PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – When Mason Heintschel was asked about becoming the first quarterback in ACC history to throw 7 touchdowns in a game in a Pitt season-opening 59-14 win over Miami University Saturday, the answer was about team.
“Just proud of our guys, I think everybody did a really great job with their preparation, and we came out and executed,” Heintschel said.
It’s a typical answer for him this season in how he’s taken a huge leadership role and the first sophomore quarterback to be elected captain since Tyler Palko. Saturday, all seven of his touchdown passes went to different receivers.
“That's huge,” Heintschel said. “That's never really by design, but I'm glad that we were able to kind of share the wealth throughout the day. I think we had at least eight different guys score touchdowns today. Can't complain with that. Proud of those guys.”
“It’s very impactful because the defense doesn’t know what to do,” said running back Ja’Kyrian Turner, who scored on a 45-yard TD. “With the threat of Mason spreading the offense, he’s got numerous guys he can get the ball to, numerous play-makers.”
“I thought our guys were a little slept on coming into this year, and I think that'll help for sure,” Heintschel said. “But I think those guys, it's big for them. We've got a lot of guys who aren't very proven yet, and I think we kind of just showed that today, and excited to do that the rest of the year.”
How much are the receivers committed to Heintschel? The leading returning receiver from last year came up to him and apologized a earlier dropped passes. That’s the type of respect this Pitt team has for its quarterback, and of course he backs it up with record-setting results, one of those passes finding that receiver (Blue Hicks) for a touchdown.
“It's great to see,” said Pitt defensive lineman Nick James. “I love to see it. They've been giving it to us a lot during practice. It's fun to see him do it against another team.”
What really stands out about a few of those passes was Heintschel’s mobility. Often you will see quarterbacks move around, but rarely do you see them move around and stay behind the line of scrimmage. He did that on a number of his touchdowns, as defenders crept up to stop his rush, he threw it over the top. None more noticeable than the one to Turner.
“It was amazing,” Turner said. “We already knew what Mason was capable of, just going out there and being more of a leader, more of a threat. He was just doing his job, doing what he has to do to make the team win. He’s dominant at everything he does.”
“He's like a little magician back there,” said Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi. “Not only can he throw it, but he has that knack to make people miss and get out of trouble when trouble arises. I think it's he's just got great awareness. He's got great visual on what's going on, the peripheral is good, and that's what he does all the time in practice too.”
Still a teenager, Mason can even keep him breaking an all-time conference record in perspective.
“They did a great job,” Heintschel said minutes after the game ended. “Excited about that one. Ready for next week.”
LISTEN to Mason’s postgame and what players & Narduzzi said about him
LISTEN to Mason’s postgame and what players & Narduzzi said about him
