Details Behind Pitt LB Kyle Louis Spring Game TD Pass

Ahead of the Pitt Panthers Blue-Gold Game on Saturday, it’s likely no one would’ve guessed that star linebacker Kyle Louis would throw the first touchdown pass.

Well, no one except for Kyle Louis, judging the feedback after the spring game.

In case you missed it, Louis took the ball out of the backfield in the red zone where he quickly faced pressure. The All-American ‘backer made a quick decision and launched an accurate pass that reached Zion Fowler-El in stride as he crossed the goal line.

“I was happy they didn't tackle Kyle Louis on the one (touchdown pass),” Pat Narduzzi said in the post-game press conference (available on YouTube).

“They said, 'No one thudded him up.' I'm like, 'Get out of here.' Jaeden Moore had him, but was smart enough not to tackle Kyle Louis. But how about Kyle Louis with the (touchdown pass)?”

According to Pitt’s head coach, the way that first six points of the game unfolded was not how the play was scripted.

The way Narduzzi sees it, Kyle Louis essentially called an audible after the snap.

“He was supposed to run it, by the way,” Narduzzi said as members of the press chuckled. “So, he was supposed to run it. They were going to come back and run a toss-pass. But he's like, 'It was open. I had to throw it.'

“He said, 'Coach, players make plays.' And that's a fact.”

Kyle with the dime 🎯
Zion with the score 🙌 pic.twitter.com/4zpw0jjLjC
— Pitt Football (@Pitt_FB) April 12, 2025

While Narduzzi discussed the fun spring game play at the beginning of his time at the podium which, per usual, opened the press conference, Louis addressed the media at the end.

Of course, the soon-to-be redshirt junior shared his interpretation of how the play unfolded.

“At practice, we only did one practice rep, and it was me passing the ball,” Louis said. “So, they called my name over. (I heard) somebody on the sideline say, 'Get ready to throw the ball to Z.'

“So, I'm thinking I'm about to throw this ball to Z. He's calling to play. I'm not really listening, I'm just thinking, 'Throw the ball, throw the ball.' I really wasn't going to throw it. I was going to run it even though I thought it was a pass play.

“Well, I just saw, like, three defenders in my face, and I saw Z cut open, so I just threw it to him. It all worked out though.”

Whether it was on script or off script, a touchdown is a touchdown.

As Louis puts it, ‘players make plays.’

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

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt