Nate Yarnell starts at quarterback for Pitt against Boston College

Jerry Dipaola | Thursday, November 16, 2023 7:17 p.m.

Chaz Palla | Tribune-Review

Pitt quarterback Nate Yarnell looks to throw during the first day of practice Aug. 2, 2023 at UPMC Rooney Sports Performance Complex.

Sophomore Nate Yarnell started at quarterback for Pitt on Thursday night against Boston College, marking the third different player this season to man that position at the outset of a game.

It will be Yarnell’s second career start after leading Pitt to a victory at Western Michigan last season. In two seasons, Yarnell has completed 15 of 22 pass attempts for 318 yards and two touchdowns, with no interceptions.

Coach Pat Narduzzi benched previous starter Christian Veilleux, who had replaced Phil Jurkovec after the fifth game. Jurkovec and Veilleux both transferred to Pitt this year from Boston College and Penn State.

Veilleux led Pitt to an upset of nationally ranked Louisville in his first start, but he has thrown eight interceptions in 5½ games. He also replaced an injured Jurkovec for the second half of the North Carolina game Sept. 16.

Both Jurkovec and Veilleux completed barely half of their pass attempts this season. After Jurkovec’s demotion, he started practicing with the tight ends, but he had not played that position in a game before Thursday.

Jurkovec has completed 57 of 112 passes for 818 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions. Veilleux is 94 for 184 for 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns.

After four years of quarterback stability with Kenny Pickett, this season will be the second in a row that Pitt used three quarterbacks. Kedon Slovis started 11 games last season before transferring. He was replaced by Nick Patti in the Sun Bowl.