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Up Close & Personal: TE Pat Freiermuth

Freiermuth was named MVP of the Independent School League in 2017.
Freiermuth was named MVP of the Independent School League in 2017. (Brooks School Athletics)

Penn State has had plenty of success in New England over the years, but James Franklin and his assistants haven’t landed a player with the type of expectations that tight end Pat Freiermuth brings.

You also won’t find many recruitments that are as quick and drama-free as Freiermuth’s. In July 2016, the Rivals250 prospect burst onto the scene following an excellent workout at the staff’s White-out camp. Ricky Rahne, Penn State’s tight ends coach at the time and now its offensive coordinator, didn’t have to do much convincing to persuade Franklin to offer a scholarship. The head coach extended that offer within a matter of days.

Freiermuth had no intention of making a commitment then and there, but it didn’t take long for that time to arrive. The Merrimac, Mass., native returned to campus about a month later to watch fall practice. By the time he let that mid-August evening, Freiermuth was officially a Nittany Lion.

“From that first experience at camp, I basically knew that Penn State was the place for me,” Freiermuth said. “Working out with the staff was a really important experience for me. I meshed with all of them basically right away. I already knew that the school had everything else to offer, so once I got a feel for their staff, they were instantly the favorite for me.”

Like all good recruiters, Franklin and Rahne were up front right from the start, making it clear that Freiermuth would likely be one of two tight ends that the Lions signed. During camp, the 6-foot- 5, 250-pound prospect proved that he was a complete tight end, excelling not only as a receiver but also as a blocker. That made him and fellow four-star prospect Zack Kuntz an excellent combination, as the Camp Hill, Pa., native is known best for his receiving skills.

After Kuntz committed in November, he and Freiermuth became close friends, and that bond grew stronger in the months that followed.

“Throughout the process, Penn State was always honest about taking two tight ends in my class,” Freiermuth said. “That never really impacted me. I was totally OK with that because I’m never one to back away from competition. That’s what sports are all about – competition.

“Fortunately, Zack ended up being the one who joined the class, which I love. He’s a great guy. We’ve become really close friends over the past year and he’s an excellent player. I think we could be a great one-two punch down the road. We both bring something different to the position.”

Freiermuth’s commitment remained firm throughout, but that didn’t stop coaches from across the country from making a push. Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan were the most persistent in the final months of his recruitment, but Alabama also made an attempt to earn a visit last summer.

“I was never going to change my decision, but there were a few schools reaching out to my coach,”he said. “Michigan reached out the most, but Ohio State did a little bit, too. Michigan actually came to visit me at my school at one point. My coach said that if I wanted to come talk to them, I could, but I didn’t end up doing it. That’s when they knew to give up. It was the same with Ohio State. Honestly, the guy recruiting me from [Ohio State] didn’t talk very highly of Penn State, which always annoyed me. Don’t talk bad about my school. That’s never going to get me to listen to you.”

Freieremuth went on to add, “I also had a funny experience with Alabama. During the Lasch Bash this summer, I got a message from one of the coaches from Alabama asking if I was interested in potentially setting up an official visit with them. I told Coach Rahne and Coach Franklin about it, so we took a selfie of the three of us and sent it back to the Alabama coach. He never responded. That was a fun experience with the coaches.”

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Freiermuth totaled more than 800 yards of total offense last season, scoring 15 touchdowns.
Freiermuth totaled more than 800 yards of total offense last season, scoring 15 touchdowns. (Brooks School Athletics)

Now that the recruiting process is behind him, Freiermuth is enjoying his final few months at home before enrolling at Penn State this summer. After playing basketball throughout high school, he decided to sit out his final season in order to train. However, that doesn’t mean he’s not part of the team, as Freiermuth decided to become a manager this year.

“It’s been different,” he said. “There are a lot of times that I wish I was out on the court, but I know I made the right decision to train and not risk injury. I just enjoy being around my friends and being around the team still. I want to do whatever I can to help them still have a good season.”

That’s been one of Freiermuth’s hallmarks – a willingness to do whatever he can to help the team. This past season, he racked up 613 yards receiving and seven touchdowns, as well as another 202 yards rushing and eight scores on the ground. Those contributions earned Freiermuth Most Valuable Player honors in the Independent School League.

But Brooks School head coach Pat Foley said Freiermuth’s contribution in the locker room was arguably as important as the yardage he accumulated in 2017. Foley said he expects that to continue when Freiermuth gets to Happy Valley.

“I think everyone at our school has been really impressed with the way he’s handled this entire process,” Foley said. “Throughout everything, he’s never gotten a big head. If anything, he just became an even better leader. He’s always let his play do the talking, but I really noticed him going out of his way to help teammates more this past season, especially some of the younger players.

“Pat really is the complete package when it comes to leadership. He’s going to walk the walk on the field, but on top of that, he knows how to talk to his teammates and get the best out of them. I can only see him being an asset in that manner at Penn State. It’s just who he is.”

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