Mason Heintschel sure seems like the real deal.
The Pittsburgh Panthers’ true freshman quarterback has looked like everything Pitt could’ve ever wanted him to through his first few college starts.
On Saturday, he led the Panthers to a wild, 53-34 win over NC State. And Heintschel put up quite the numbers.
His final stats:
- 24-for-48 passing
- 423 passing yards
- 3 passing TDs
- 3 rushes for 7 yards
Heintschel was just letting it rip, to awesome effect.
Cataurus Hicks (120 yards) and Kenny Johnson (112 yards) both topped the century mark as Heintschel’s two most explosive targets.
This is exactly how Heintschel played quarterback at Oregon Clay High School in northwest Ohio just outside of Toledo.
There, he led the Eagles to their first outright league championship since 1978.
He was almost impossible for opposing defenses to stop, the ultimate play-extender, with the ability to make any throw off any platform from anywhere on the field.
Teams brought extra pass rushers at their own peril, because if Heintschel escaped the pocket, he was even more dangerous than when he was in it.
And now Pitt and the college football world are getting to see what those who saw Heintschel in high school already knew: This guy is a thrill to watch play quarterback, and he’s got special traits that can’t be taught.
If Heintschel keeps this up, the future in Pittsburgh looks very, very bright.
