Pitt FB Recruiting
‘It Was Home’: New QB Commit Mason Heintschel Fell in Love With Pitt
The second that Mason Heintschel stepped onto campus; he knew where he needed to be. It wasn’t what he had planned, but sometimes, things don’t go according to plan.
Heintschel — a 6-foot-2, 200-pound three-star quarterback from Clay High in Oregon, Ohio — took his first visit to Pittsburgh earlier this month, checking out practice on March 8, and it was an experience that cemented his desire to be a Pitt Panther.
“I just knew as soon as I stepped foot on campus that this was the place for me,” Heintschel told Pittsburgh Sports Now. “It was home. Getting to meet all the coaches and build relationships with them over the past few months and even on that visit, it was just a no-brainer for me.”
Heintschel committed to Pitt over offers from Akron, Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Kent State, Liberty, Ohio and Toledo, and after his recruiting process picked up over the last month, he initially thought that he was going to wait to make any sort of decision. But he couldn’t deny the love he felt for the Panthers.
He called up the Pitt coaching staff and told them he was ready to commit. “They were telling me that they ready, too, and we were all fired up for that,” Heintschel laughed.
Had a great time at @Pitt_FB today for spring practice. Really appreciated the hospitality and was great to meet the staff!! @CoachDuzzPittFB @Kb1Raw @ARCHIECOLLINS_ @CoachKlineAlex @coachdaoust @CoachSibb @ClayCoachO @CHS_EaglesFB pic.twitter.com/cNO2ysORW9
— Mason Heintschel (@mason_heinch06) March 9, 2024
Heintschel took a couple of days after the visit to collect his thoughts, talk with his parents and support system and concluded that Pitt was it. It was one of those things where he just knew and couldn’t wait to jump on the opportunity.
Narduzzi sent out his Pat Signal Saturday night — his second of the offseason — and Heintschel just let it marinate for a night. He officially announced it Sunday afternoon, and in the brief amount of time from his Tweet being sent and early Sunday afternoon, he received an overwhelming amount of support from home and Pittsburgh.
Pitt threw a wrench in how Heintschel thought he’d conduct his recruiting process, but he isn’t mad about it. Not one bit.
“My plan was to wait a little bit longer just to see what other options were going to come available, but after I took that visit and talked to my parents, talked with Pitt, it was just one of those things where it was like, I love it and this is the place I want to be, no doubt in my mind,” Heintschel said. “I knew that I wanted to pull the trigger.”
It was Archie Collins who began the relationship, who first extended an offer earlier this year, but it was the relationship with Kade Bell that made the difference.
“It’s been awesome,” Heintschel said. “We’ve been able to build a really strong relationship, we call each other all the time and it’s just been one of those things where it’s right. I’ve known since we’ve been able to build this relationship that it’s the right move for me. And the fact that we’ve been able to grow so close together in this short amount of time has definitely played a big role in this decision.”
Bell runs an up-tempo offense that relies upon the quarterback making quick decisions. It’s designed to be innovative and explosive, but it also relies upon the quarterback to make good decisions — either with his arm or his legs. Heintschel is the type of quarterback who plays a backyard style of ball, making plays on the move with his arm and legs.
Heintschel carried Clay High as a junior, racking up over 3,000 yards of total offense and 33 touchdowns despite a lackluster offensive line in front of him, and it’s his versatile skillset that attracted the Pitt coaching staff. He’s a tailor-made fit.
247Sports rates Heintschel as the 991st-ranked recruit in the class (58th-ranked quarterback and 48th-ranked recruit from Ohio) while On3 rates him as the 768th-ranked recruit in the class (52nd-ranked quarterback and 27th-ranked recruit from Ohio). Rivals does not appear to have rated him yet.
Heintschel isn’t the most highly recruited prospect in the class, but in this writer’s opinion, he’s better than evaluations say. He’s a playmaker at the most important position in football, one that the Pitt coaching staff prioritized early and it bears watching how he develops over the remainder of his high school career. He’s excited for the opportunity — and the new home.
“I’m ready to go,” Heintschel said. “I’m ready to get on campus as soon as possible and I’m ready to bring some championships to Pittsburgh. I’m excited to be a Pitt Panther, baby, let’s go. I hope they have my back, and I’m ready to bring some championships.”
