Pitt Freshman QB Shines in First Career Start

“As soon as he got here, we noticed in spring ball," Scott said after the game. "Stuff he was doing vs. the freshman, it was like, this ain’t normal. So, seeing him going out today and play the way he played, it was awesome.”

Heintschel spread the wealth, throwing touchdown passes to four different receivers, and leading scoring drives that ended in touchdown runs from Juelz Goff and Ja'Kyrian Turner, but there was a special connection with Johnson - the elder stateman of the wide receiving corps, in his third season with the Panthers.

He targeted Johnson a team-high 11 times, connecting on nine receptions for 115 yards (both career-highs) and a touchdown.

“I think this is the most in rhythm we played," Johnson said after the game. "I mean, any offense can be good as long as you play in rhythm, and as long as you trust the guys out there to make plays for you, and I don’t think Mason tried to go out there and be Superman. I think he just went out there, played a good, confident game, trusted us and let us make it happen for him.”

The box score reads well, very well (first Pitt true freshman to throw for four touchdowns in a game, if the statbook is correct), and if not for a late, late touchdown, it would've been the biggest conference win in program history. But it's the way Heintschel commanded the offense, taking what the defense gave him, showcasing an arm that can make plays all three levels and letting his playmakers make the plays for him. It was an encouraging step in the right direction - two or three or four steps even.

Heintschel himself is overjoyed with the performance, with the win, but he knows there's work to be done. He did a good job playing within the system, protecting the football and not trying to make a splash play on every snap, but he's a true freshman still. He had to remind himself not to be Superman.

“We’ve got the guys around me to make my job easy, so just being able to get them the ball in space and not trying to do too much, that makes it a heckuva lot easier for me,” Heintschel said.

There was a play in the second quarter where Heintschel whipped the football cross-body, on the run, toward a streaking Blue Hicks in the end zone. And while it was a dangerous throw, it was also very catchable. But Heintschel knows what's expected of him - and what will lead to success.

"We wouldn't have put him in there at that spot as a starting quarterback if we didn't think he could throw it 41 times and complete whatever he completed," Narduzzi said. "We knew what we were doing. Great job by coach Bell and the offensive staff."