PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s the era of college sports we are in, when a freshman makes an announcement that he is returning to the same school. That is what happened on Thursday as quarterback Mason Heintschel said he will be back at Pitt in 2026.
He did so by posting a picture of himself with the words 'locked in'.
After a breakout true freshman season, teams will find ways to contact Heintschel, his family or representatives about looking at other options. He’s staying with the one Power Four school that offered him a scholarship from the beginning.
In eight starts, the Toledo native was 201 for 316 for 2,098 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions averaging 235.4 yards per game and a 137.8 QB efficiency. He set the Panthers freshman record with 423 passing yards against NC State.
Eli Holstein was the starter earlier in the year, he transferred to Virginia. Cole Gonzales is a senior transfer and out of eligibility. The other quarterbacks from last year are redshirt-sophomore David Lynch and freshman Beau Jackson. True freshmen QBs Angelo Renda and Corey Dailey have enrolled early and will be eligible for Spring practices.