Inside The Panthers

Pitt Reveals Starting Lineup vs. Louisville

The Pitt Panthers have revealed the starting lineup for their ACC conference opener vs. the Louisville Cardinals.
Karl Ludwig|
Sep 13, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) throws a pass during the second quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Sep 13, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Eli Holstein (10) throws a pass during the second quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

In this story:

Pittsburgh Panthers

PITTSBURGH - The Pitt Panthers have the opportunity to bounce back in a major way against Louisville, but they will be shorthanded.

The ACC announced that Desmond Reid and Rashan Murray were out two hours before kickoff, which is obviously a major loss for Pitt. Juelz Goff will be a key piece for the Panthers, shouldering the majority of the load at running back, and while Murray is a loss, with Rashad Battle back in the lineup, it's a unit that will be okay.

Tamon Lynum is dressed but not in the starting lineup. Shadarian Harrison has replaced him in the starting unit - with Shawn Lee Jr. also in line for additional snaps.

Juelz Goff is receiving his first official home start with Reid out of the lineup.

Pittsburgh Panthers running back Juelz Goff
DUPLICATE***Pittsburgh Panthers running back Juelz Goff (26) runs for yards before being tackled by Toledo Rockets cornerback Avery Smith (12) during the first half of the 2024 GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024. | Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Jake Overman is back healthy, not listed on the availability report and warming up with the team, but Justin Holmes earned the starting spot. Overman, Holmes and Malachi Thomas should all be expected to play.

Deuce Spann is also in the starting lineup now, listed alongside Kenny Johnson, Blue Hicks and Poppi Williams. Pat Narduzzi has hyped up Spann for a few weeks now, and with Reid out, there are more targets to go around.

Kickoff is a little under half an hour away, and the Panthers will look to start ACC play with a bang - and bounce back from a demoralizing performance against West Virginia in the Backyard Brawl.

Starting Lineup

QB - Eli Holstein

RB - Desmond Reid

WR - Kenny Johnson

WR - Poppi Williams

WR - Blue Hicks

WR - Deuce Spann

TE - Justin Holmes

LT - Jeff Persi

LG - Keith Gouveia

C - Lyndon Cooper

RG - BJ Williams

RT - Ryan Baer

DE - Jimmy Scott

DT - Sean FitzSimmons

DT - Francis Brewu

DE - Blaine Spires

LB - Rasheem Biles

LB - Braylan Lovelace

LB - Kyle Louis

CB - Rashad Battle

S - Cruce Brookins

S - Javon McIntyre

CB - Shadarian Harrison

K - Trey Butkowski

P - Caleb Junko

LS - Nilay Upadhyayula

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

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt

Published
Karl Ludwig
KARL LUDWIG

Karl Ludwig is a Pittsburgh Panthers on SI sportswriter. He has spent the past three years covering the Pitt Panthers for a couple of platforms. While he did not attend Pitt, he grew up in the Pittsburgh area, attending North Allegheny Senior High School and Slippery Rock University. As a student at SRU, he served as the sports editor of SRU’s student-run newspaper, The Rocket, and provided award-winning coverage in football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer. It was at SRU that his love for sports journalism blossomed. Karl spent three seasons as the Pitt football beat writer for Pittsburgh Sports Now, following time as an intern for the Sports Now Network. His most recent coverage of the University was for Pitt Sports News of the On3/Rivals network. He’s also contributed to Athlon Sports and SB Nation’s Behind the Steel Curtain.

Home/Football