What Bill O'Brien Thinks of Pitt as Boston College Football Prepares for Road Matchup

The Panthers will be a tough challenge for BC's offense to navigate as it will play against All-ACC First Team linebacker Kyle Louis and additional stout run and pass defenders.

Nov 30, 2024; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Boston College Eagles wide receiver Reed Harris (4) makes a catch for a touchdown in front of Pittsburgh Panthers defensive back Rashad Battle (15) during the second half at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Coming off of Boston College football’s third straight loss of the season after starting 1-0 in his second year at the helm, BC head coach Bill O’Brien discussed the challenge of facing a team like Pittsburgh, which is the Eagles’ next opponent.

After starting this year 2-0, the Panthers (2-2) have dropped back-to-back contests, falling first to West Virginia, 31-24 in overtime, on Sept. 13, and then to Louisville, 34-27, this past Saturday.

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi has run the program now for 10 years—he was hired in 2015 after serving as the defensive coordinator at Michigan State from 2007 to 2014—and has accumulated a 74-58 all-time record, which ranks second all-time at the school.

O’Brien knows exactly what type of opponent BC will face on Saturday with Narduzzi in the driver’s seat: a resilient, tough, smart football team that will not back off until the final whistle.

Here is an early preview of the Pittsburgh football program through O’Brien’s eyes:

Pitt’s QB, Eli Holstein

Pitt’s quarterback, Eli Holstein, was originally recruited to Alabama when O’Brien was the offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide. 

The 6-foot-4, 225-pound signal caller transferred from Tuscaloosa, Ala., to Pittsburgh, Pa., following the 2023 season after he did not play a single snap under former Alabama head coach Nick Saban, and he took over as the starter for the Panthers in 2024.

Holstein started all 10 games he played in last year and missed three due to a leg injury, including the last time BC and the Panthers matched up, on Nov. 30, 2024, when the Eagles captured a 34-23 victory at home to reach the seven-win mark in the regular season.

Although O’Brien technically recruited him, the two never overlapped at Alabama as O’Brien went to coach for the New England Patriots as the offensive coordinator, but he still remembers Holstein from recruiting visits down near Baton Rouge, La.—more specifically Zachary, La.—where Holstein is from.

Hello @SportsCenter #SCTop10 👋@eli_holstein10 to Blue and Pitt leads by 10‼️

📺 ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/qOcCgILe7j

— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) September 27, 2025

“I mean, it's not really a chess match [playing Holstein], because I only recruited him,” O’Brien said. “I never coached him. He went to Alabama. I went back to the Patriots. So, [a] great kid, [a] great family from Baton Rouge, went to Zachary High School. Awesome family. Great kid, fun to recruit. You know, Pete Golding and I recruited him. We were down there a lot, pretty cool place to go hang out on recruiting trips. He's a good guy, and I look forward to seeing him.”

Through four games in 2024, Holstein has passed for 1,050 yards on a 63.2 percent completion rate and 11 touchdowns to five interceptions.

Pitt’s Linebacker Unit

At the heart of the Panthers’ star-studded linebacker trio is 2024 All-ACC First Team—and Second Team All-American (Associated Press, CBS Sports, Phil Steele, and The Athletic)—linebacker Kyle Louis.

"He's definitely one of the best, no doubt about it,” O’Brien said. “I think all three of those guys are really good, very highly-rated guys. I think the guy we went against last week [Cade Uluave] is really good, too. ... These Pitt linebackers are way up there."

Louis has racked up 25 total tackles (tot.), 3.5 tackles for loss (TFL), two interceptions (INT), two sacks for 22 yards, a fumble recovery (FR), and a quarterback hit (QBH) so far this year.

Linebackers Rasheem Biles (42 tot., sack, 7 TFL, INT, 2 PBU, 3 QBH) and Braylan Lovelace (28 tot., 3.5 TFL, INT, PBU, QBH) are first and third on the team, respectively, in tackling as well.

“Well, Pitt, man, on defense, they do a great job,” O’Brien said. They play very hard. They got a great scheme. … So we got a big challenge there. They're a very good football team.”

Pitt's All-Purpose Back, Desmond Reid

All-purpose back Desmond Reid is the Panthers’ most lethal weapon offensively, coming off of a junior campaign in which the 5-foot-8, 175-pound defense-killer recorded 1,545 total offensive yards and nine touchdowns (five rushing, four receiving).

In 2025, Reid has rushed for 142 yards and a score and has registered 71 receiving yards on six receptions, but he did not play in the Panthers' last contest against Louisville.

“It's very, they do what they do, they believe in what they do, and they do it very well offensively,” O’Brien said. “Eli Holstein, the quarterback, I recruited him to Alabama. Big, strong, great passer. They've got a really good back [Desmond Reid] that was injured, but I think he'll, sounds like he's coming back. I think their offensive line’s really good. Got a couple receivers, more than that, two or three receivers, No. 2 [Kenny Johnson], No. 3 [Cataurus “Blue” Hicks]. They're very, very good.”

Pitt's Special Teams

O'Brien was high on the Panthers' special teams unit, which he views is a strength of the program from a statistical perspective.

“So, you know, very challenging, good on special teams. Punter, think his gross is 45 yards. He can locate the ball. The field goal kicker, place kicker, very, very good. I think they had an injury at long snapper, so we'll see what they do there. But their coverage units are good. Their return units are good. They're dangerous. Returners, I think they average 32 yards per return on kickoff return. I think they average about, one of them averages 21 yards per return on punt returns.”