Spring may signal the start of the baseball season, but it also represents the kickoff to another sport: football.
Yes, I said football.
And while it will be months before Pitt plays a meaningful game, the 2025 edition of the Panthers football team took to the field Saturday at Acrisure Stadium, winding up five weeks of spring drills at their South Side training complex.
On a chilly, windy, at times drizzly day, Pitt presented its annual rite of passage, the Blue-Gold Spring game before the usual sparse crowd of Pitt faithful and interested observers who long for gridiron action.
And whoever coined the phrase, “Who said you can’t go home again” had it all wrong Saturday.
Former Panthers AJ Woods and fan favorite quarterback Kenny Pickett returned to the Acrisure turf serving as honorary coaches. Pickett took control of the Blue team, while Woods was at the helm of the Gold squad.
Both Woods, a cornerback, and Pickett, the backup to quarterback Jalen Hurts, earned Super Bowl rings in February as members of the Philadelphia Eagles. Pickett has since been traded to the Cleveland Browns, his third franchise in four years. Both men were part of the 2021 ACC Champion Panthers team.
This year’s matchup was a little different from past years. In past years when the game was aired on the ACC Network, it was live and full contact. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi decided this year’s contest would be a “thud” tempo, which meant that contact would be mainly above the waist, as driving anyone into the turf was prohibited.
As usual, from a safety standpoint, quarterbacks were off-limits. Seemed like a smart move as the Panthers already suffered from a depleted roster entering the game. This year’s Blue-Gold game had 26 inactive players.
Both teams were given preselected players at key positions while others were added to each roster via a draft.
Eli Holstein was the main signal caller for the Gold team with David Lynch serving as his backup. The Blue team starter was Julian Dugger with his backup being Mason Heintschel.
The Panthers kicking game has a huge hole to fill with the departure of the sure-footed Ben Sauls. Sauls kicked in one of the toughest environments on the North Shore, the swirling winds of Acrisure Stadium. Battling to be Sauls’ successor are James London and Sam Carpenter.
On paper, one would be hard pressed not to have made the Gold squad the favorite. How could anyone go against what appeared to be a stacked team? Starting quarterback Holstein had the team’s top receiver in Kenny Johnson and was gifted the entire first-team offensive line.
One problem: no one informed the Blue team as they came away with a hard fought 17-14 win in an epic defensive struggle.
Holstein didn’t start his day on a positive note as Shadarian Harrison came up with a diving interception. In the opening quarter Holstein was 4 of 7 in the passing department for a mere 26 yards and the Harrison interception.
In the third quarter, Holstein tossed his second pick of the day as he severely underthrew freshman Cameron Sapp as he streaked toward the end zone. You guessed it — Harrison was the thief once again, nailing his second interception.
If you were expecting Holstein to light up the scoreboard along with the stat sheet as many, including myself, were, all were severely disappointed. He struggled at times, appearing lackluster at best.
On the flip side of the coin there were flashes of brilliance. Holstein’s final numbers were 17-of-33 with two interceptions, good for 171 yards and a touchdown.
The Blue team opened the scoring on a 29-yard field goal by Carpenter at the 5:38 mark of the first quarter. With just 20 seconds remaining in the opening stanza, Zion Flower-El hauled in a 14-yard pass from Kyle Lewis of all people.
With a roster depleted especially at the running back position, Lewis, a starting linebacker on the Panthers defense, lined up in the backfield on the offense, took the ball and let loose with a left-handed touchdown strike to Flowers-El.
Carpenter added the extra point, vaulting the Blue team to a 10-0 cushion as the quarter closed. The second quarter was a yawner as neither team crossed the goal line.
Heintschel kept the Blue team buzzing along when he hit Cataurus Hicks with a 65-yard pass and the touchdown at 9:47 in the third quarter. Carpenter added another extra point, increasing the margin to 17-0.
The Hicks touchdown was the only points put on the board by either team in the third quarter and that gave the Blue team a commanding 17-point lead.
The Gold offense had been sputtering the entire game as their zero point total attested to. Salvaging some type of offensive output seemed beyond the realm of possibility at this point.
Once again, that’s why the game is played on the field and not on paper. At the 7:45 mark of the fourth quarter the Gold squad finally hit paydirt on a 2-yard jaunt by Justin Cook. Kicker James London added the extra point, closing the deficit to 17-7.
In another defensive stand, the Blue team was held scoreless again, failing to score in the final quarter. Holstein and company got the ball back looking to slice into the Blue lead some more.
Keeping the drive alive as time was winding down in the contest, it appeared the Gold team woke up just a little too late. With 31 seconds remaining in the game, Holstein came away with a short 2-yard toss to Cam Sapp for a touchdown for the final score of the contest. London added his second extra point.
Pickett emerged victorious once again on the Acrisure Stadium turf once again as his Blue team held on for a 17-14 win over former teammate Woods’ Gold squad.
By the numbers, final stats of note for the Blue team showed Heintschel was 8-of-11 for 114 yards and a touchdown. Dugger was 7-of-12 for 37 yards.
In the rushing department, Ja’Kyrian Turner had 17 attempts for 44 yards. Receiving, Hicks had three receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown.
For the gold team, Lynch completed 14 of 19 passes for 84 yards. Cook rushed for 42 yards and a touchdown on 10 attempts and hauled in 12 passes for 68 yards. Johnson pulled in seven catches for 63 yards and Sapp caught four passes for 32 yards and a touchdown.
Acrisure Stadium turf will not see the Panthers play another game for 141 days when they open the 2025 campaign against crosstown rival Duquesne Aug. 31.
Photos by Ed Thompson
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