Dieffenbach makes a quick decision to commit to Pitt

Ty Dieffenbach is no stranger to whirlwinds.

After going from receiver to standout starting quarterback at Agoura High School in Agoura, Calif., the 6’5” 200-pound prospect made a quick change this week when he broke his six-month commitment to UNLV and committed to Pitt.

Now Dieffenbach is preparing to be a Panther despite never setting foot on Pitt’s campus.

“I just thought it was a great option,” Dieffenbach told Panther-Lair.com. “I’m going there this weekend and we had two home visits already, one with Coach (Frank) Cignetti and one with Coach (Tim) Salem, so I was able to put a face to Pitt and that made it the right place.”
Pitt’s interest in Dieffenbach kicked into high gear last week as the coaches worked to find a replacement for Kenny Minchey, who decommitted last month. Dieffenbach’s film impressed Cignetti, but the Pitt offensive coordinator wanted to see him throw in person before offering.

“I heard from Coach Cignetti last week for the first time,” Dieffenbach said. “That was probably Tuesday or Wednesday, and he was super fired-up to talk to me. He said he waas coming out and super excited to watch me throw.

“So he came to my house and we chatted for 30 minutes, and then we went to the field and I threw for about 15 minutes and he said that was all it took and he offered me. He really put me on the spot. He had me doing seven-stop drops from under center which I’ve never really done before, and he had me run some play-action. It was fun.”

Dieffenbach took over at Agoura’s starting quarterback in 2021 and had a standout season, completing 62.8% of his passes for 2,669 yards, 34 touchdowns and nine interceptions. The transition to Pitt’s offense will take some adjusting on his part, but he said the system is part of the appeal.

“They told me they need the quarterback to lead, to run RPO’s, to throw the ball and kind of do it all. They said it’s an NFL, pro-style system.

“Coach Cignetti is great. He knows his stuff and I’m excited to have him coach me.”

Now Dieffenbach is looking forward to seeing Pitt in person.

“We’re flying out Thursday and stay until Sunday,” he said. “I’ve never been there before, but they sent me a video of the town and it looks unbelievable, so I have high expectations.”