Week 6 was full of surprises.
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Is Alabama a different team than the one that lost in Tallahassee? That loss is part of this squad’s story, and there are lingering problems to correct, including wide receiver Ryan Williams’ puzzling pattern of dropped passes. But it’s impossible not to draw a link between Alabama’s listless showing at FSU and the way the team is performing now on both sides of the ball.
The freakout about DeBoer and the program’s direction after FSU was expected, but it also looks sillier by the week. The guy is 13-2 in matchups of ranked opponents for his career, the best winning percentage for any coach with at least 10 such opportunities. Think they would want that at Penn State right now? Or just about any program in America?
Alabama isn’t perfect and will need to keep making strides, including this week against another undefeated ranked opponent, No. 14 Missouri, on the road. But the Tide are looking more like a team no one wants to face. — Adam Rittenberg
Pitt true freshman Mason Heintschel delivers
Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi knew exactly what he had in freshman quarterback Mason Heintschel back in the spring. But he also tried not to speak too much about him publicly, should others around the country clue in and try to lure him away from the Panthers.
Yes, that is how confident Narduzzi was in the three-star prospect from Oregon, Ohio. Pitt gave him his only Power 4 offer, and Heintschel enrolled in January.
Despite his best efforts to keep Heintschel under wraps, Narduzzi couldn’t resist sharing his thoughts in an interview with ESPN in April, saying, “He’s really freaking good. He’s going to be a future star. I’ve never seen a freshman quarterback ever come in and do what he did this spring. That’s Nick Foles, that’s Kirk Cousins. That’s Kenny Pickett. He’s a great kid. He’s not a greedy, selfish guy. He’ll get his opportunity.”
That opportunity came Saturday, as Narduzzi benched turnover-prone Eli Holstein and started Heintschel. After a few pass attempts, it was obvious why Narduzzi raved about what he saw in the spring.
Heintschel looked in complete command, unruffled and prepared. His passes had zip and were delivered with near perfection. In the end, Heintschel went 30-of-41 for 323 yards and four touchdowns (with zero interceptions) in a 48-7 win over Boston College, becoming Pitt’s first true freshman quarterback to win his debut since Kenny Pickett on Nov. 24, 2017, against No. 2 Miami.
“He prepared his tail off,” Narduzzi said of Heintschel in his postgame news conference. “I think he was in the office at 8 Monday and was there until 6:30. I don’t know if he went to any classes, but he knew what he was doing out there, and he was prepared. I appreciate that.”
Now that there is tape on Heintschel, teams will adjust. A big test comes Saturday, when Pitt travels to Florida State. But no matter what happens, there is no taking away what an impressive job Heintschel did in his debut. — Andrea Adelson
