Maurice Ffrench is trying to kill time like the rest of us. Except instead of playing Fortnite or Call of Duty for an inordinate amount of time, Pitt’s single-season receptions leader is lifting trash bags filled with books and running stairs, doing what he can to get himself ready for the NFL ... within the confines of an unofficial national quarantine.
Ffrench is back in Pittsburgh. He left town on Jan. 2, a week after the Panthers’ 2019 regular season wrapped up, to train at the Michael Johnson Performance facility in McKinney, Texas. There, he prepared for the Hula Bowl, a senior showcase game on Jan. 27 in Honolulu, and, perhaps more importantly, his pro day.
A pro day that probably isn’t happening.
As previously scheduled, Ffrench returned to his old house in Oakland last Saturday ahead of Pitt’s pro day, which was supposed to take place Wednesday at the Panthers’ indoor facility on the South Side. But Ffrench received word from Pitt that the event wouldn’t go on due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Pitt spokesperson told the Post-Gazette that, after the NFL issued a directive to halt in-person scouting on Friday afternoon, the pro day was “indefinitely postponed.” But realistically, with the 2020 NFL draft moving ahead with its April 23 start, it’s highly unlikely that Ffrench — who did not receive an invite to the NFL combine in February — will get a chance to show off his speed in front of scouts, coaches and executives.
“I was waiting. I felt like it was a day where I was going to shine and do what I have to do,” Ffrench told the Post-Gazette over the phone. “I talked to 10 or 15 teams, and they were saying the same thing: ‘We’re excited to see you at pro day. We have you on our radar.’ Pro day was going to be huge for me.”
Ffrench, who caught 96 passes for 850 yards last season, was told by those same scouts not to stress over missing out on pro day. The possible Day 3 pick’s tape is good enough for the teams interested to stay interested, he said.
“But everybody wants to have their pro day to show your talent and your skills. It was kinda disappointing,” Ffrench added. “But you’ve got to prepare for the worst, especially when I started hearing about the virus and the cancellation of things. It was always on my mind. But I just kept working.”
And Ffrench is still working — while practicing social distancing.
Right now, he’s got a three-story place to himself. Roommates and former teammates AJ Davis, Damarri Mathis and Keyshon Camp are at home in Florida. With Pitt on spring break until March 23 and then instituting “distance learning” for the remainder of the semester, that’s where they’ll stay for the foreseeable future. “I know they’re upset all the beaches are closed,” Ffrench said with a laugh.
Meanwhile, the wideout is content with his setup and burgeoning routine.
Over the weekend, Ffrench picked up dumbbells and exercise bands, fearing that stores would start closing because of the coronavirus. Michael Johnson Performance sent him workout suggestions, such as running stairs and stretching to keep his body maintained. When he cooks — steak and rice with broccoli and cheese is his go-to — the New Jersey native does ab work or curls in between.
If the dumbbells aren’t heavy enough for curls, Ffrench is stacking books in trash bags and using those — an idea he got, fittingly, from “Stack,” Pitt’s new strength and conditioning coach, Mike Stacchiotti.
“When I heard that, I was like, ‘Yup, I like him,’” Ffrench said. “He found a way. And when things go bad, you’ve got to find your way.”
In addition to in-home work and footwork drills outside — 40-yard dash, shuttle, you name it — Ffrench is watching tape, too. He’s tuning in to workout videos to pick up new ways to lift and train. He’s checking Tyreek Hill’s YouTube page to glean whatever he can from the Kansas City Chiefs’ speed demon receiver. Ffrench also caught Larry Fitzgerald’s never-before-seen spring practice highlights that Pat Narduzzi tweeted out on Monday.
Here are some Never Before Seen @LarryFitzgerald Spring Practice Highlights to get you through the day! 🐐 pic.twitter.com/7GokawyCmt
— Pat Narduzzi (@CoachDuzzPittFB) March 16, 2020
Ffrench marveled at how Fitzgerald made everything look “way too easy.” The one-minute video also served as another pinch-me kind of moment, a reminder for Ffrench that he broke a Fitzgerald record as a career curtain call.
Ffrench, who missed Pitt’s November games against North Carolina and Virginia Tech with a jaw injury, returned for the Panthers’ final two contests, at home against Boston College and in the Quick Lane Bowl. On Dec. 26 at Ford Field, Ffrench caught 12 passes for 165 yards, including a 96-yard score that marked Pitt’s longest pass play in program history. He also passed Fitzgerald’s single-season receptions mark of 92, which the Biletnikoff Award winner set in 2003.
Ffrench knows his 2019 yardage total doesn’t compare to Fitzgerald’s 1,672 in 2003. His four touchdowns don’t sniff Fitz’s NCAA-leading 22, either. But passing Fitzgerald is something no one can take away from Ffrench. And it’s something he’s surely reminding scouts and coaches of as the NFL draft approaches.
“Breaking that record, those are things you live for and dream about. I never thought in my years that I’d break a Larry Fitzgerald record,” Ffrench said. “That’s something I’ll always keep close to my heart, something I’ll never forget.”
John McGonigal: jmcgonigal@post-gazette.com and Twitter @jmcgonigal9
First Published: March 18, 2020, 4:34 p.m.