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Former Alabama QB Eli Holstein in company of Dan Marino with strong start at Pitt
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Former Alabama QB Eli Holstein and the Pitt Panthers are turning heads this season.
Pitt is one of the few remaining undefeated FBS teams, sporting a 6-0 record entering Week 9. Holstein has been the starter for all 6 games, putting him in the company of legendary quarterback Dan Marino.
Eli Holstein is the first @Pitt_FB QB to win his first six starts with the Panthers since Dan Marino pic.twitter.com/kyEg9Ar20A
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) October 22, 2024
Holstein is in his redshirt freshman season.
A former Zachary (Louisiana) standout, Holstein was one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2023 recruiting class. He was rated 4-stars and the No. 12 QB on the 247Sports Composite. Holstein picked up 24 scholarship offers, and signed with Alabama over Auburn, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Miami, Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M and others.
In 2023, Holstein did not see the field with Alabama. He entered the transfer portal this offseason and landed at Pitt.
Holstein is putting up impressive numbers in his first season of college football action. He has completed 63.5% of his passes (127-of-200) for 1,700 yards with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 15-5. Holstein is also Pitt’s second-leading rusher with 266 yards and three TDs on 56 carries (4.8 avg.)
Holstein is among the top 15 players nationally in total offense (No. 6, 327.7 yards per game), points responsible for per game (No. 12, 18.0 avg.), pass yards per game (No. 13, 283.3 avg.) and touchdown passes (No. 15, 15 total).
To catch Marino, Holstein needs to win his next 3 starts. Marino won his first 9 over the 1979 (5) and ’80 (4) seasons. The Panthers next play Syracuse, a Thursday night home game.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
