After coaching change at Marshall, Latrobe’s John Wetzel flips commitment to Pitt

By: Bill Beckner Jr.
Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | 12:01 AM

Pitt didn’t offer John Wetzel initially when the Latrobe standout was looking for a place to further his football career.

But when he became available again, the Panthers pounced.

“I haven’t been this excited about college in months,” Wetzel said after signing a letter of intent with Pitt, about a week after he decommitted to Marshall because of a coaching change.

Marshall granted his release.

Apprehension with one program led to anticipation to join another. Suddenly, the safety is a Pitt Panther who could have a bright future on defense in a Power Four program.

“All the visits (to Pitt) felt right,” said Wetzel, who met with Panthers coaches, including head coach Pat Narduzzi, on Wednesday in Oakland. “I really like what Pitt has to offer. It is something special. I’ll be close to home.”

Excited to say I have committed and signed to the University of Pittsburgh! H2P!@CoachDuzzPittFB @Coach_Manalac @coachcsanders @Pitt_FB pic.twitter.com/oL85Pv8cV0

— John Wetzel (@John_Wetzel10) May 22, 2025

The 6-foot, 195-pound Wetzel, who also played quarterback in high school and helped turn around a struggling program, said he could move to linebacker or a hybrid position.

“Right now, I will be a boundary safety,” Wetzel said. “I am not against playing linebacker. I can put on weight, maybe get to 225 (pounds) and play outside linebacker.”

Narduzzi, Wetzel said, believes he can be a defensive standout.

Marshall hired Tony Gibson after Charles Huff left to take the head coaching job at Southern Mississippi.

Wetzel said things “felt different” with the new staff.

“It’s tough when you don’t have a relationship with the head coach,” Wetzel said. “I appreciate everything Marshall did, but I needed to go somewhere else.”

Former Latrobe coach Ron Prady, who resigned in December after three seasons, stays active with his former players’ recruiting. After Wetzel withdrew his name at Marshall, Prady went to bat for him, contacting several schools, including Pitt.

Prady didn’t reveal Pitt was one of the schools, or that the Panthers were interested, until a few days ago.

He traveled with Wetzel on Wednesday to Pitt.

“A few schools were interested,” Prady said. “Pitt had a couple scholarships left. They like John. He fits their mantra: a tough, physical defensive guy.”

Wetzel had 81 tackles as a senior and returned an interception for a touchdown. He was a first-team all-conference defensive back in Class 5A.

Wetzel said June 9 is his report date, but he plans to get acclimated to the Pitt campus and football facilities in the meantime.

Bill Beckner Jr. is a TribLive reporter covering local sports in Westmoreland County. He can be reached at bbeckner@triblive.com.

Tags: Latrobe