Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Stephen Thompson

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The Louisville football program is off to a 3-0 start to the 2025 season, but that will get put to the test this week, as they hit the road and travel to Pitt for their first ACC game of the season.

Kickoff between Jeff Brohm's Cardinals and Pat Narduzzi's Panthers is set for Saturday, Sept. 27 at 12:00 p.m. EST.

Ahead of the matchup, Louisville Cardinals On SI sat down with Stephen Thompson of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette to find out more about the Panthers:

1. Pitt looked like a well-oiled machine through the first two games of the year, but looked anything but in the Backyard Brawl. What was the fundamental difference in that game vs. the first two

Penalties, penalties and more penalties. The Panthers were flagged 14 times against West Virginia — eight times on offense and four times with possession in the redzone. And at least three of those redzone penalties were committed by upperclassmen in a surprising lack of discipline for a team with a host of returning starters on offense.

A lot went wrong — Eli Holstein missed throws he’s capable of making, Desmond Reid was sidelined with an injury for most of the afternoon and the defense couldn’t keep a lid on things in the fourth quarter. But the unforced errors prevented Pitt from ever getting off the ground.

2. How has Eli Holstein improved since his breakout 2024 season, and are there any areas where he still has room to grow?

At times, Holstein is brilliant and this year, his legs have become a more valuable asset as the Panthers looked for ways to diversify on offense. You can count on him making a decision or two each game that looks like a freshman in his first start of the season, but there is clearly plenty of talent and athletic ability.

The West Virginia game revealed something, though. Holstein has a way to go before he can be considered an elite player, or even among the top tier of quarterbacks in the ACC. He missed some throws you’d expect him to connect on, his legs weren’t as much of an asset and the unit fell flat in the redzone in multiple key moments.

It sounds simple when it really isn’t, but Pitt needs Holstein to play more consistently to win games and beat good teams like Louisville.

3. Who is more important to Pitt’s offense: running back Desmond Reid or wide receiver Raphael Williams?

Desmond Reid, no question about it. Williams has played well this year, with his ability to break a tackle or two and gain yards after the catch being a big reason why. But Reid is the Panthers’ best, most reliable playmaker. In the running game and passing game, there’s no one who can replicate his ability to make something out of nothing.

His numbers aren’t quite the same as they were to kickoff 2024, and he’s battling what Pitt has called a lower body injury currently, but if he’s on the field, there isn’t a better player on the Panther offense.

4. Pat Narduzzi-led teams have always been known for their defense, and this squad is no exception. Where do the Panthers shine the brightest on that side of the ball?

Narduzzi defenses start and end with how they play against the run and so far, Pitt’s play against rushing offenses has been elite. They rank sixth among FBS teams in success rate against the run and eighth in yards per rush allowed.

Success against the run on early downs has allowed them to put opponents in tough situations on third downs, and opens up the pass rush for a strong front seven. The pass defense has been leaky at times, but it hasn’t mattered all that much yet, given how good the rushing defense has been.

5. What is the one thing Pitt must do if they are to pull off a win?

Pitt scored on five of six redzone attempts but three of those scores were field goals. That’s not a winning formula, especially when two of those possessions started inside of the 15 yard line. Silly penalties stalled three of those drives and an interception completely killed another.

The Panthers have moved the ball in each of their first three games, but the difference between wins and losses is capitalizing when your opponent offers opportunities to score. There are a couple of ways — cutting down on penalties, improving the run game — are two ways to do that.

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