Pitt offense, still ACC's leader in points per game, aims to bounce back vs. Georgia Tech

When Mason Heintschel walked off of the field at Acrisure Stadium last weekend, he experienced something new as a collegiate athlete.

Pitt’s freshman quarterback, for the first time in six games since taking over as starter Oct. 4, lost a game.

Previously, the Panthers (7-3, 5-1 ACC) were 5-0 with him under center.

But courtesy of No. 9 Notre Dame, which left town with a 37-15 win, that streak was no more. That said, coach Pat Narduzzi wasn’t interested in entertaining the storyline of how Heintschel suffered his first loss in college.

“The team lost. It’s not Mason’s loss,” Narduzzi said. “Whether you’re quarterback or Mike linebacker, you’re losing plays. You can look at it as a team’s loss — it’s not Mason’s loss. We lost as a team.”

Narduzzi looking out for his quarterback is understandable.

Heintschel was far from the main or only reason the Panthers fell to Notre Dame.

But he’ll undoubtedly be a major part of a prospective turnaround this Saturday at No. 15 Georgia Tech (9-1, 6-1) as Pitt’s offense looks to get back to performing like the ACC’s leading unit (37.2 points per game).

Though the Irish held Heintschel to season-lows in yards (126) and completion percentage (48.5%) and zero touchdowns, teammates’ confidence in him hasn’t diminished.

“Mason has been a consistent leader. He’s been a consistent quarterback and playmaker,” tight end Jake Overman said. “He’s just stuck to his process, and he’s continued to stay poised. That’s one of the things I love about him — no matter what’s going on around him, we can always look to him for confidence and a calmness about him. … He’s continued to do so into this week because we know what this week means. We’re excited to go 1-0.”

For Pitt, what this game means is staying alive for the ACC title game hunt.

The Panthers do not control their own destiny to Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 6, and need to win out, beginning Saturday in Atlanta, to appear.

Georgia Tech, which wraps its league slate Saturday before concluding the regular season against No. 4 Georgia, would qualify for the title game with a win.

“They’re a good team, and I think their record shows it,” Overman said of the Yellow Jackets. “That’s just nothing but excitement for us in this facility. We love those games, we look for those games and the fact that we’re heading into Bobby Dodd Stadium on Saturday, with two good teams looking for a bar fight — we can’t wait for it.”

Part of the Panthers’ continual confidence in Heintschel centers around the acknowledgement they didn’t exactly set him up to succeed against Notre Dame.

The Irish got to Heintschel for four sacks and regularly harassed him in the pocket.

On the year, Georgia Tech’s defense hasn’t been the most suffocating bunch, ranking 13th in the ACC with 18 sacks through 10 games.

In nearly all regards, Pitt’s ability to bounce back as an offense will begin up front.

“We’ve just got to play better as a unit and make sure we’re more disciplined in our assignments to make sure we give Mason more time in the pocket, make sure he’s clean,” center Lyndon Cooper said.

On Oct. 18, Pitt stumbled offensively at Syracuse but still left JMA Wireless Dome with a win despite allowing a season-high seven sacks.

Heintschel threw for only 140 yards, and the offense generated 255 in total.

But a week later, it rebounded to put up 53 points versus N.C. State.

The Panthers will have their work cut out for them Saturday in Atlanta, but having responded well previously to lackluster offensive outings creates confidence they can get back on track versus Georgia Tech

“They’re a physical team, and we’ve just got to continue doing our job,” Overman said. “We’re a physical offense, and we’ve got to get back to showing that. I know that we will. We’ve done a great job bouncing back.”