Pitt Coaches Impressed by New Group of QBs

PITTSBURGH -- The Pitt Panthers lost their top two quarterbacks this offseason - one to the transfer portal and one to graduation, but the coaching staff was quick to find replacements for lost starters. 

They replaced Kedon Slovis and Nick Patti by landing Phil Jurkovec and Christian Veilleux through the transfer portal. Add in freshman Ty Deiffenbach and the return of redshirt sophomore Nate Yarnell, and the Panthers have rebuilt their quarterback room to head coach Pat Narduzzi's satisfaction. 

“That position is loaded," Narduzzi said. "We got some really good players at that position. Besides a Kenny Pickett-type guy, that room is as deep as it’s been. When you walk out there and look at them, you think wow, looks like a group of guys out there.”

Veilleux and Jurkovec, assumed to be the top two signal-callers entering spring camp, have already started to demonstrate a connection with their new receivers, tossing touchdowns to wideouts Jake McConnachie and Daejon Reynolds during team periods in the redzone 

There are natural barriers that make it difficult for transfers to integrate into their new team smoothly but their personalities, work ethic and familiarity with the system offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti has already put in place during the first year of his second stint at Pitt. Jurkovec worked with Cignetti for two years at Boston College and Veilleux ran a similar system at Penn State. Now the Panthers' leading returning receiver by yards and catches, Konata Mumpfield, has seen those too mesh seamlessly with the team around them. 

“It seems like this system has worked pretty well for them," Mumpfield said. "Obviously, Phil has experience in the offense and Christian ran a similar thing at Penn State so they just came in and they’ve been balling ever since.”

Barring something completely unexpected, Jurkovec will be the week one starter and that had Narduzzi excited. He believed Pitt lacked leadership qualities at the quarterback position last season and Jurkovec will be able to deliver in that area this season. 

“Phil’s a big, athletic, tough, leadership-type guy - something we desperately needed in that room and I think Christian is the same way," Narduzzi said when introducing Jurkovec on National Signing Day. "But he brings the leadership that maybe we lacked a year ago and he’s tough.”

Cignetti likes the depth they have behind Jurkovec, too. Last year, the Panthers won games with three different starters at quarterback and Cignetti is confident that, if needed, they could do it again. Yarnell and Veilleux aren't being ruled out as starters because they've seen live action themselves and performed well in those situations. 

Jurkovec's extensive experience at Boston College is well documented but Veilleux and Yarnell both emerged victorious in their lone starts last season. There's confidence they'd all be able to replicate that if and when necessary. 

"Like we said when Phil and Christian came in, they knew that there would be a competition here between Phil, Christian and Nate," Cignetti said. "At this time last year, Nate wasn't even practicing. We didn’t even know who Nate was yet. And you got guys, like last year, who have won football games before. Just like last year when we had Kedon and Nick, they had some experience to them. We’re fortunate enough with Phil and with Christian that they’ve won games.”

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