Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1512721
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 6 3 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M T he Pittsburgh Steelers have mir- rored Penn State this fall in that they've parlayed a stout defense and the league's best turnover differen- tial into a winning record. They've also mirrored Penn State in that they've fallen short in enough ar- eas to cost their offensive coordinator his job. Steelers head coach Mike Tom- lin fired third-year OC Matt Canada on Nov. 21, two days after a 13-10 loss to Cleveland. What Canada's exit means for the team's postseason outlook remains to be seen; despite their myriad offen- sive struggles both before and after the change in offensive leadership, the Steelers were sporting a 7-5 record and were just two games out of first place in the AFC North following a 24-10 loss to Arizona in Week 13. What it means for former Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth, meanwhile, is already clear. The 2020 Big Ten Tight End of the Year is going to be a much bigger part of the team's game plans un- der interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner and play-caller Mike Sullivan. In Pittsburgh's first game following Canada's departure, Freiermuth was targeted 11 times and came down with 9 catches for 120 yards, helping lift Pitts- burgh past Cincinnati, 16-10. It was the most receiving yards by a Steelers tight end since another Penn State grad, Jesse James, had 138 in a 42-37 loss to Kansas City in 2018. Freiermuth set the tone for his af- ternoon on Pittsburgh's first play from scrimmage when quarterback Kenny Pickett found him for a 24-yard gain af- ter a play-action fake. Asked by report- ers afterward what the catch did for the team, Freiermuth said, "Confidence, man. Connecting on that first play, on an explosive, it made everyone believe." He was targeted 5 times the following week against Arizona and finished with 3 catches for 29 yards. Those numbers might have been higher, but Pickett left with an ankle injury in the second quar- ter, and the offense struggled the rest of the way. Prior to the Steelers' visit to Cin- cinnati, Freiermuth had caught just 9 passes for 60 yards and 2 touchdowns this season. The lack of productivity had more to do with his health than with the team's schematic issues, though. He had suffered a chest injury against San Francisco on opening day, and three weeks later at Houston, he went down with a pulled hamstring. Freiermuth ended up on injured reserve, missing the team's next five games. When he came back, in a Week 11 loss to Cleveland, he had a quiet afternoon, finishing with just 1 catch for 7 yards. "It's been tough," Freiermuth said. "Obviously, I've been balancing some injuries. Never really was healthy since Week 1, taking that hit to the chest." Now that he's back in action, the Steelers are hoping to use the 6-foot-5, Steelers Envision Bigger Role For Pat Freiermuth In Season's Homestretch M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M PSU IN THE PROS Freiermuth enjoyed a breakout performance at Cincinnati in Week 12, posting 9 catches for 120 yards, both career highs. PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH STEELERS