PITTSBURGH — Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi moves across the practice field, keeping a close eye on his quarterbacks. It’s an open-date practice before the matchup with Notre Dame, and although the Panthers aren’t in full pads, the tempo remains fast and demanding.

He gestures toward Mason Heintschel.

“Look at the urgency he has when he drops back,” Narduzzi says.

Each throw is crisp, on time, and delivered with the confidence of a seasoned veteran.

But Heintschel is no veteran. He’s an 18-year-old true freshman with only five college starts — all wins — and he has quickly become one of the most influential players on Pitt’s roster.

No. 22 Pitt is 7-2 and enters a three-game stretch that could shape the College Football Playoff race. Beginning Saturday against No. 9 Notre Dame, followed by No. 16 Georgia Tech and No. 15 Miami, the Panthers have the chance to derail playoff hopes for three ACC contenders while bolstering their own.

Narduzzi’s decision to bench Eli Holstein after a 2-2 start and hand the offense to Heintschel was a leap of faith.

“We could’ve easily been 0-5,” Narduzzi said. “Plenty of guys practice well but disappear when the lights turn on. He’s the opposite. He rises to the moment.”

Heintschel, from Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio, has been overlooked much of his football life — an experience he channels as motivation. He embraces the famous Michael Jordan “I took that personally” meme.

“That’s me,” Heintschel said. “Being overlooked is tough. But proving people wrong gives you that extra push.”

Pitt discovered him through film study. Offensive coordinator Kade Bell assembled a 300-play cut-up that showcased Heintschel’s arm talent, pocket command, and scrambling ability. After only a few plays, Narduzzi knew they had something special.

Despite standout high school numbers, he received only one Power 4 offer: Pitt. Even when late interest came from bigger schools, including Michigan, Heintschel stuck with the staff who believed in him first.

Arriving early for bowl practices, Heintschel impressed immediately with his poise and processing speed — unusual for a quarterback coming from a small high school program.

The original plan was to redshirt him behind Holstein and transfer quarterback Cole Gonzales. But after a sluggish early season and a disappointing loss to Louisville, the staff chose to make a change.

In his debut start against Boston College, Heintschel delivered a brilliant 323-yard, four-touchdown performance — numbers matched only by Deshaun Watson as an ACC true freshman. He followed with a comeback win at Florida State and consecutive 300-yard games, including a Pitt freshman record of 423 yards versus NC State.

There have been growing pains — turnovers against Stanford and struggles against Syracuse — but the Panthers won both games.

“He thinks he can make every play,” Narduzzi said. “Sometimes that hurts you. We can’t afford mistakes in these last few games.”

A massive 3,000-pound boulder now sits beside Pitt’s practice fields — Narduzzi’s symbol of perseverance following the Louisville loss. Each day, a position group gets to strike it with hammers, reinforcing the theme of steady, determined progress.

Pitt knows Notre Dame’s defense is the best it will face, and that Heintschel will need to deliver again for the Panthers to stay competitive.

“I believe we can play with anyone in the country,” Heintschel said. “These next three weeks are going to be fun. They’re great teams — but so are we. I’m excited to show what we can do.”