Fitzerald’s play in first year nothing short of tremendous

The Panthers have a first-and-goal on the 5-yard line. What play should they call? Maybe a run… The Panthers have a first-and-goal on the 5-yard line. What play should they call? Maybe a run up the middle. Maybe a quarterback sneak. No – the obvious play to call is a fade to Larry Fitzgerald in the corner of the end zone.

As a true freshman in the 2002 season, Fitzgerald dazzled Pitt fans with his leaping ability and his ability to catch any pass that comes his way. Because of his achievements, he has been named by The Pitt News sports staff as the Freshman Male Athlete of the Fall.

Fitzgerald led the team in three different offensive categories this season. He led the team with 11 touchdowns, 64 catches and 917 yards receiving.

Fitzgerald didn’t start in the opening game against Ohio and had only one catch for 11 yards. It was against Texas A’M that Fitzgerald first burst onto the scene in Heinz Field as a premiere receiver for the Panthers. In that game Fitzgerald had a team high 10 catches for 103 yards.

It wasn’t until the fifth game of the season until Fitzgerald found the end zone for his first collegiate touchdown. Against Toledo that day, Fitzgerald reached the end zone twice on passes of five and 26 yards from Rod Rutherford. Fitzgerald would go on to score 11 touchdowns in just eight games.

Against Syracuse, Fitzgerald made a remarkable 27-yard fade route touchdown in the right corner of the Syracuse end zone. From that game forward, Rutherford used Fitzgerald as the go to guy in the end zone.

In Pitt’s big upset against Virginia Tech Nov. 2, Fitzgerald led the way with three touchdown catches, two of which coming on a fade route where Rutherford would just throw the ball in the air and let Fitzgerald jump over the defenders for the touchdown. In the game, Fitzgerald had a total of five catches for 105 yards to go along with his three touchdowns.

Two weeks later in Miami, Fitzgerald added another 5-yard fade route touchdown.