Pitt FB Recruiting
Pitt 2023 Commit Zion Fowler Excited After Talk With OC Frank Cignetti
Frank Cignetti Jr. is still settling in as Pitt’s offensive coordinator.
Cignetti is attempting to re-acclimate himself to the Panthers program and its players, along with starting the process of hitting the recruiting trail to try and bring new talent to Pitt.
One player that the Panthers new offensive guru has to be excited about working with is Pitt 2023 3-star wide receiver commitment Zion Fowler.
The 6-foot-1 wideout from Jersey City, New Jersey was the first player to join Pitt’s Class of 2023, when he gave a commit to the Panthers in October.
Cignetti hasn’t been on the job long, but he’s already met and spoken with Fowler twice- last week when visiting him at St. Peter’s Prep and then again on Saturday when making an unofficial visit to Pitt.
Courtesy Zion Fowler
Despite losing Brennan Marion and Mark Whipple, who were with Pitt when he originally committed, Fowler is really excited to work with and learn from Cignetti and new wide receivers coach Tiquan Underwood.
“It felt really good visiting Pitt and being at the program that I’m going to be at for the next 3-4 years, hopefully three,” said Fowler. “I felt good to see Coach Narduzzi, Coach Salem and a couple of the new coaches. Coach Cignetti and I are building a strong relationship, these past few days. I feel like I’m going to really succeed in his offense and that I’ll be able to be a really good wide receiver. He plays a pro-style offense and has coached with the NY Giants, 49ers, Packers and has coached a lot of good pros. Him coaching one of my favorite receivers Davante Adams and knowing that he can pass some of his knowledge down to me is very exciting. I can’t wait to ball out in his offense.”
♥️Blessed and thankful, to have had a healthy season, didn’t end the way we wanted to but more to come. Check out my Full Junior year season https://t.co/TpS50TOCJT
31 rec , (18.1 yds per catch), 562 yds, 7 tds.— Zion Fowler ✞ (@CantGuardZion) November 23, 2021
“Coach Cignetti has already gone over my film and believes that I have professional parts to my game, like my release, my route running and blocking. He’s watched it multiple times and knows the baller that he’s getting and what I’m going to bring to the table. He’s told me that he’s going to do his best to make me the best player that I can be. Plus, with the addition of Coach Underwood, now coming to Pitt, getting to know I’ll be able to learn from both of them, that will make me an even better receiver. I’m very pleased to know that I’m going to be coached by two guys that have coached before in the NFL, plus someone like Coach Underwood who’s also played in the league, I’m going to get the best of both worlds.”
Fowler hopes to one day make plays at Pitt that will be played on national TV shows like ESPN’s SportsCenter. It just so happens, Fowler was able to make that happen already for something he did last week on the basketball court.
🙏🏾🙏🏾Thank you https://t.co/plFV4fnNhG
— Zion Fowler ✞ (@CantGuardZion) January 26, 2022
“It’s always a players dream to make it on SportsCenter or one of those top sports channels,” said Fowler. “For me to see that it was very satisfying, honestly. I’m very proud of that but I know that there’s still more work to be done. It was on my bucket list, so I got to cross that off. I look at it as my 10 seconds of fame but now it’s time to move on and I have to get back to work and keep working hard. I have more things to do and work on.”
Fowler knows that opportunity will be happening when he arrives at Pitt and gets to work with Cignetti and Underwood.
