New offense scores 3 touchdowns as Gold defeats Blue in Pitt spring game

Here’s what happened Saturday at Acrisure Stadium when Pitt conducted its Blue-Gold game as the exclamation point — albeit a mild one — on spring practice:

• The defense, which is way ahead of the offense at this point, was not permitted to tackle the quarterback. Play was stopped and sacks recorded when any defensive players even got close.

• Coaches decided not to take unnecessary risks with even lightly injured players, resulting in 19 watching from the sideline. Two of the injured are starting offensive linemen Brandon Taylor and Terrence Moore. Ryan Jacoby, who was injured last year when he was on track to start, was also out throughout this spring.

• The offense showed some evidence of growth, but there were only three touchdowns in the Gold team’s 17-10 victory against the Blue.

• One of the most explosive plays was Ben Sauls’ 50-yard field goal through a stiff wind.

It was only a small glimpse into what Pitt has accomplished through 15 days of drills, but with so much more work to do.

“You guys haven’t seen really anything,” safety Donovan McMillon told reporters.

Probably the most encouraging performances of the day on offense came from quarterback Nate Yarnell and wide receiver Kenny Johnson.

Yarnell, who said he has been QB1 since he met with coach Pat Narduzzi not long after the end of the 2023 season, completed 12 of 16 passes for 108 yards, including a 34-yard perfectly placed touchdown pass to Lamar Seymore.

Johnson caught six passes for 77 yards and a 6-yard touchdown pass from fourth-string quarterback Ty Dieffenbach. Johnson was on the victorious Gold team and didn’t get a chance to hook up with Yarnell.

Nonetheless, it was a good day’s work for Johnson, a sophomore from York.

“Did you see him come off the field?” asked Gold coach Archie Collins. “Probably (only) a couple times. He’s a warrior. It’s hard to get true football players off the field, and he’s a good football player.”

There was plenty of time for the Yarnell-Johnson connection to gain traction during the previous 14 practice sessions, and it’s a safe bet Yarnell and almost all of his pass catchers will work through the summer when coaches aren’t allowed on the premises.

There was good news on the tight end front, with Gavin Bartholomew, who returned for his senior season when he had transfer opportunities.

“He was telling me he’s open, and we had to get the guy the ball,” Collins said. “Gavin looked good. He’s been a threat downfield (throughout the spring).”

Bartholomew caught two passes for 45 yards for the Gold team after averaging only 14 per catch over his previous three seasons.

“Those are two big-time players who make us a lot better,” Narduzzi said of Johnson and Bartholomew. “When they’re out there for four 15-minute quarters, a lot of things can happen. And (senior wide receiver) Konata Mumpfield, too.”

Said tight ends coach Jacob Bronowski: “His route-running is getting better. The next phase for him is to continue to improve as a route runner in our offense.”

In a two-hour game, Narduzzi found time to get all seven quarterbacks onto the field and each one attempted at least one pass, including walk-ons David Lynch and Jake Frantl.

Eli Holstein recorded the most attempts, completing 10 of 23 for 128 yards, and a 6-yard touchdown flip to running back Daniel Carter. He also threw the game’s only interception, to safety Javon McIntyre. Corneback Jahvante Royal also had one, but it was called back by a penalty.

“I think he gained more composure as the game went on,” Collins said of Holstein, a transfer from Alabama who is making a serious bid for the backup quarterback job.

What pleased Narduzzi more than anything was getting through the game “really, really healthy,” he said.

“I’m happy with where we are. I think we’re only going to get better. We had a lot of playmakers who didn’t play, which is exciting. (There is) a lot of stuff not in on offense or defense.”

Narduzzi was especially pleased with Yarnell, who worked behind the second-string offensive line.

“It’s impressive what he did with the 2s, getting the ball out of his hands (quickly),” the coach said. “You didn’t see him take many chances (Saturday). Nate continues to grow. You look at what he’s done in a short period of time. To me, that’s the most impressive thing. He’ll have this offense mastered by the end of summer camp.”

He called the new up-tempo offense under coordinator Kade Bell “a breath of fresh air. Our kids feel that, too.”

But he said there will be a continuing push to “polish” the system.

Coaches and players are in agreement that offense still needs much work, but Yarnell said improvements were made in the past month.

“Day 1 to now is unrecognizable,” he said. “We’re playing so much faster and with so much more confidence. We have a long way to go, but I’m sure we’re going to be there by the time fall hits. We’re going to get it to where it’s perfect.

“There’s a lot of work to be done, and we’re going to do it.”