Holden Geriner isn’t blind to the situation he willingly walked into at Pitt.
The Panthers have an established quarterback in Mason Heintschel and also brought in a pair of true freshmen at the position, Corey Dailey and Angelo Renda.
Geriner transferred to Pitt from Texas State, where he had one pass attempt in 2025, following three years of action as a reserve at Auburn (2022-24).
But Geriner, entering his final year of collegiate eligibility, pledged to approach things no differently than if he were the favorite to start for the Panthers in 2026.
“Not getting as many opportunities in the past drives me forward like, ‘OK, there’s still another year left,’” Geriner said. “Maybe this year will be a good year. I’ll put everything I have into it this year. Whether that’s me playing or whoever is playing, I’m going to pour into whoever is playing and give it my all, for sure.”
Geriner’s arrival helps fill a void in the quarterback room from last year following multiple transfers.
Eli Holstein, supplanted as starter mid-year by Heintschel, transferred to Virginia, while David Lynch chose Holy Cross and Cole Gonzales picked Charlotte.
When coordinator Kade Bell recruited Geriner, he pitched the opportunity to compete as well as serve in a mentorship role to Heintschel plus two true freshmen.
“The message was obviously, come in and push him to be the best he can be,” Geriner said. “Going into Year 5 for me, it’s crazy to think about. Being an older guy, and he’s a younger guy who’s had a lot of success and has a tremendous amount of upside.
“I saw a great opportunity to come in and work with him and all the other guys, as well. Mentor them, give them wisdom and things of that nature. That’s one of the reasons I decided to come here, so I’m super excited.”
Geriner’s collegiate career to date hasn’t been totally devoid of game action.
In total, he’s appeared in 11 games between Texas State and Auburn, including the 2023 Music City Bowl, attempting 21 passes.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder hails from Savannah, Ga., and won a Class 4A state championship at Benedictine Military School, throwing for 3,377 yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior.
Now, as he gets settled at Pitt, Geriner looks forward to drawing on all of his experiences at quarterback to help his new position mates in whatever fashion he can.
“I’ve enjoyed taking a step back this year and reflecting on my past,” Geriner said. “Really just thinking, ‘OK, we’ve got a bunch of young guys – how can I pour my wisdom and experience into them?’
“Whether that’s coaching or this year, mentoring them, putting everybody in the best situation I can — obviously, the coaches have a lot more experience than I do, so I’ll learn every day from them as well, (but) I want to be a coach on the field as a player.”
Last season at Texas State, Geriner was teammates with former Pitt quarterback Nate Yarnell, who transferred there following the 2024 campaign.
When Geriner decided to hit the portal himself, Yarnell had good things to say about his former program, helping Geriner make an informed decision.
“Nate’s an unbelievable man and I love him to death,” Geriner said. “I appreciate my time with him, for sure. We talked a little bit and he was like, ‘Man, you’re going to love it.’”
