From a statistical standpoint, Pat Freiermuth had a quiet first game of the 2019 season. Freiermuth made just one grab for 25 yards in Penn State’s week 1 blowout of Idaho. He played a much more significant role in the passing game in the Nittany Lions’ 45-13 victory over Buffalo on Saturday night.

The sophomore tight end from Merrimac, Massachusetts has earned some comparisons to former New England Patriot Rob Gronkowski because of his stature, jersey number, and Massachusetts roots. He played a lot like the man they call “Gronk” on Saturday night by posting eight catches for 99 yards and two touchdowns.

“[Freiermuth] played really well, and I thought he played really well in game one,” head coach James Franklin said postgame. “For us, I think it’s very important offensively that we get KJ Hamler and Pat Freiermuth the ball. Those guys need to touch the ball as much as they possibly can.”

The sophomore’s first score of the evening was as routine of a touchdown as he’ll ever score. Freiermuth was wide open down the middle of the field after quarterback Sean Clifford executed some play-action perfectly, and he waltzed into the end zone untouched for a score that put Penn State up by two possessions.

Presenting the easiest touchdown of Pat Freiermuth's football career: pic.twitter.com/sxxeWUHxne

— Onward State (@OnwardState) September 8, 2019

His second touchdown of the game, however, was a thing of beauty. Clifford made the best possible read on a run-pass option utilized on 4th and 2, but his pass to Freiermuth was a bit off the mark. The tight end with safe hands used just one to snatch the ball, and he used some strong blocking from Jahan Dotson and KJ Hamler to find the end zone from 28 yards out and put six more points on the board for Penn State.

“It was a hard catch because you’re looking at the quarterback and you have to turn all the way over,” Freiermuth said. “You don’t really know where the defense is there, either. Credit to KJ and Jahan — that touchdown literally doesn’t happen without them.”

After leading the Nittany Lions and finishing second in the Big Ten with eight touchdown catches last season, Freiermuth entered the 2019 season with much more confidence. The tight end trusts the work that offensive coordinator Ricky Rahne and tight ends coach Tyler Bowen do, but he asked them to get him the ball more in the second half. They obliged, and as they say, the rest is history.

Part of Freiermuth’s increased role on the Nittany Lions’ offense includes a new title: captain. Although he’s just a sophomore, Freiermuth is one of the team’s eight captains this season alongside fellow underclassmen Sean Clifford and Jonathan Sutherland.

He might’ve sat back and watched some of his teammates take on the leadership responsibilities last year, but that won’t fly now that he’s earned the distinction of “captain.”

“I was actually thinking about that on the sideline,” Freiermuth said. “I have to be that vocal guy now and get everybody going — defense, offense, and special teams. I have to be a positive person and just tell everyone to keep going. Last year, I would just be sitting on the sideline looking at Trace, and he’d be doing that.”

Freiermuth and his teammates will square off against Pitt at noon Saturday back at Beaver Stadium. The meeting will be the 100th between the two teams and the final one in their current four-game series.