Amidst The Current Challenges, Pitt Panthers Receive Another Clear Message From A Top Player
Former Pitt Panthers quarterback Julian Dugger has officially revealed his next college football destination.
Dugger will join the Washington State Cougars for the upcoming season. Having played in just one game at Pitt as a freshman, he retained redshirt status and will have four years of eligibility remaining with Washington State.
During his lone appearance last season, Dugger completed 7 of 13 passes for 72 yards, throwing two touchdowns and one interception. He also added 88 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Dugger’s only appearance for Pitt came in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, where the Panthers fell to Toledo in a 48–46 loss after six overtimes. He delivered an impressive performance, nearly leading the team to a comeback victory.
Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 210 pounds, the left-handed quarterback made a name for himself as a dynamic dual-threat at Penn Hills High School in western Pennsylvania before joining Pitt. With the Panthers moving forward with sophomore quarterback Eli Holstein, Dugger chose to enter the transfer portal early in the offseason.
He becomes the second quarterback to transfer to Washington State within the past week, joining former Rutgers signal-caller Ajani Sheppard. The pair will be among six quarterbacks on the Cougars’ roster this fall.
Senior Zevi Eckhaus currently leads the quarterback competition at Washington State, with sophomore Jaxon Potter projected as the primary backup. However, both will be challenged by Julian Dugger, fellow transfer Ajani Sheppard, and incoming freshmen Dalton Anderson and Owen Eshelman.
Dugger departs a Pitt team that began the 2024–25 season with seven straight wins before dropping its final six games. Following his strong showing in the bowl game, many anticipated that Panthers offensive coordinator Kade Bell would carve out a role for him.
Instead, Pitt added Oklahoma transfer Cole Gonzales this offseason to serve as Eli Holstein’s backup. Gonzales previously played under Bell at Western Carolina.
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