The NCAA Transfer Portal isn’t officially open yet and it’s already been a crazy 48 hours. Trust me, it’s only going to get crazier as the Dec. 4 window approaches.
The headlines from Monday centered on a couple of quality quarterbacks who decided to shop their services on the open market.
Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke, Mississippi State’s Will Rogers, Michigan State’s Sam Leavitt and Katin Houser, Kansas State’s Will Howard, Utah’s Nate Johnson and Texas A&M’s Max Johnson all announced their intentions to transfer.
That’s a lot of quarterbacks and that list will only increase over the coming days and weeks.
Obviously, I bring this up because Pitt has a question mark at that position. I know there’s a large portion of the fan base that is sold on Nate Yarnell following his performances to close out the 2023 season.
The most important question needing to be answered is what those performances meant to Pat Narduzzi and whether it assured him enough to go with Yarnell or have him battle it out in camp with Christian Veilleux. People shouldn’t forget about Veilleux because he has talent and showed flashes. An offensive coordinator with a modern offensive system could do him wonders.
My hope is that Pitt resists the temptation of bringing in a transfer quarterback and instead moves forward with what they have on the roster.
As I wrote earlier this season, it’s time for Pitt to once again develop their own guy. Former Panthers Kenny Pickett didn’t start out as a star. But he turned into one after Pitt had patience with him and allowed him to grow with the tutelage of an excellent coordinator in Mark Whipple. Coaching does matter.
Everyone wants instant gratification in today’s society, and while that would be nice, but who’s to say Narduzzi will hit on a transfer quarterback after having so many misses? Narduzzi has to go with what he’s seen on the field and his original belief in Yarnell and Veilleux when bringing them to Pitt and give one of those players an opportunity.
Pitt’s failed miserably with their recent evaluation of transfer quarterbacks. Bringing the likes of Phil Jurkovec, Kedon Slovis, Joey Yellen and Max Browne aboard turned out to be a disaster, and they can’t afford another mistake next season.
This offense needs to be fixed and Yarnell or Veilleux should be given the opportunity to be the answer with a fresh, innovative offensive coordinator. Yarnell seemed to have developed a nice chemistry with the current group of receivers and will have an entire offseason and camp to improve it even more.
Narduzzi’s next offensive coordinator hiring is critical and has to be someone with the reputation and track record of developing young quarterbacks. His employment as Pitt’s head coach may depend on it.
Pitt should be active in the transfer portal, but it shouldn’t be for a quarterback.
Exactly. We are not a QB/Offensive destination like an Ole’ Miss/Oregon, so we need to recruit and develop our guy. (And hope that he doesn’t leave after gaining valuable reps)
This article says it perfectly…..
PUNTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Completely agree, this job should be Nate Yarnell’s next year. Think about this what do the following have in common:
– Rod Rutherford
– Tyler Palko
– Bill Stull
– Tino Sunseri
– Kenny Pickett
They were recruited, developed, and had decent some great careers at Pitt. The only two quarterbacks on this millennium that Pitt has landed as transfers that had any success were Nate Peterman for two years and Tom Savage for one year
I’d probably would have left Tino off the list but I get the point
Tino Sunseri wasn’t bad, if Pitt had Tino Sunseri at QB this year, they def don’t finish 3-9. I would Sunseri over Jurkovec in a heartbeat.
Pat Bostick, was really good at handing the ball to LeSean McCoy.
If they bring in a transfer QB, they better make it two as the existing ones will likely not be very happy with the constant trend.
For a program with limited NIL funds, they better use their cash on upgrading positions of greater need…OL and MLB come to mind.
Recruit Freshmen up to 30, forget the portal.
NIL the guys you already have on the Roster like MLB George, he can get some coin and stay.
Dabo has that right in many regards.
EXACTLY. Stick with Nate Yarnell…..No more QB portals with 1 Year+GONE.
*P.s. – Something is Really SCREWY in The Steel City when teams like James Madison + Tulane + Liberty are Ranked in the Top 25 + Pitt Can’t even get invited to “The Toilet Bowl”
*Embarrassing Season !!!! !!!!
Zack ! – You brought back Nightmares with Rod Rutherford + (Especially) TINO Sunceri! O M G !!!
Not nightmares either of those guys were better than Jurkovec or Veilleux.