Pitt football’s 7-6 finish for the 2024 season was a roller coaster experience that went straight up and then straight back down. But along the way, there were plenty of grades to be handed out.
Here’s our breakdown of the grades by position group for the season:
Quarterbacks
Eli Holstein started red hot to the season and then ended ice cold. He threw three touchdowns in each of his first six starts for the Panthers and was among the top passers in the country in several statistical categories. But after the Panthers’ seven-game win streak to start the season, Holstein didn’t throw or rush for another touchdown on the year.
Part of that came from his injuries late in the season. Still, there were plenty of lessons the redshirt freshman could learn from to become an even better quarterback in 2025.
When Holstein went down, junior Nate Yarnell stepped up and threw touchdowns in each of Pitt’s last five games of the regular season but also accompanied that with interceptions in each of his last four games, none of which Pitt won.
Holstein was too injured to play in the GameAbove Sports bowl, Yarnell transferred and the position fell to freshmen David Lynch and Julian Dugger.
Lynch started the game but was pulled after completing 10 of 18 passes for 65 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. Dugger came in and sparked Pitt by completing 7 of 13 passes for 72 yards, two passing touchdowns, one interception and 21 rushes for 88 yards and a rushing touchdown.
As a group, they were much better than last year’s set of quarterbacks and played a big factor in Pitt’s best moments of the season. But they also didn’t stop Pitt’s free fall at the end of the year.
Grade: B-
Running backs
If this were purely a grade on Desmond Reid, this would be an A+ mark. The junior transfer from Western Carolina led the Panthers with a combined 1,571 yards from scrimmage on 235 touches, an average of 6.7 yards gained every time he touched the ball. Add 10 total touchdowns, and Reid was undoubtedly the best player on the offense for the season.
But Reid also was the only running back who had sustained success. The Panthers’ next leading rusher was Holstein, as sixth-year running back Daniel Carter was lost for the season with just 22 carries for 208 yards and two touchdowns. After Carter, the Panthers’ next-leading rusher on the year was Dugger — who only played in the bowl loss.
The Panthers saw Reid get injured and several times have to be tended to in games by trainers as he cramped up from overusage in Pitt’s offense. Freshman Juelz Goff showed promise in the bowl game, but the Panthers will need a legitimate No. 2 back next year to keep Reid fresh. Reid tied for the team lead in receptions with 52 and had the most rushes on the team at 183.
Grade: B+
Wide receivers
Early in the season, this group looked like it was on its way to an A+ grade. The Panthers offense was humming, very few drops plagued the team and receivers regularly were open for Holstein to target.
Senior Konata Mumpfield led the team with 813 receiving yards on 52 receptions along with five touchdowns. Sophomore Kenny Johnson showed more of the promise seen in his freshman year with 46 catches for 537 yards and three touchdowns, while junior transfer Raphael Williams Jr. finished with 37 catches for 426 yards and led the team with six touchdowns.
But drops became a big part of the group’s resume during Pitt’s six-game losing streak. Pitt’s receivers dropped just three passes in the Panthers’ seven-game win streak but then dropped 18 passes across the Panthers’ five regular season losses at the end of the season.
They appeared to fix that issue, with the only drops in the bowl game coming from a tight end and Reid, but it will still be a question for next year’s unit to show consistency — and without Mumpfield, who’s headed to the NFL.
Grade: B-
Tight ends
Senior Gavin Bartholomew was a true talent for the Panthers who should’ve been utilized more. His 38 receptions for 322 yards and four touchdowns undersell his ability as a receiving threat. He’s also a strong and willing blocker and will probably turn heads at the Senior Bowl.
Each of Pitt’s tight ends behind Bartholomew scored a single touchdown in redshirt senior Jake Overman and freshman Malachi Thomas. As Bartholomew and Overman appear to be out of the picture, Pitt will need some serious transfer portal help with this group next year.
Grade: B
Offensive line
Pitt’s offensive line was the biggest problem with the unit all season. Its 41 sacks allowed were fourth most in the ACC and played a big role in Holstein’s multiple injuries. Despite Reid’s success on the ground, the offensive line didn’t perform much better there, as plenty of Reid’s best runs came from spacing and alignment in offensive coordinator Kade Bell’s offense.
The biggest culprit was redshirt sophomore tackle Ryan Baer, who allowed 44 pressures on the season. The next-highest total on the team was B.J. Williams’ 25 pressures allowed.
The Panthers’ best offensive lineman was senior tackle Branson Taylor, who allowed nine pressures in six games. Once he was injured, the group fell apart, as did the offense.
Grade: F
Defensive line
The first year without Charlie Partridge appeared to not be going well early for Pitt’s defensive line. Despite the win streak, the unit wasn’t generating the pressure that defensive coordinator Randy Bates’ defenses normally produce.
But when redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Sean FitzSimmons got healthy, he proved to be a difference maker against the run and the pass. He had eight pressures in nine games and helped open up plenty of blitz opportunities for the Panthers linebackers.
Redshirt sophomore defensive end Jimmy Scott became the Panthers’ best edge rusher, with six sacks on the year, barely beating out redshirt senior defensive end Nate Matlack’s five sacks.
Pitt could see significant growth in this group in the near future, as true freshman defensive tackles Francis Brewu and Jahsear Whittington were both four-star recruits and looked like promising young players who could turn into studs in the middle of the defensive line. But fellow four-star freshman defensive end Sincere Edwards will not be joining them, as he entered the transfer portal Friday morning.
Grade: C+
Linebackers
The unit dubbed “The Sharks” was the most consistent group on Pitt’s roster all season. All-American redshirt sophomore Kyle Louis led the team with 15½ tackles for loss, seven sacks and four interceptions while also racking up 101 tackles, a forced fumble, three pass breakups and nine quarterback hits.
Right with Louis was sophomore Rasheem Biles, who finished with 82 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, six sacks, an interception and nine passes broken up, along with a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Sophomore Braylan Lovelace added another 53 tackles, 10½ tackles for loss, four sacks, an interception and a pass broken up.
The success of the younger players doesn’t denote what sixth-year Brandon George did for the team. George was the experienced leading voice for the group who finished with 80 tackles, 5½ tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception. He also led the team with three forced fumbles.
Between those top four players — all of whom scored a defensive touchdown this season — Pitt’s linebackers were a dominant unit that kept the defense afloat during its struggles throughout the season. Look for Pitt fans to return to Acrisure Stadium with their inflatable sharks next season to celebrate the group, as Louis, Biles and Lovelace are set to return.
Grade: A+
Cornerbacks
Redshirt sophomore Ryland Gandy emerged as a solid starter for Pitt at cornerback. After sitting on the bench for his first two years, Gandy became the team’s top cornerback and was targeted more than any player on the defense. Though he didn’t record an interception, he did force four incomplete passes and only allowed three touchdowns. Gandy’s allowed reception rate of 51.9% was the lowest on the team for any player who played at least eight snaps in coverage.
Redshirt senior cornerback Tamon Lynum emerged as a solid second cornerback for the Panthers with seven forced incomplete passes and an interception while only allowing two touchdowns. Redshirt senior Rashad Battle led the team with eight forced incompletions but also led the team with five receiving touchdowns allowed.
It wasn’t a bad year for the group, but it also wasn’t that good, either. If Gandy can improve and the Panthers get some more help, it could be a better unit next year.
Grade: C
Safeties
Senior Donovan McMillon had a strong finish to his collegiate career, leading the team with 115 tackles. He also had seven forced incomplete passes, an interception and a forced fumble. His allowed reception rate of 55.8% was second only behind Gandy, and he made several big plays that won’t show up on stat sheets.
McMillon built a strong reputation for being in position constantly for the Panthers and fighting through blockers to make plays against the run that turned potential big gains into shorter advances.
Redshirt junior Javon McIntyre had a less than stellar year as he allowed four touchdown receptions, only forced three incomplete passes and had no interceptions or forced fumbles. Redshirt senior P.J. O’Brien had one interception and allowed two touchdown receptions.
Redshirt freshman Cruce Brookins appeared to improve in his second season, with two interceptions and only two touchdowns allowed on the year. He’ll be a big part of the future plan at safety moving forward.
Grade: B-
Coaching
Narduzzi and his staff saw a lot of turnover this season, with a completely new offensive group of coaches and Tim Daoust as the replacement for the highly regarded Partridge on the defensive line.
The group was responsible for showing that last year’s 3-9 season was a bump in the road and not the new standard for Pitt football, especially with seven straight wins to open the season. However, it also gets the blame of six consecutive losses to close the season — and especially in the bowl loss to Toledo on Thursday.
But for Bell and his newly assembled staff, this has to be just the beginning of a rise for the Panthers offense. Next year, Holstein must show he can consistently produce and the offensive line can’t afford to be as porous in pass protection.
Narduzzi’s contract extension ties him to the program through 2030, which means he most likely won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, regardless of how Pitt fans and donors feel about the bowl loss to Toledo.
The job next year will be to show that the good traits of the Panthers that built their win streak this season can be sustained for most of — if not all of — next season.
Grade: C
First Published: December 28, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
Updated: December 29, 2024, 2:01 a.m.
