Inside The Panthers

Pitt Spring Game: Kyle Louis Throws First Touchdown Pass

The first touchdown pass came from an unexpected member of the Pitt Panthers in their spring game.
Kevin Sinclair|
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis celebrates after intercepting West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Garrett Greene (6) in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images
Sep 14, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis celebrates after intercepting West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Garrett Greene (6) in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Image Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

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Pittsburgh Panthers

The first touchdown pass in the Pitt Panthers spring game on Saturday wasn't delivered by returning starting quarterback Eli Holstein.

Projected backup quarterback Julian Dugger didn't throw it. Mid-year freshman passer Mason Heintschel wasn't credited for the score either.

No, sir.

It was star linebacker Kyle Louis in a wildly unexpected opening score through the air, hitting returning receiver Zion Fowler-El in full stride just as he crossed the goal line with spring camp standout defensive back Cruce Brookins in pursuit.

Louis returns this season as a fourth-year player and a redshirt junior after logging 101 total tackles, 16 tackles for loss, seven sacks, four interceptions (including a pick-six), three pass breakups, and a forced fumble last season.

He was the big-time playmaker among a sturdy starting three at linebacker in 2024. Along with Louis, that trio included Brandon George at mike and Rasheem Biles at the opposite outside linebacker role, and underclassman Braylan Lovelace as a key rotational 'backer.

Throughout the spring, it's been Lovelace at mike with up-and-coming, 6-foot-2, 235-pound rising redshirt sophomore Jeremiah Marcelin working with him in tandem in the middle. Meanwhile, Louis (#5) and Biles (#10) rated among the Top 10 returning linebackers in college football, per a recent Pro Football Focus report.

Louis and Biles are primed for a collectively highly-productive fall flanking the potential Lovelace/Marcelin duo in the middle.

Later in the scrimmage, after southpaw Louis launched his touchdown pass earlier in the game, it was Heintschel with a 65-yard touchdown toss to newcomer Cataurus Hicks, as shown via the Pitt Panthers account on Twitter.

"Blue" Hicks was plucked out of the transfer portal from Louisville in the winter.

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Kevin Sinclair
KEVIN SINCLAIR

Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.

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