Mountaineers to lose seven yards on their three-and-out, Holstein had the ball for arguably the most important two-minute drill of his life. On three straight plays, Holstein hit a 17-yard pass to senior tight end Gavin Bartholomew, a 23-yard pass to Mumpfield, and a 17-yard run that included him spinning out of a sack with a burst of speed.
Suddenly, the Panthers were at West Virginia’s 13-yard line with 32 seconds left. Three plays later, Holstein handed the ball off for a rushing touchdown. As the crowd at Acrisure Stadium roared in celebration, Holstein had just capped off his finest moment.
In just his third collegiate start, Holstein went 21-of-30 for 301 yards and a trio of touchdowns, and also was Pitt’s leading rusher on the day.
Seven straight wins
While the comeback wins against Cincinnati and West Virginia were exhilarating, they were part of a larger successful streak for Pitt during the first half of the 2024 season.
The 7-0 start was one of Pitt’s brightest moments since their ACC Championship and the Kenny Pickett era. Winning seven straight out of the gate was their best start since 1982, and the Panthers were ranked as high as No. 18 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Holstein played a major part in that success. During that seven-game run, Holstein completed 64.2% of his passes for 1,808 passing yards — averaging 258.3 per game — with 20 total touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Later in the season, the wheels started to fall off the Pitt wagon. Pitt’s season started to spiral when they were rocked in Texas against SMU, and a week later, Holstein was carted off the field with a leg injury that would keep him out the rest of the season.
While quarterback play was one of several issues that plagued Pitt during their five-game losing streak to end the year, the absence of Holstein certainly played a huge part.
Eight touchdowns in eight quarters
Holstein entered the 2025 season still entrenched as the team’s starter. Looking to rebound from a rough end to last season, the Panthers had a pair of games against Duquesne and Central Michigan to help ease them into the year. Holstein lit them both up.
Against the Dukes, Holstein went 15-of-23 for 215 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. Pitt started in a bit of a lull in that game — it was a one-score game in the second quarter — but once Pitt woke up, there was no question.
Over a quarter of his completed passes ended up in the endzone as the Panthers thrashed Duquesne 61-9. That set a new career-high in touchdown passes for Holstein, who would go on to match that the following week.
Against Central Michigan in game two, Holstein went 21-of-28 for 304 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. The 75% completion percentage was the second-highest of his collegiate career, and powered the Panthers to a 45-17 win over the Chippewas.
Of course, we all know how Holstein’s story ended, but there was some hype over Pitt’s quarterback tallying eight touchdown passes in as many quarters.
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