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Still in the game Former PSU great Bobby Engram embraces a new role as an assistant at Pitt | B obby Engram wasn't the tallest or fastest wideout around, but he had intelligence and enough physical attributes to forge a record-setting career at Penn State during the early 1990s and a successful 14-year NFL career as well. And it was that football IQ that helped Engram further his career as a coach. After spending 2011 as an offensive assistant with the San Francisco 49ers, Engram has been wide receivers coach at the University of Pittsburgh the past two seasons. "Look at me, Engram said. "I'm short " and slow, so I had to have something going for me. I love that part of the game. I think when you become older you can rely on that, but when you're young you rely more on athletic ability. But I had some good coaches who made me understand the importance of really grasping the defense and how they were trying to defend you. "So, the older I got in my career, I really appreciated that and what the coaches were able to help me do. ... I didn't know that I wanted to coach until I retired and took a year off. I had a football camp that I did for a long time, and that's one of the things I enjoyed, to coach and go out with the kids." Engram tallied 650 career receptions for 7,751 yards and 35 touchdowns for the Bears, Seahawks and Chiefs from 1996 to 2009. The Bears selected him late in the second round, and he played in Chicago for five seasons. He then departed for Seattle, before spending his final pro season in Kansas City. With the Nittany Lions, Engram had 167 career catches for 3,026 yards and 31 touchdowns. He also had 16 100-yard games and was the only Penn State wideout to top 1,000 yards receiving in a season BOBBY ENGRAM ON ALLEN ROBINSON "That's a legacy that was left by Kenny Jackson and O.J. McDuffie, myself, Bryant Johnson – quality guys who came before him, and he's just adding to that legacy. He's a good football player." until Allen Robinson had 1,018 and 11 touchdowns on 77 catches last season. Robinson was even better this year, finishing with 97 catches for 1,432 yards and six scores to break Engram's mark. Engram is far from disappointed to see his longstanding school records start to fall. "Let 'em keep falling, he said. "Good " for the kids. Let 'em play. I heard about it. Obviously, I don't get to see much film, other than our game plan and who we're playing, but I saw a couple of highlights. I've seen some film on [Robinson]. He seems like a talented guy. "You like to see guys like that go out and have success. That's a legacy that was left by Kenny Jackson and O.J. McDuffie, myself, Bryant Johnson – quality guys who came before him, and he's just adding to that legacy. He's a good football player. " Engram has built on his legacy by helping a new generation of wide receivers at Pitt. In 2012, he nearly had two 1,000-yard receivers in Devin Street and Mike Shanahan. Street finished with 73 catches for 975 yards and five touchdowns, while Shanahan had 62 for 983 and six scores. Despite injuries this year, Street had 51 catches for 854 yards and seven touchdowns. And star freshman Tyler Boyd had 77 catches for 1,001 yards and seven scores. Both have heaped praise on Engram. "Words can't explain, really, what he's done for me and means to me, on the field and off the field," Street said. "That guy, he's going to be with me for the rest of my life, hopefully. He's a guy I would invite to my wedding. "Hopefully, I get to experience that, but he's just meant so much and taught me so much about life. How to approach the game. I think we crossed paths for a reason. We developed a bond because of where I was in my career, but he's like that with everyone. Our interests and our faith have helped bond us, too." Engram never showed the two any of his receiving highlights, but they took the initiative and Googled their coach to check him out. "He's a person who always has tried to make me do the right things, as far as running my routes and catching the ball," Boyd said. "I have to say that he feels like blood to me. "I'm real comfortable being around him, ever since he started recruiting me. And our relationship has grown stronger since that time. I can't say enough good stuff about him. We watch tape of him as a receiver, his technique and things like that, I to learn from it."

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