Pitt's true freshman quarterback, Mason Heintschel, has been making magic at the quarterback position for a long time.
It's just that now, the whole football world gets to see it.
Heintschel took over as the Pittsburgh Panthers' starter a week ago, and he's dazzled through two starts.
On Saturday, he threw for 321 yards and ran for 64 more in a road win at Florida State.
In the process, he made two insane throws that had social media abuzz.
This touchdown, rolling one way and throwing the other, was downright Mahomes-ian.
Mason Heintschel TD pic.twitter.com/WkCsM9iP63
— Grant Speaks (@GrantSpeaks1) October 11, 2025
Then you can add this sweet arm angle drop to the mix, too.
Mason Heintschel arm angle pic.twitter.com/LGptYuI2zk
— Grant Speaks (@GrantSpeaks1) October 11, 2025
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.
Heintschel may have been just a three-star recruit, but right now, it looks like the Panthers got themselves an absolute gem.
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