Pitt Walk-On QB David Lynch receives first school start

Pitt will start a walk-on quarterback against Toledo in the GameAbove Sports Bowl.

David Lynch – a 6-foot-3, 215-pound quarterback from East Greenwich, RI – will make his first collegiate start with Eli Holstein ruled out and Nate Yarnell leaving via the transfer portal.

Lynch replaced Ty Dieffenbach as the backup when Holstein missed time earlier in the season and took advantage of his opportunities in practice.

“When it just came down to focus every single day in practice and the details when you get your snaps, you’ve got to make your snaps worthwhile,” Narduzzi said last month during a weekly press release. “And it just seemed like we weren’t getting what we wanted out of Ty right now. And again, business decisions. I don’t care if you’re a walk-on or a scholarship player. Of course I’d love to — I don’t care .

“Go back to Sam Scarton starting at kicker instead of Ben Sauls. Which, we knew Ben was a phenomenal kicker back when he was a freshman, but you’ve got to put it through the yellow posts. We play the best players. We’re trying to win football games. We felt like David gave us the best chance to win right now.”

Lynch has completed 6-of-9 passing attempts for 46 yards and an interception in two appearances this season. He finished the loss against Louisville for the Panthers and received a few snaps when Yarnell was watched by the training staff in the regular season finale against Boston College.

He originally committed to Pitt as a preferred walk-on prior to the 2023 season after spending a season at IMG Academy for his post-graduate development.

It’s a big opportunity for Lynch, a chance to show the coaching staff — and all of college football — that he’s ready for the moment. He will be backed up by Julian Dugger and walk-on Jake Frantl.