Pitt's Nate Yarnell starts Western Michigan game, replacing Kedon Slovis
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Redshirt freshman Nate Yarnell stepped under center to start Pitt’s game Saturday night against Western Michigan.
The game represented his first snaps as a collegian.
Regular starting quarterback Kedon Slovis was in uniform and warming up before the game.
But he apparently wasn’t recovered sufficiently after getting hurt before halftime of the Tennessee game last Saturday. Slovis missed the second half of Pitt’s 34-27 loss to the Volunteers.
Slovis’ backup, Nick Patti, also was injured in the fourth quarter of the Tennessee game and was limping noticeably. Patti finished the game, but he did not accompany Pitt to Kalamazoo.
In the days prior to the Saturday’s game, Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi offered no details on the health of Slovis or Patti.
Yarnell (6-foot-6, 215 pounds) missed his senior season at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas.
He was 6-0 as a starter, averaging 208 passing yards per game and throwing 11 touchdown passes while replacing regular starter Hudson Card (now at the University of Texas).
Also missing from Pitt’s travel roster were running back Rodney Hammond Jr., center Owen Drexel and defensive tackle Devin Danielson.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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