When offensive coordinator Kade Bell arrived at Pitt, he introduced the team to his mantra — “play fast; score faster.” And in its debut against Kent State, the Pitt offense quickly proved that was more than just good marketing.

The Panthers, needing fewer than 10 seconds in between plays to get set and snap the ball, marched 95 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown on their first drive. They burned just 2:59 to move the length of the field, as Eli Holstein, the transfer from Alabama who won the starting job late in training camp, completed all six of his passes for 80 yards, including an 11-yard touchdown pass to Konata Mumpfield.

“It was a moment where I was like, ‘Hey, I’m in college football and I can play. I can do this,’ “ Holstein said. “It was just a lot of fun being able to get the ball to those guys and let them go make plays. … We trusted each other a lot on that drive.”

It was the start of an uneven afternoon for Pitt, which escaped with a sometimes ugly but ultimately convincing 55-24 victory over Kent State in its season opener at Acrisure Stadium. Pitt’s offense was a maddeningly slow and inefficient operation a year ago, but for at least one weekend, the wholesale changes head coach Pat Narduzzi made to his offensive coaching staff bore fruit.

At the center of it all was Holstein, who finished his collegiate debut having completed 29 of 39 passes for 330 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. At the root of Pitt’s offensive issues a year ago was poor quarterback play, and the decision to pass over incumbent starter Nate Yarnell appears to be the right one. There was a low bar to clear given the quarterbacks Pitt fielded last season, and Holstein provided the accuracy and explosive playmaking that this team needed so sorely before he arrived.

His connection with Kenny Johnson, who set career highs with 10 receptions for 105 yards, was sensational. He opened the game by hitting Johnson for a 46-yard, over-the-shoulder pass, and the two combined for a touchdown reception midway through the third quarter that put the Panthers over 40 points for the first time since last year’s season opener against Wofford.

“When I first got here, me and Kenny were going to the facility late at night, throwing balls like that,” Holstein said. “We had a list of things like quick game, [run-pass option], intermediate, deep stuff, red zone, and we were just getting the timing down because we knew the day was going to come where we were going to play together.”

The offense got some help from special teams, as well. Desmond Reid bounced off of an attempted tackler as soon as he fielded a punt and ran 78 yards for a touchdown to give the Panthers a 14-0 lead less than five minutes into the first quarter. Reid added another explosive play on the Panthers’ first possession of the third quarter, breaking free for a 46-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 35-21.

Reid, another newcomer by way of the transfer portal, finished his Pitt debut with 231 all-purpose yards — just another day at the office.

“I just saw one on one with the safety, and that’s what we want,” Reid said of his lengthy touchdown scamper. “One on one with the safety and make ‘em miss. I already know what I can do once I get one on one with anyone. I already know what’s going to happen.”

But for all of the boxes Pitt checked in its season opener, it looked sloppy at times. The Panthers jumped out to a 28-14 lead at halftime but could have led by more if not for six first-half penalties that cost them 48 yards. In the second half, linebacker Keye Thompson was flagged for leaping over a blocker during a punt, which allowed the Golden Flashes to keep the ball.

Furthermore, newly minted captain Mumpfield dropped a short touchdown pass and muffed a punt, which led to a special teams score for Kent State.

And the defense, breaking in nine new starters, was vulnerable to big plays. They surrendered passes of 36, 29 and 41 yards, two of which went for touchdowns. They avoided surrendering a 64-yard pass late in the fourth quarter when offsetting penalties were called.

Ultimately, none of the many miscues this retooled Pitt team committed mattered, but they will give Narduzzi something to harp on as the Panthers turn the page and face bigger challenges in the coming weeks.

“All three phases did some good things; all three phases did some things we have to clean up — some Game 1 issues,” Narduzzi said.

“Overall, for Game 1, there will be a lot to teach from the video, but I’m really happy with where we are at this point.”