Emotional maturity has Pat Freiermuth primed for big junior season
When Penn State tight ends coach Tyler Bowen explains what makes Pat Freiermuth the player that he is, he doesn't start with the size, the athleticism or any other physical attribute.
As far as Bowen is concerned, Freiermuth's success starts with his brain.
"I think the number one thing that always sticks out to me about Pat before any of his other attributes is just his emotional maturity," Bowen said Wednesday. "His ability to just take the game one play at a time and kind of live in the moment."
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Freiermuth's mentality has formed an effective platform for excellence.
In just two seasons in blue and white, Freiermuth has moved into the top-10 at Penn State in career touchdown receptions with 15, also tying him for the most touchdown receptions by a tight end with Mike Gesicki.
"In my opinion, it really comes down to his emotional maturity," Bowen said, "just how he handles big situations, how he thrives in the biggest moments of games. He knows that none of that can happen without all of the things that lead up to it. He's one of the few guys and the rare guys that love all of the offseason as much as he does the game because he understands that those things are going to prepare him to go play in a game well."
Now moving into his junior season after a whirlwind offseason that — in addition to the whiplash created by the coronavirus pandemic — gave rise to serious speculation over whether or not Freiermuth would stick around, the Massachusetts native has leaned on his emotional maturity for more than just on-the-field success.
"I considered going, obviously," Freiermuth said last week. "There were days where I was like I'm leaving, and there were days where I was like I can't leave just yet, I've got to wait it out. Obviously there was communication between the coaches and me and my parents and everyone that was involved in my support system, just weighing out the pros and cons and everything."
Eventually the positives outweighed the negatives, and Freiermuth is back for a third year — one that could see him challenge for the John Mackey Award, handed out to the best tight end in the nation every season.
Before the season, some handicapped the race for that accolade as a two-horse affair between Freiermuth and Florida's Kyle Pitts.
While Freiermuth has been forced to the sidelines, waiting for the Big Ten's October 24 start date, Pitts has been racking up numbers.
In two games against South Carolina and Ole Miss, Pitts has already racked up 227 receiving yards and six touchdowns.
True to the maturity that makes him special, though, Freiermuth won't allow himself to get caught up in a distraction.
"Me and Kyle have a great relationship," Freiermuth said. "I'm not going to put anything down on him as a player. He's a great player. He's a phenomenal player. But I think I'm just going to let my game do the talking."
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