Pittsburgh Panthers narrowly escaped losing their star quarterback to their rival in the transfer portal's final hours, sparking a recruiting war inside the ACC.

Panthers’ head coach Pat Narduzzi alleged that the Miami Hurricanes attempted to poach Mason Heintschel with just a day left before the transfer portal closed mid-January. 

“Miami tried to get Mason Thursday before (the portal closed Friday), and we were able to hang on to him and shut them down,” Narduzzi told The Athletic on July 17.

Heintschel had an explosive freshman year when he took over as the Panthers’ starter four games into the season. He finished with 2,354 passing yards, 16 touchdown passes, and eight interceptions. 

Heintschel was a three-star recruit from Ohio who, after a 6-2 regular season record, agreed to stay with the Panthers before the transfer portal opened on January 2. The portal was open till January 16. 

Narduzzi said that he tipped the Duke Blue Devils about the poaching attempt heading their way. He had called the Devils’ head coach Manny Diaz about quarterback Darian Mensah, but it was too late.

“Shoot, I talked to Manny that Thursday afternoon and said, ‘Hey, watch out. I hear he’s going for your guy next.’ And sure enough, they stole him,” said Narduzzi, according to Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic. 

According to The Athletic’s report, Miami has not commented on Narduzzi’s statement. Mensah had led the Devils to the ACC championship last December. 

While the Devils did not publicly pursue the Hurricanes over Mensah, they did file a lawsuit against the quarterback, which was settled for financial damages. 

Heintschel said that his agent and family played a big role in ensuring he did not fall for any such offers. 

“My thought process is always just being where your feet are,” Heintschel said. “I think that’s the biggest thing for me: I’ve always wanted to be here. I think this is where I want to be for my career.” 

While discussing this reported attempt to sway his quarterback, Narduzzi shared his stance on the legal tampering framework, under work in the NCAA’s Division I Cabinet. 

“Need to eliminate it”: Pat Narduzzi speaks up on the possible legal tampering period

As per the same Ralph D. Russo of The Athletic article, the NCAA's Division I Cabinet is considering a proposal to establish a legal tampering period in November or December, which would allow coaches and personnel staffers to contact designated representatives of players on other rosters

Pat Narduzzi is not a fan of this. 

“They need to eliminate it,” he said. “It’s just not right. I mean, would you want someone tampering with your wife before you get the divorce?” 

This offseason, the two-week portal was the only portal window. If the NCAA approves the change this August, then next year, the January window could shrink from 15 days to 10.

Read more at the Michigan Football Community!

Written by

Akanksha Biradar

Edited by

Rudra Dubey