Pitt offers QB Alex Malzone
Offering a quarterback usually requires a lengthy evaluation process, and Pittsburgh has been watching Brother Rice (Mich.) three-star signal caller Alex Malzone for several months before Wednesday's offer.
"I talked to Coach [Paul] Chryst on the phone and he was the one who told me they were going to offer me," Malzone said. "He just said that I suit their style of offense, they like my leadership abilities and where I am coming from playing quarterback. He just said they think it would be the right fit."
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After being in contact with Pitt for the last several months, Malzone was satisfied to officially land the offer.
"I saw it coming when I visited there," he said. "My dad and I sat down with Coach Chryst in his office and had a great talk. He is a great coach and straightforward guy. He just said I am the type of quarterback he likes and fit that style."
That visit to Pittsburgh took place at the beginning of February and has combined with Wednesday's offer to put the Panther's high on Malzone's list.
"My dad and I both loved the visit going up to Pittsburgh," Malzone said. "It's a great place and they have a lot of tradition for football, which was good to see. It was definitely one of my favorite visits so far of all the places I have been and Pittsburgh is definitely one of my favorites."
Spring is baseball season for Malzone, but he will try to make a return visit to Pittsburgh if he can find time in his schedule. He is looking forward to spending more time with the coaching staff after recent staff changes.
"I had usually been in contact with Coach Bollinger, the quarterbacks coach," Malzone said, "but he decided to step down a week after Signing Day to focus on his family and take a break from football.
"I was with him most of the time on my visit, but I also have been in contact with Coach [Matt] House. I have been talking to him ever since Coach Bollinger stepped down."
Malzone does not have any spring visits planned at this time, but he did just complete an unofficial visit to Michigan this past weekend. The Wolverines have not yet offered Malzone, but he was encouraged by the interest they showed on the visit.
"I was pretty much with Coach [Jeff] Hecklinski most of the time," Malzone said. "Coach [Doug] Nussmeier was down in Florida because they were down on spring break this week, but I talked to Coach Nussmeier on the phone when I was there on my visit.
"He said they were very interested and wants me to come back up for a spring practice some time soon. They are going to see me throw after the dead period and he said we'll pretty much go from there."
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Malzone is ranked as the No. 16 pro-style quarterback in the 2015 class. Other offers include Wake Forest, Central Michigan, Bowling Green, Toledo and Western Michigan.