Pitt continues to reshape its quarterback room heading into 2026, and the picture got a little clearer this week. First, the Panthers got their starter back when Mason Heintschel announced his return on Thursday. Then, just a day later, they added some much-needed depth behind him with a veteran presence.
Holden Geriner, a 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback who spent last season at Texas State, has committed to Pitt. He comes in with one year of eligibility and is expected to compete for the backup job behind Heintschel. The competition will likely include incoming freshmen Corey Dailey and Angelo Renda, but Geriner’s experience gives him a leg up in the race for QB2.
Geriner’s college journey has been a winding one. He began his career at Auburn, where he spent three seasons before transferring to Texas State for the 2025 campaign.
Across four years of college football, he's seen limited action - just 21 pass attempts and appearances in 11 games. At Texas State, he served as a backup, sharing the quarterback room with former Pitt QB Nate Yarnell.
Still, there’s a reason Geriner’s name might ring a bell. Coming out of Benedictine Military School in Georgia, he was a four-star recruit with offers from some of college football’s biggest names - Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Tennessee, and Arkansas, to name a few. He chose Auburn, but never quite found his footing there.
Now, he gets a fresh start in Pittsburgh, and while he’s not expected to push Heintschel for the starting job, his presence brings stability and experience to a quarterback room that needed both. With the departures of Cole Gonzales and Eli Holstein via the transfer portal, offensive coordinator Kade Bell had been actively searching for a veteran to round out the depth chart. Geriner checks that box.
This move also continues Pitt’s aggressive approach in the transfer portal. Geriner becomes the Panthers’ 16th portal addition since the window opened on January 2nd.
Offensively, Pitt has addressed needs across the board - quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, and the offensive line. The portal officially closed on January 16th, meaning no new names can enter, but schools can still add players who’ve already declared.
That leaves the door open for Pitt to make a few more moves in the coming days.
For now, though, the quarterback room has taken shape. Heintschel leads the way, Geriner brings experience to the backup role, and two talented freshmen will have the chance to learn and compete. It’s not flashy, but it’s functional - and for a team looking to stabilize after a season of quarterback turnover, that’s a step in the right direction.