Three-star quarterback recruit Steele Pizzella announced his commitment to Wake Forest Sunday afternoon, following ex-Cougar head coach Jake Dickert to the draw of the ACC and the Power 4. Pizzella posted his decision on his personal X account.

After signing with the Cougs on National Signing Day, the southern California native flipped his commitment just over two weeks later, likely being influenced by Dickert’s mid-December decision to leave WSU.

Pizzella now joins Dickert in North Carolina and will be welcomed by a potentially wide open quarterback room. Wake Forest’s starting quarterback this season, Louisiana Tech transfer Hank Bachmeier, just finished his final season of eligibility as well as primary backup Michael Kern. The Demon Deacons have 2025 three-star recruit Elijiah Oehlke who is a local product from Fayetteville, North Carolina, and the rest of the listed quarterbacks were freshmen this season.

Pizzella had offers from the likes of Georgia, Utah and Connecticut before deciding to join the Cougs. The class of 2025 recruit was ranked 77th among quarterbacks in his class by 247 Sports and 124th overall in the state of California. Pizzella attended Notre Dame high school and threw for 4,797 yards and 51 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons. He was also considered a top dual-threat quarterback in California, hitting a high of 10.64 in the 100-meter sprint in track and rushing for over 1,000 yards in his senior season.

The Cougar QB room is now left with just redshirt senior Zevi Eckhaus as a legitimate option to start next season. Eckhaus replaced former starter John Mateer, who transferred to Oklahoma, in the Cougs’ DirecTV Holiday Bowl loss to Syracuse. Eckhaus threw for 363 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions while adding a rushing score in his first career FBS start. Four other freshman are listed on the WSU roster, but none received significant consideration during training camp like Eckhaus did, who was in direct competition with Mateer.