LATROBE, Pa. — Zach Frazier is not in a big hurry at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp.
Whether it’s breaking into the starting lineup or playing his first game as a professional, Frazier, the team’s second-round pick, is just taking things one day at a time.
“Every day I get out here I get more and more comfortable, more and more in command,” Frazier said after practice on Tuesday. “I feel better every day I’m out here so it’s just about getting reps for me.”
Pittsburgh is in week two of its training camp at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. Players stay in the dorms at SVC, almost giving the same feeling as a college camp. The main difference is there’s nothing to think about except football. No classes to prepare for, no social life to manage, just football.
“It’s definitely a different experience,” Frazier said. “In college, we never went anywhere for camp, but I’ve actually enjoyed it. It’s pretty cool, when you’re here it’s just football. That’s all you have to think about, you don’t have anything else to worry about. I really like that part of it.”
And while Frazier is enjoying practicing with the Steelers, his former coaches are missing having him in Morgantown.
“The bottom line is he’s a great player and he changed our program,” WVU head coach Neal Brown said after practice Wednesday. “I miss him at practice just because I never thought one time in four years if Zach Frazier was ready to go. I would have to create ways to get on him. I miss him just because he loved to practice and he loved to compete.”
“Frazier set a standard,” WVU offensive line coach Matt Moore added. “He was the guy I pointed at for four years to be like him. Work like him, study like him, practice like him, play like him.”
Frazier, who has been projected as the Steelers’ starting center, hasn’t worked much with the first-team offense just yet. He worked exclusively with the second team on Tuesday, but the man from Fairmont isn’t worrying about who’s playing where just yet.
“I just try to do my job,” Frazier said. “If I just do my job and play as hard as I can, everything else will take care of itself.”
If Frazier doesn’t end up in the Steelers’ starting lineup, it’ll be the first time in a long time he finds himself on the bench. A day-one starter with the Mountaineers, Frazier started all but two games in his college career and just one where he was healthy.
“Those opportunities are coming, not only for him but for everyone,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said during a press conference Wednesday. “Zach’s done a nice job and I’m sure some (first-team) opportunities are coming his way.”
The Steelers play their first of three preseason games on Friday when they host the Houston Texans at Acrisure Stadium at 7 p.m.
“That’s everything you dream about,” Frazier said. “I just can’t wait for that dream to become reality and I can’t wait to hit someone different.
“I just can’t wait to put on the uniform and go out there to play.”
