The Miami Hurricanes’ quarterback hunt didn’t stop with Darian Mensah.
As Miami was building toward the 2026 season, reports surfaced that the program also made a serious run at Pitt quarterback Mason Heintschel, putting a “big NIL contract” in front of him during a frantic stretch in the transfer portal. The offer came on Jan. 15, just one day before the portal window closed, according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Christopher Carter.
Heintschel, a former three-star recruit, stayed put after telling Panthers coach Pat Narduzzi about the deal. Pitt kept its freshman quarterback, who had already put together a strong first season by completing 201 of 316 passes for a 63.6 percent completion rate, throwing for 2,354 yards and 16 touchdowns, and adding eight interceptions in 10 games.
Narduzzi revisited the episode Friday during ACC Kickoff Media Day on Sirius XM, and he made clear Miami wasn’t done shopping at quarterback.
“We didn’t match that crazy offer, but we got pretty darn close,” he said. “I give our Chancellor Joan Gabel and Allen Greene credit for finding a way to keep Mason.
We couldn’t lose him. Your quarterback is so critical.
That’s a 15-day portal window - the 14th day that happens. The very next day, I’m in communications with [Duke coach] Manny Diaz that afternoon saying, ‘You better watch out.
They’re coming for your [quarterback] too.’ It happened.”
That warning lined up with what followed. Mensah entered the transfer portal right before the deadline, and Duke tried to keep him through the court system before the two sides reached a settlement without a judge getting involved.
For Miami, Mensah’s arrival fits a pattern. He becomes the third straight top-market quarterback to land in Coral Gables, following Carson Beck and Cam Ward. The Hurricanes are counting on Mensah to help bring hardware back to campus.
The broader picture is the one college football keeps returning to: quarterbacks are moving like free agents, and programs are paying accordingly. Miami has been active in that market, but the Hurricanes now plan to stay out of the portal for quarterback help unless a unique opportunity comes along.
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