Pitt FB Recruiting
2024 3-Star QB Sam Kaiser ‘Very Excited’ For Potential Opportunity With Pitt
There isn’t a lengthy relationship between Sam Kaiser and Pitt, just a few weeks of contact, but he’s already begun to build a lasting bond with assistant quarterbacks coach Jon DiBiaso.
Pitt extended an offer to Kaiser — a 6-foot-6, 215-pound three-star quarterback from Rock Bridge High in Columbia, Missouri — about a week ago, and despite the fact that he’s not all that familiar with Pittsburgh as a whole, he sees the opportunity laid out before him.
It’s Kaiser’s fourth offer, joining Akron, Miami (Oh.) and Vanderbilt, and Pitt has already stood out.
Thankful to receive an offer from Pitt!! @Coach_JDiBiaso @Coach_Perkins @AllenTrieu pic.twitter.com/zq0iO1PaQv
— Sam Kaiser (@SamKaiser11) March 10, 2023
Kaiser has been on the phone with DiBiaso quite a bit, learning what it’s like to be a Pitt student-athlete and being sent cool factoids and notes on an almost daily basis. There’s a very strong relationship there.
“I think he’s a great dude,” Kaiser told PSN. “He’s a young guy, so pretty relatable, and he’s very personable. So I really like him so far, we’ve built a good relationship.”
There have been some text exchanged with head coach Pat Narduzzi here and there, but no phone call, and while he hasn’t had the chance to speak with offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr., that’s apparently in the cards.
DiBiaso told Kaiser that Cignetti will be making it out to Rock Bridge later this spring, likely in May, to check in with his school administrators and coaches and to see him throw live. There’s a chance Cignetti will be there sooner rather than later.
And it’s very likely that Kaiser will be making it out to Pittsburgh before Cignetti makes it out to see him, too. The plan as of now, which isn’t official, is to make it out for a spring practice in April. He knows Pittsburgh is the City of Bridges.
“I think it’s very cool by the looks of it, but I’ve never been,” Kaiser said. I’m eager to get up there to see it, but I don’t know much about it. I know about the program though, a very rich history. All these Hall of Famers and stuff like that. I haven’t really kept up with them in the past couple of years before I got offered, but I know they’re a very good program.”
As a junior at Rock Bridge, he completed 135-of-230 pass attempts (60%) for 1,700 yards with 22 touchdowns and just five interceptions — and he added 250 yards on the ground. He isn’t purely a pocket passer either.
“People see 6-6, 210, and they automatically kind of think pocket passer, a tall quarterback who stays in the pocket and stuff, but I think I can extend plays really well,” Kaiser said. “I come from a basketball background, so I’m pretty athletic.
“I can be pretty elusive in the pocket, get out of sacks and stuff like that, extend plays. But I also think my arm strength and where I can put the ball is probably the best part of my game. I feel like I can command the ball pretty well and put it wherever I want.”
247Sports rates Kaiser as the 952nd-ranked recruit in the class (61st-ranked quarterback and 17th-ranked recruit from Missouri) while On3 rates him as the 995th-ranked recruit in the class (51st-ranked quarterback and the 17th-ranked recruit from Missouri). Rivals hasn’t ranked Kaiser yet.
Aside from Pitt, Kaiser is planning visits to Duke, Louisville and Tennessee this spring — along with potential visits to Miami (Oh.), Marshall and West Virginia. As Pitt searches for its quarterback in the class of 2024, Cignetti and co. will look for a quarterback, getting options on campus will be important.
“I think it would be at the top of my list, for sure,” Kaiser said. “Vanderbilt just had their second quarterback commit, and that’s my other Power Five offer, so they have two quarterbacks committed. Once I go up there and see (Pitt), I definitely think it could make the top of the list for sure.
“I think it would be a great place to live, great place to play football, especially with the correlating facility with the Steelers. I just think it’s a great program, and I’m very excited to be offered and have the opportunity to come play there.”
Pitt has landed five commits in the class of 2024 so far (with a six yet to be announced), and there’s still a search for a quarterback.
