Newcomers Holstein and Reid star as Pittsburgh opens with 55-24 win over Kent State
Redshirt freshman Eli Holstein threw for 330 yards and three touchdowns and running back Desmond Reid scored twice as Pittsburgh and its new-look offense opened the season with a 55-24 win over Kent State on Saturday.
Holstein, a transfer from Alabama, completed 29 of 39 passes while efficiently operating first-year offensive coordinator Kade Bell's uptempo system. Holstein hit Kenny Johnson, Konata Mumpfield and Raphael Williams for scores as the Panthers eventually pulled away from the Golden Flashes.
Reid, who followed Bell from Western Carolina to Pitt, put together a dazzling 78-yard punt return for a score in the first quarter. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound Reid also sprinted up the middle for a 46-yard touchdown while racking up 231 all-purpose yards as the Panthers moved the ball at will for most of the afternoon.
Pitt rolled up 554 yards of total offense, an encouraging debut coming off a 3-9 season in which the Panthers finished last in the ACC in points and yards. Those struggles led longtime Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi to hire the 31-year-old Bell to bring the Panthers into the 21st century.
The early returns were promising. Holstein made a series of nice anticipatory throws.
Devin Kargman passed for 181 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for the Golden Flashes, who hung around into the second half. Naim Muhammad returned a fumbled punt 36 yards for a score, Alex Branch picked off Holstein in the end zone to end a Pitt scoring threat and when Kargman hit Luke Floriea with a 29-yard strike early in the third quarter, Kent State was within 28-21.
The Golden Flashes would get no closer. Pitt responded with Reid's dart up the middle, Holstein's pretty throw to the back corner of the end zone to Johnson and a 50-yard field goal by Ben Sauls to end any threat of an upset.
THE TAKEAWAY
Kent State: There's nowhere to go but up for the Golden Flashes after finishing 1-11 in Kenni Burns' first season as head coach a year ago. There were plenty of signs of progress against Pitt, with Kargman gamely hanging in there despite getting drilled repeatedly by a Panther defense that blitzed frequently.
Pitt: The Panthers appeared to take a hit on Friday when running back Rodney Hammond — the team's leading rusher a year ago — was ruled ineligible. Reid was the primary cog in a rushing attack that racked up 191 yards.
UP NEXT
Kent State: welcomes St. Francis (PA) next Saturday in its home opener.
Pitt: travels to former Big East rival Cincinnati next Saturday.
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