Is the third time the charm? It is in the case of Phil Jurkovec and Pitt.
Jurkovec chose Notre Dame out of high school, fulfilling a dream of playing for the Fighting Irish. That was the first miss. When he eventually left Notre Dame, he was in the transfer portal less than a week before committing to Boston College. Second miss.
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When the 6-foot-4, 230-pound Pine-Richland alum entered the transfer portal earlier this week, he had to wait on Kedon Slovis to make a decision. Slovis entered the transfer portal earlier today, and it opened the door for Jurkovec to commit to Pitt. The third time was the charm.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported that Jurkovec has committed to transfer to Pitt, reuniting with one-time offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. and return home to Pittsburgh.
It’s been a whirlwind college career for Jurkovec, who was a consensus four-star quarterback out of Pine-Richland, ranked as the top dual-threat quarterback in the country, and he has just one more college season to impress the NFL.
Jurkovec spent two seasons at Notre Dame originally, backing up Ian Book and attempting just 18 pass attempts — completing 12 for 222 yards and two touchdowns.
He entered the transfer portal on a Wednesday in January 2020, visited Boston College a couple of days later and committed to BC that Sunday.
In three seasons at Boston College, Jurkovec completed 404-of-679 passing attempts (59.5%) for 5,183 yards with 35 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. And he added 429 yards and nine touchdowns on 195 attempts.
His debut season at Boston College, with Frank Cignetti Jr. as his offensive coordinator, Jurkovec completed 61% of his pass attempts for 2,558 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions — adding 150 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
“Coach Cignetti has been great. What he brings to us is NFL scheme, really an NFL style, which I think makes us a little bit different than every other team in the ACC,” Jurkovec said last July. “With that comes a learning process, so that’s taken some time for us. But now that we’re in year two, he’s really guiding us, and we’re feeling a lot more comfortable with it.”
The 2021 season didn’t go according to plan for BC, as he missed games to injury, but he still threw for 914 yards and seven touchdowns and ran for 322 yards and five touchdowns in six games.
The 2022 season wasn’t good for Jurkovec or Boston College though, unable to create opportunities for himself on a poor team, completing 59% of his pass attempts for 1,711 yards with 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games.
Jurkovec isn’t the pure passer that even Slovis is, but he’s a gritty, strong-armed quarterback with the ability to extend plays using his legs — if given the chance. His history of injuries over the last two seasons isn’t encouraging, but he will play for a stronger offensive line at Pitt.
As a Western Pennsylvania native, it’s the sort of (potential) fairy tale ending if he’s able to take Pitt back to another ACC title game and build himself back up as an NFL Draft prospect.
Jurkovec has one season of eligibility remaining, he will have one season in Pittsburgh.
Wow.
Looks like Cignetti gets a second year. Hope Hammond stays. Expect Israel to go pro.
Cignetti wasn’t going anywhere band boy. You must still be feeling the effects of the Hoopies chucking rocks at your bus lol
Let’s do a poll.
Who thinks this is going to work out?
Meh not excited, maybe Minchey will transfer to Pitt through the portal in a few years because he is going to sit the bench at ND.
I think he’ll be better than Slovis, but I also think the lack of a game-breaker at WR is going to limit his ability to move the ball and put points on the board. IF Means and Mumpfield are the best they’ve got next year at wideout, that’s trouble.
If Jurkovec had transfered to Pitt a few years ago instead of going to BC, I would have been excited but not so sure now. While I think he will be an upgrade over Slovis, he has also been injured over the past two seasons. Can he stay healthy? Also, he will only be here for one year, what happens after he is gone? No prospects down the pipe so far. Obviously Nate Yarnell isn’t the answer or else Pitt would not have gone to the portal two years in a row.
The injuries are concerning but I’d say that Slovis is much more fragile than Jurkovec. The Pitt coaches not seeing the upside talent potential of Yarnell should not at all be surprising. Developing Yarnell and giving him a chance while recruiting young QB talent underneath, would have gotten my vote. Yarnell deserves his shot should Jurkovec go down or just not perform up to expectations.
Hard to get excited about another one year rental. You don’t build programs without solid undergrad recruiting, particularly at the QB position. We are now mired in the quicksand of needing to rely on the portal because the QB cupboard is bare.
“XXXXX isn’t the pure passer that even Slovis is, but he’s a gritty, strong-armed quarterback with the ability to extend plays using his legs — if given the chance.”
i.e. Nick Patti
I was under the impression you enter the TP a 2nd time you have to sit a year.
There is a graduation and coach change clause.
Here comes Jurkovec, Ricky Towne 2.0, to go with Cignetti, Cavanaugh 2.0.
Another one year rental on his 3 team. History of injuries means Phil might play 6 games next year, especially with the current OL situation. He’s not the answer short or long term.
Can’t use the excuse it is a NEW system and it takes time.
He played in it two years at BC.
Good for Slovis, good for Phil, good for Cignetti.
If he starts, Notre Dame should be a fun media week next season. Maybe prep him with some pointers of the post-game Tyler Palko interview from South Bend a few years back.
Unbelievable – A QB can’t make it on two teams and rejects Pitt’s offers twice – and Narduzzi still takes him – what does that tell WPIAL top recruits – go play somewhere else other than Pitt – and when you strike out – you still play for Pitt – if I’m Yarnell, I’m entering the transfer portal – Yarnell deserved his chance but won’t get it:(
This is great news. Had Phil been the quarterback this year, I believe we could have had another magical year.
It will be fun to watch Phil next year at pitt, but I’m not sure the talent will be good enough around him to have a championship year.
Keeping bartholomew is a must as Phil loves using his tight end, and if somehow they can figure out a way to keep Wayne, then I think the offense will be really good even with a lot of change up front.
Ever seen Necessary Roughness with Scott Bakula?
J.R.House would be entertaining at QB, probably would commit to WVU though.
For anyone concerned about early season contests against Cincinnati and WVU, Jurkovec should be a no-brainer. Phil is the one QB that will be ready to go from day one, avoiding the learning curve that could derail the ’23 season with just about any other signal caller.
Slovis and Patti would also be ready
To The Pit of Misery
It’s at least a good thing that Pitt moved very quickly in an effort to retain their currently committed WR recruits. 2 of them look pretty good.
When will Patti enter the portal? Kid works hard, produces and never complains yet is disrespected by duzz constantly
“Hey Nick, we don’t need you ever during the regular season when the starter is playing terrible, but could you do us a solid and play in the bowl game again?”