They say the first impression is everything.
In life, maybe that’s true. But in sports, I actually think it’s your second impression that is the most important.
If your first impression was really bad, how can you change the narrative and showcase what you can really do? If your first impression was really good, how can you keep that momentum going?
True first-year quarterback Mason Heintschel faced the latter as Pitt matched up against Florida State this past weekend.
After head coach Pat Narduzzi made the surprising decision to bench redshirt sophomore Eli Holstein in favor of Heintschel, the kid balled out in his first-ever collegiate start. He went 30 of 41 for 323 passing yards, four touchdowns and a 171.5 rating in a thrashing of Boston College.
But as Narduzzi outlined after the 48-7 win over the Eagles, one game does not define you. People had plenty of reasons to feel excited about Heintschel’s play, but questions about the unknown would linger until we saw how he fared in his first road test of the year.
The broadcast took several opportunities to discuss how important a game this was for Florida State and head coach Mike Norvell. After kicking this season off with an upset win over Alabama and starting the season 3-0, the Seminoles came into this one having lost back-to-back games.
But it was deeper than that. With their losses to Virginia and Miami, Norvell and his team had now gone over a full calendar year since their last win against an ACC opponent. Florida State, amidst a 2-10 disaster last year, had its last win in the ACC come against California on Sept. 21, 2024.
So, yeah. Clinging to a ranked position and desperate for a win, it was a massive game for the Seminoles. It just makes the win for Heintschel and the Panthers all the more impressive.
The national headlines will focus far more on Florida State’s loss, following a program whose season is rapidly unraveling. But closer to home, a star is rising in Pittsburgh.
Say whatever you want about some of the imperfections in his game Saturday — an 18-year-old making his second-ever collegiate start just walked into Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee and came out with a win.
He finished his day 21 of 29 for 321 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Was it perfect? No. Heintschel had the occasional overthrow, and although one of his picks was essentially an arm punt, the other was the end zone — a problem his predecessor suffered from.
What was far more important, though, was the level of poise and calm he showed on the field. Even when the environment changed from friendly to hostile and the competition was kicked up a notch, Heintschel looked just the way he did last week against Boston College.
Blitzes and pressures didn’t hinder him, and those back-to-back interceptions didn’t break his confidence — or the coaching staff’s.
If there was any question as to what kind of confidence head coach Pat Narduzzi and offensive coordinator Kade Bell had in Heintschel, it was answered on the first drive. Facing a fourth and one from their own 34-yard line, the team had Heintschel line up in the shotgun and run a passing play. The offense went for it on fourth down three times on that drive en route to a touchdown.
They always believed in the kid.
But perhaps there was no better gift that the team could have given him than the return of senior running back Desmond Reid. One of their best playmakers on both offense and special teams, Reid had missed the last two games with an injury he suffered in the West Virginia loss.
Though first-year running back Ja’Kyrian Turner and redshirt first-year Juelz Goff had teamed up and performed admirably in his absence, it didn’t take long for Reid to remind us why he is such an important part of this team.
A second-team All-American last season, Reid led the Panthers with 12 carries and finished second to Heintschel with 45 yards on the ground. He was far more productive through the air, however, where he hauled in a team-high eight catches for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
When Heintschel needed a big play, Reid was there.
We do need to take a second and appreciate Turner, though. Sure, he averaged 4.4 yards a carry on 10 tries, but late in the fourth, with Heintschel taking off and running for the first down, FSU redshirt junior defensive back Earl Little Jr. punched the ball free from the quarterback’s arms. But Florida State — which has not recovered a forced fumble all season — could only watch it pinball on the field before Turner corralled it.
On a drive where he ultimately ran it in for the touchdown, that recovery was still Turner’s best play. It saved the drive and the game for Pitt.
The defense, for the most part, did its job as well. Senior quarterback Tommy Castellanos finished with only seven incompletions and certainly got away with a few throws that Pitt should have made him pay for. But Pitt’s defense was able to contain him and Florida State’s attack just enough for the win.
It was a huge win for the Pitt program, snagging themselves another ACC win and exercising some sports demons of their own. It was their first ACC road win when trailing at halftime since 2018, when they beat Wake Forest after trailing 10-6 going into the third.
This is also the type of game that will buy Heintschel some more time in the event he plays poorly next week when Pitt visits Syracuse.
If the Panthers still win, no one cares. Heintschel is still your guy. But even if they lose, because of what he showed you he is capable of this Saturday, taking down a ranked opponent in their own stadium, the coaching staff won’t feel any hesitancy about sticking with him.
He’s earning trust and leeway from the coaching staff and hype and energy from the fans.