Chris Gates | The Pittsburgh Football Podcast
Pitt is reportedly making another change at quarterback, and I think it’s probably the right decision.
According to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz late Thursday night, the Panthers are expected to start Holden Geriner at quarterback Saturday against No. 1 Miami. True freshman Corey Dailey, who started last weekend against Boston College, is still expected to see playing time.
The decision comes after Pitt dropped consecutive games to North Carolina and Boston College, falling to 5-2 after opening the season with five straight wins.
And while neither Geriner nor Dailey has done much to inspire confidence since Mason Heintschel suffered his season-ending knee injury, I think going back to Geriner makes the most sense for Pitt right now.
In fact, I’d take it a step further. Unless something dramatically changes, I think Pitt should give Geriner the majority of the quarterback snaps for the remainder of the season.
Kade Bell’s Comments Suggested This Was Coming
Earlier this week, Pitt offensive coordinator Kade Bell met with reporters and discussed the quarterback situation at length.
One of the things that stood out to me was how Bell talked about the value of getting Dailey on the field against Boston College.
Bell explained that the coaching staff wanted to get a better understanding of what it had in the quarterback room. After watching Geriner start against North Carolina and Dailey start against Boston College, Pitt now has meaningful game film to evaluate both players.
And I thought that was a pretty revealing comment.
When Bell talked about knowing what Pitt has at quarterback, it sounded to me like the coaching staff had gathered the information it needed to make a decision about how to approach the rest of the season.
Bell also spent considerable time discussing Dailey’s development.
He praised the freshman’s arm talent, athletic ability, competitiveness, and long-term potential. But he also acknowledged that Dailey is still growing physically and learning what it takes to play quarterback at the college level.
Dailey is only a true freshman. He’s listed at 6-foot-6 and approximately 200 pounds, and Bell talked about how much more physical development he expects from him over the next couple of years.
The experience against Boston College was valuable because it gave Dailey an opportunity to recognize areas of his game that need improvement, whether that’s his footwork, pocket presence, or understanding of how quickly things happen against college defenses.
And when I heard all of those comments, my immediate thought was that Pitt was probably going back to Geriner.
Not because the coaching staff had given up on Dailey, but because it recognized that the freshman still has a considerable amount of development ahead of him.
Pitt Has Seen Both Quarterbacks, and Neither Has Been Great
Let’s be clear about something: Geriner hasn’t exactly earned the starting job with outstanding performances.
Against North Carolina, he completed 27 of 44 passes for 219 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions in a 21-17 loss.
There were some encouraging moments, but Pitt struggled to consistently move the football and finish drives, especially in the second half.
The following week, Dailey got his opportunity against Boston College.
And things couldn’t have started much better.
On Pitt’s first offensive play, Dailey connected with Blue Hicks for a 75-yard touchdown. It was an explosive start that offered a glimpse of the freshman’s talent.
Unfortunately, things went downhill from there.
Dailey finished the game completing just 11 of 25 passes for 193 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. After that opening touchdown, he completed 10 of his remaining 24 attempts for just 118 yards.
Neither quarterback has provided the consistency Pitt needs.
But there is an important distinction between the two.
Geriner is a fifth-year player who has spent considerably more time learning college offenses, understanding defensive looks, and operating within the structure of a game plan. He’s also gotten second-team reps all season and has more experience with the first-team offense and playbook.
Dailey might have the higher ceiling, but Geriner is probably better equipped to execute the offense Pitt wants to run right now.
And that’s ultimately what this decision should be about.
Pitt Still Has a Season Worth Salvaging
I think this is the most important part of the conversation.
Pitt’s season took a dramatic turn when Heintschel suffered his injury against Virginia Tech.
Before that, the Panthers were undefeated and looked like a team that could legitimately compete for an ACC championship.
Now they’ve lost two straight games, and the outlook is considerably different.
But that doesn’t mean the season is over.
Pitt still has opportunities to win football games, finish with a respectable record, and build some positive momentum heading into the offseason.
Saturday’s matchup against No. 1 Miami probably isn’t the best opportunity to accomplish those things. The Hurricanes are undefeated, loaded with talent, and heavily favored.
I don’t know that starting Geriner instead of Dailey dramatically changes Pitt’s chances this weekend.
But the schedule doesn’t end with Miami.
Pitt still has games against Georgia Tech, Florida State, Louisville and Cal on the schedule There are opportunities for the Panthers to potentially get back on track.
And I think Geriner gives Pitt its best chance to do that.
He’s more familiar with Bell’s offense and should have a better understanding of the full playbook.
The hope is that with more consistent first-team repetitions and a clearer understanding that he’s the starting quarterback, Geriner can improve his execution as the season progresses.
That doesn’t mean he’s suddenly going to become Heintschel.
But Pitt doesn’t necessarily need him to be Heintschel to win some of these remaining games.
It needs him to manage the offense, protect the football, make the throws that are available, and give the rest of the team an opportunity to contribute.
There’s Still a Role for Corey Dailey
I also don’t think this decision needs to completely eliminate Dailey from the equation.
If Pitt wants to develop a few packages that take advantage of his athleticism and arm talent, I’m all for it.
Getting him occasional snaps could continue to provide valuable experience without requiring him to carry the entire offense.
And that might actually be the best situation for his development right now.
Dailey clearly has physical tools that make him an intriguing prospect. There’s a reason the coaching staff was excited enough about him to give him the start against Boston College.
But he’s also a true freshman who is still learning the position.
There’s nothing wrong with acknowledging that he’s not quite ready to be a full-time starting quarterback in the ACC.
In fact, I think there’s value in allowing him to continue developing without putting the pressure of saving Pitt’s season entirely on his shoulders.
He can learn from what happened against Boston College, continue working on the areas Bell identified, and hopefully become a better quarterback because of the experience.
Meanwhile, Pitt can focus on putting its most experienced available quarterback in position to win games.
Those two objectives don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
It’s Time for Pitt to Establish Some Stability
Ultimately, I think Pitt needs to stop searching for a perfect solution at quarterback.
That solution probably doesn’t exist on the current roster, at least not with Heintschel sidelined.
Geriner has limitations. Dailey has limitations.
But continuing to bounce back and forth between quarterbacks isn’t necessarily going to solve those problems.
At some point, the coaching staff needs to identify the player it believes gives the team its best chance to win, commit to that player, and build an offensive game plan around his strengths.
Based on what we’ve seen so far, I think that player is Geriner.
He’s not necessarily the most exciting option, and he might not have the same long-term upside as Dailey.
But Pitt’s immediate priority should be finding a way to win football games.
The Panthers have already seen what both quarterbacks can do. Now it’s time to make a decision and move forward.
Going back to Geriner is a reasonable first step.
And unless he gives the coaching staff a compelling reason to reconsider, I think Pitt should stick with him for the rest of the season.
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