Inside The Panthers

Pitt Adds Texas State Transfer QB

The Pitt Panthers have added a quarterback through the transfer portal.
Mitchell Corcoran|
Auburn Tigers quarterback Holden Geriner (12) warms up during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023.
Auburn Tigers quarterback Holden Geriner (12) warms up during the A-Day spring football game at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, April 8, 2023. | Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

In this story:

Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH — Texas State transfer quarterback Holden Geriner has committed to the Pitt Panthers, according to On3.

Geriner is entering his redshirt senior season and will very likely be the backup to rising sophomore quarterback Mason Heintschel, who officially announced his return to Pitt for the 2026 season on Jan. 15.

Heintschel is coming off a true freshman season of 2,354 passing yards, 16 touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 63.6% completion percentage in nine starts.

Geriner played in three games and threw a pass in one during his lone season with Texas State. He previously played at Auburn for three seasons. Geriner is 9-for-21 passing with 116 yards and one interception in his college career.

Pitt has been searching for a veteran backup quarterback since the transfer portal opened on Jan. 2. Former starter Eli Holstein has transferred to Virginia and backup Cole Gonzales transferred to Charlotte.

This left Pitt with only Heintschel, true freshman walk-on Beau Jackson and incoming freshmen Angelo Renda and Corey Dailey as its only projected signal callers in 2026.

Geriner was a 247Sports Composite four-star recruit out of Savannah, Ga., and was the No. 18 quarterback in the Class of 2022. In high school, Geriner threw for over 7,100 yards and 71 touchdowns. He led Benedictine Military School to a Class 4A title in his senior year and was named the game's MVP.

Geriner appeared in eight games at Auburn, including the 2023 Music City Bowl, before transferring to Texas State in 2025.

Auburn Tigers quarterback Holden Geriner
Dec 30, 2023; Nashville, TN, USA; Auburn Tigers quarterback Holden Geriner (12) throws a pass against the Maryland Terrapins during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

Pitt Transfer Portal Commits

The following transfer portal recruits have reportedly committed with Pitt or have announced their commitment to Pitt:

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

Follow Pittsburgh Panthers On SI on Twitter: @InsidePitt

Published
Mitchell Corcoran
MITCHELL CORCORAN

Mitch is a passionate storyteller and college sports fanatic. Growing up 70 miles away in Johnstown, Pa., Mitch has followed Pittsburgh sports all his life. Mitch started his sports journalism career as an undergraduate at Penn State, covering several programs for the student-run blog, Onward State. He previously worked for NBC Sports, The Tribune-Democrat and the Altoona Mirror as a freelancer. Give him a follow on X @MitchCorc18.

Home/Football