Pitt football players ready to take on the gridiron this fall

As the summer winds down, Oakland awaits the arrival of students, faculty and the hustle and bustle of the school year to campus. With that comes the highly anticipated beginning of the Pitt football season. With less than a month to go until the Pitt home opener against Kent State, here are some new and returning players to keep an eye out for this season. 

Senior tight end Gavin Bartholomew will take to the field at Acrisure Stadium this fall, playing his final season as a Panther. In 2023, Bartholomew recorded 18 catches for 326 yards, and a touchdown on the year. He was a key player in several games and specifically in Pitt’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bearcats. In that game, he totaled a season-high 80 receiving yards on three catches and had a 60-yard touchdown catch — the longest reception of his career. 

Another important component of the Pitt offense, senior running back Rodney Hammond Jr., will also return for his final season as a Panther this fall.  Hammond is a crucial factor in Pitt’s offense, making significant plays for the team over the years. Hammond rushed for a team-high 547 yards and four touchdowns on 118 carries in the 2023 season. Hammond was also named the C.M. Hendricks Sun Bowl Most Valuable Player in the Panthers’ 37-35 victory over UCLA in the 2022 season after rushing for 94 yards and two TDs on 25 carries.

Senior defensive back Donovan McMillon is another key piece returning to Oakland. A Pittsburgh native, graduating from Peters Township High School in 2021, McMillon started his career playing at Florida. After transferring to Pitt in 2023, he quickly made a name for himself as a Panther. Last season, he led the Panthers in tackles with 105, the most by a Pitt defender since Jordan Whitehead in 2015. He also made 18 tackles in the game against West Virginia, tied for the most by an ACC player and the most by an FBS defensive back in 2023. 

Although there are a decent number of familiar faces to keep an eye on this fall, Pitt will also see some new talent join the team. From transfer portal arrivals to incoming first-year signees, this season will give some new Panthers the opportunity to prove themselves in the ACC. 

Earlier this year, the Panthers signed former Alabama redshirt first-year Eli Holstein. Originally from Louisiana, Holstein was a highly regarded quarterback prospect in high school and rated one of Louisiana’s top 10 overall prospects by ESPN. After entering the transfer portal last year, he enrolled at Pitt in January 2024. 

Redshirt junior Nate Yarnell is expected to start at quarterback for Pitt this season. But seeing that the Panthers have struggled to secure a stable fit for the position these past few years, there’s no denying there is a possibility for some variation at the starting slot throughout this season. 

Lots of talk surrounds first-year linebacker Cameron Lindsey, who will join the Panthers this fall. Homegrown in the 412, Lindsey comes from Aliquippa High School, following a long list of some of the best current and former collegiate and professional players to come from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. 

Coach Narduzzi showed high praise when asked about Lindsey, comparing him to former Panther SirVocea Dennis. 

“I think he’s kind of like a SirVocea Dennis. I think he’s one of those guys that you can put at star, you can put at money, you can put at mike,” Narduzzi said on National Signing Day. “I think he can do it all, and he runs down on kickoffs and knocks people’s heads off.” 

While players new and old prepare for the upcoming season, many await to see how the Panthers will perform this fall. Pitt fans will soon see the chemistry of this 2024 team come to life as the clock ticks down to the home opener at Acrisure Stadium on Aug. 31.