Addison looking at home as Pitt's top playmaker
Jordan Addison was expected to be a factor as a true freshman this season. The Maryland native has taken that a step further two games into his career, as he appears to be the top offensive weapon on the Pitt team.
Addison collected seven catches on Saturday for 57 yards. He scored his first career touchdown. He also picked up a crucial third down to set up another score and once again showed his versatility with a 15-yard run on a jet sweep.
“I’m just trying to do everything to help my team better,” Addison said following Pitt’s 21-10 win over Syracuse. “When they call my number, I just try to make sure I’m there for them.”
The Pitt coaches are calling Addison’s number early and often through two games. He has a team-high 14 catches in his first two games of his college career. Addison has carried the ball four times for 39 yards on the season, while also serving as the primary return man on special teams.
There was a lot of build up to Jordan Addison’s freshman season. He was talked about all offseason, and Pickett sees a lot of maturity in him and said he carries himself more like a junior of sophomore than a true freshman.
“It’s not like he’s a true freshman the way he goes about his business,” Pickett said of Addison. “That’s probably the most impressive part that I’ve seen about him. I just really love playing with him.”
Pickett hooked up with Addison on a perfectly executed touchdown pass in the first quarter. Addison slipped by the defenders and the Pitt quarterback found him in the back of the end zone for a 27-yard scoring strike to give Pitt a 7-3 lead.
“We’ve been working on that play all week and Kenny made a great throw, so I’m just happy it all worked out that way,” Addison recounted of his first college touchdown.
Later in the first half, Pitt found itself trailing 10-7. The Panthers were facing a third-and-ten inside the red zone. Pickett was able to escape some pressure and had Addison sitting in the flat five yards short of the first down marker, but the freshman caught the ball and accelerated up field to pick up the first down, which ultimately led to a Pickett touchdown run.
Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi noted that they fully trust the freshman in a crucial spot like that.
“It's a great play,” he said of the third down conversion. “It's an effort play, he's a guy that we trust, we handed him off the ball a few times as well. He made some plays today and he doesn't play like a freshman.”
Addison has emerged as perhaps the go-to-guy for the Pitt offense almost immediately. He credits coming in early as an early enrollee as a big factor in that.
“I feel like all of that paid off,” Addison explained. “Me coming in early to learn the playbook and get a connection with Kenny Pickett, so I feel like all that is great and I’m starting to get more comfortable. It’s my second game now, so I’m starting to feel like home now.”