Freshman Male Athlete of the Year: Fitzgerald

Acrobatic, graceful, sure-handed and explosive are words commonly used to describe the… Acrobatic, graceful, sure-handed and explosive are words commonly used to describe the play of freshman football phenom Larry Fitzgerald.

In only his first year as a Panther, Fitzgerald did more than make a name for himself. He turned heads with his circus catches and led the team in touchdowns while establishing himself as the most prolific freshman wideout in Pitt history.

For these reasons, The Pitt News sports staff unanimously named Fitzgerald Male Freshman Athlete of the Year.

With 69 receptions and 12 touchdowns, Fitzgerald was tops in the Big East Conference while finishing second in receiving yards. The 1,005 receiving yards this season give him the fourth best season in Pitt history, while his reception total ranks third best all-time at Pitt.

Fitzgerald’s calling card was the fade route to the back corner of the end zone. On a national stage in a front of a hostile crowd, Fitzgerald hauled in three touchdowns to stun Virginia Tech fans, as one of the top defenses in the nation was defenseless against the agile receiver.

From his ballboy days on the sidelines of the Minnesota Vikings, Fitzgerald saw first hand how to become a standout receiver in football. Watching Cris Carter and Randy Moss play day in and day out had to have helped in his football schooling.

The college football world has noticed Fitzgerald and his acclaims rolled in at the season’s end, garnering such awards as Big East Rookie of the Year, unanimous selection to the All-Big East First Team and numerous freshman All-American teams.

Coincidentally, Fitzgerald is the first freshman to ever be named to the All-Big East first team unanimously as well as the first receiver in Big East history to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving as a freshman.

But to Fitzgerald, football is a game. He plays it with class, determination and heart. Evidence of Fitzgerald’s maturity as a player can be found all over. Whether he’s blocking to spring a running back for a big run or he’s leaping over defenders for a touchdown grab, he’s always focused on getting the job done.

Now a sophomore, Fitzgerald will no longer surprise any defensive coordinator with his abilities. However, despite the fact that many defenses know his abilities, they have yet to find a way to stop him. The only question now is can Fitzgerald follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Antonio Bryant, who, also as a sophomore, won the prestigious Biletnikoff Award for college football’s most outstanding wide receiver.

If last season was any indication of what Fitzgerald is capable of, the measuring stick for wide receivers at Pitt as well as within the Big East Conference could fall on his shoulders.