Pitt scored a memorable 38-34 victory over rival West Virginia at Acrsiure Stadium over the weekend to remain unbeaten at 3-0 on the season. In that showdown with the Mountaineers, a number of Panthers gave signature performances, and because of that, they were recognized by the Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday as Player of the Week at their respective positions..
Pitt’s star freshman quarterback, Eli Holstein, has been honored by the league as ACC Quarterback of the Week for the first time in his young, yet promising career. Holstein was also chosen as the ACC Rookie of the Week as well, which is the third time in as many weeks he has claimed that distinction. Pitt sophomore Kyle Louis was named ACC Linebacker of the Week, while senior safety Donovan McMillon was named ACC Defensive Back of the Week.
Holstein was instrumental in Pitt’s comeback win over West Virginia. The redshirt freshman went 21-of-30 for 301 yards and three touchdowns, and led a pair of fourth quarter touchdown drives with under five minutes to bring the Panthers back from a 10-point deficit. He also contributed 59 rushing yards, with numerous important scrambles during the pressure-packed fourth quarter.
It became the second straight week Holstein engineered Pitt to an improbable comeback, after leading his steam to a 28-27 win over Cincinnati in Week Two. The overall numbers for Holstein are impressive just three games into his career. He has thrown for 936 yards and nine touchdowns with only two interceptions. Holstein is ninth nationally, and third in the ACC in passing yards. His nine touchdown passes puts him in a tie for third nationally in that department.
Louis entered the season as a first-time starter, but expectations were high for the redshirt sophomore. Through three games, he is living up to the hype cast on him by his coaches. Louis recorded a career-high 13 tackles in Pitt’s win over West Virginia. He also pulled down an interception to seal the victory on the Mountaineers’ final offensive play.
Louis checks in seventh in the ACC in total tackles through week three. He has 27 tackles, 2.5 TFLs, one sack, one interception, and five QB hurries in what is already looking to be a breakout campaign.
McMillon has been a tackling machine since he arrived at Pitt, and he logged a bunch more in the Panthers’ win in the Backyard Brawl. Last year in Morgantown, McMillon posted 18 tackles, he couldn’t quite match that total, but was on the winning side and finished with 13 stops. It also registers as the seventh double-digit tackle game of his career, and second this year.
There are only 22 players in college football who currently have 30+ tackles this season, and McMillon is among that grouping. His 32 tackles currently ranks him third in the ACC this season.
