Freshman-15: Week 6 (2024)
A weekly spotlight on 15 freshmen across the country who had standout performances. All stats are courtesy of PFF Premium Stats. (2024 season)
San Diego State QB Danny O’Neil (5) throws the ball downfield in the Aztecs’ game against Texas A&M Commerce. Photo by Meg McLaughlin/The San Diego Union-Tribune
Danny O’Neil
Snaps:
QB - 71
Stats:
Passing - 24/33, 72.7%, 224 yards, 6.8 YPA, 1 TD, 0 INTs
Rushing - 2 carries, 4 yards, 2.0 YPA, 0 TDs, 0 fumbles
San Diego State faced a gritty Hawaii squad who fought back to take a fourth quarter lead against the Aztecs. While RB Marquez Cooper punched in the winning touchdown, O'Neil was the conductor of the 87-yard drive that ultimately won San Diego State the game.
It was yet another solid outing from the true freshman, who opened the Aztecs' Mountain West slate with a win. O'Neil has not thrown an interception yet this season, and he has proved to be clutch in important situations, like his 48-yard pass to set up the final touchdown against Hawaii.
O'Neil will be tested even more as the season goes on, with teams such as Washington State and Boise State coming up on the schedule.
Eli Holstein
QB - 79
Stats:
Passing - 25/42, 59.5%, 381 yards, 9.1 YPA, 3 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing - 12 carries, 73 yards, 6.1 YPA, 1 TD, 1 fumble
Another game, another win for the Pittsburgh Panthers. Holstein had another big performance against North Carolina, Pitt's first conference foe of the season. Pitt has also found themselves ranked in the AP poll as they head into a sneaky good game against Cal.
Holstein has been one of my favorite quarterbacks to watch as of late. His timing and touch downfield are things of beauty and he has good mobility for his size, and he is not afraid to show it. The redshirt freshman is yet to throw fewer than three touchdowns in a game this season and has only tossed for less than 300 yards once and was pulled from that one game early.
Holstein has a chance to lead Pitt to their first 6-0 start since 1982, when some random guy named Dan Marino was the starting quarterback for the Panthers.
Jeremiah Smith
Snaps:
Slot - 13
Wide Out - 44
Stats:
Receiving - 6 targets, 5 catches, 83 yards, 16.6 YPC, 1 TD
Rushing - 1 carry, 14 yards, 14 YPA, 0 TDs, 1 fumble
Last week I wrote about Smith's one-handed snag against Michigan State. Well, here I am once again writing about a one-handed touchdown catch. Smith's catch this week was more impressive than last week’s, however.
Smith had an Iowa defender holding him and Smith extended an arm, snagging the ball out of the air in the corner of the endzone. Smith is continuing to impress and is making a case for being one of the top receivers in the country, regardless of class.
Smith will likely find Oregon CB Jabbar Muhammad across from him on multiple occasions this Saturday in the top 3 matchup. A big game in Eugene could put the country on notice that Jeremiah Smith is that good.
Ryan Williams
Snaps:
Slot - 6
Wide Out - 36
RB - 1
Stats:
Receiving - 7 targets, 3 catches, 82 yards, 27.3 YPC, 1 TD
Rushing - 1 carry, 2 yards, 1 TD
Despite the massive upset in Nashville, Williams still shined in the loss. A brace of touchdowns extends the 17-year-old's streak of games with a score, and goes to show how important the talented freshman is to Kalen DeBoer’s scheme.
It was not all sunshine and rainbows for Williams though, as he dropped his first two passes of his young career against the Commodores. His impact on the field is clear as day and is already amongst the nation's leaders in receiving stats even as a freshman.
Williams and the Crimson Tide will have an opportunity to bounce back at home this week against a solid South Carolina side.
Landen Thomas
Snaps:
Inline TE - 26
Slot - 11
Stats:
Receiving - 8 targets, 7 catches, 80 yards, 11.4 YPC, 0 TDs
The one-time Georgia commit wrapped up a crazy recruitment process by signing with the Seminoles and has already made an instant impact. A week ago Thomas scored his first collegiate touchdown against SMU, and against Clemson in Week 6 he had his first big performance worthy of a spot on the Freshman-15.
Thomas was very reliable against the Tigers, as he was QB Brock Glenn's favorite target and led the team in receiving. While he wasn't able to find the endzone for the second week in a row, it shouldn't be long before he finds his way back there with Glenn as the starting quarterback.
Florida State has a rough four game stretch coming up with their next four opponents have a combined five losses. Thomas will be relied on more in the passing game as he has earned more reps and targets in recent weeks.
Texas A&M wide receiver Terry Bussey (2) gets up after being tackled during Texas A&M’s game against Missouri. Photo by Kelii Horvath
Terry Bussey
Snaps:
Slot - 4
Wide Out - 15
RB - 3
Kick/Punt Return - 8
Stats:
Receiving - 4 targets, 3 catches, 76 yards, 25.3 YPC, 0 TDs
It was only a matter of time before the former five star found his way onto a Freshman-15 list. While Bussey didn't find the endzone, he had a big performance as a receiver and led the Aggies in receiving yards in their 41-10 trouncing of Missouri.
Bussey's biggest moment of the game came not on a catch, not on a run, and not on a kick return. It came when QB Conner Wiegman targeted Bussey but the throw fell into the hands of a Tiger defensive back. Bussey, recruited as a slot corner, showed off why he projected as a defensive back and broke up the would-be-interception. Bussey hauled in every other target that went his way.
As Bussey continues to get acclimated to playing on offense and make the adjustment from Texas's 2A classification of high school football to playing in the SEC, he will continue to improve and put in better performances. The best for Bussey is yet to come.
Isaac Brown
Snaps:
RB - 32
Slot - 6
Wide Out - 2
Kick Return - 7
Stats:
Rushing - 10 carries, 117 yards, 11.7 YPA, 0 TDs
Receiving - 6 targets, 5 catches, 44 yards, 8.8 YPC, 0 TDs
Louisville seems to churn out quality running backs on a consistent basis, and Brown is the next to establish himself in that group. While SMU defeated the Cardinals, much was asked of Brown, especially in the third quarter when Louisville put up 14 points.
Brown showed good vision to read and follow his blocks, maximizing his reps. He popped off big runs in the ground game, but also got the ball in open space in the passing game as well. Brown's knack for big plays has not been limited to just this past week, as he averages 9.3 YPA this season. Brown leads the team in rushing and has the second most receptions on the team.
Brown's high usage is sure to continue as the season goes on, with multiple big games on the docket for Louisville as a part of their conference schedule. Brown is slowly starting to emerge as one of the top freshmen in the nation, regardless of position.
Ahmad Hardy
Snaps:
RB - 32
QB - 1
Stats:
Rushing - 14 carries, 82 yards, 5.9 YPA, 1 TD
After losing their head coach and numerous all-conference players, James Madison started off the 2024 campaign undefeated. Then they face Hardy and the ULM Warhawks. Hardy's big day helped elevate the Warhawks to victory past the Dukes as he opened ULM's scoring on a 38-yard run.
Hardy has been producing consistently for the Warhawks and has emerged as the workhorse-back among a group of newcomers in the backfield. A statement win in a surprise season for ULM over James Madison is a signature moment in Hardy's young career.
Jamauri McClure
Snaps:
RB - 12
Stats:
Rushing - 10 carries, 84 yards, 8.4 YPA, 1 TD, 0 fumbles
Receiving - 1 target, 1 catch, 24 yards, 0 TDs
In recent years, Tulane has had excellent running back play, and this year Makhi Hughes has stepped up and continued that trend. But this past week, with Tulane beating UAB to the tune of 71-20, backup Jamauri McClure found his way onto the field and seized the opportunities given to him.
McClure touched the ball on 10 of his 12 snaps and found the endzone to go with 84 yards. The touchdown run came from 29 yards out, and McClure showed excellent contact balance on his way to the endzone. It was an all-around beating by Tulane, but McClure showed that the future is bright in New Orleans.
Koi Perich
Snaps:
SS - 23
FS - 25
Special teams - 9
Stats:
Defense - 6 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 target, 0 catches allowed, 1 INT
A kid from Minnesota showed up to the 2024 All-American Bowl along with other top recruits in the 2024 class. When the all-star game rolled around after a week of practices, Perich balled out, blocking kicks, nabbing interceptions, and making tackles. It was good enough to earn Perich MVP honors. Following the game, Perich's rating skyrocketed among recruiting services, and the Minnesota signee garnered national attention for his performance.
Perich's time came against ranked USC, who came into Minneapolis ranked 11th in the country. Perich added to the legend of his name not only by forcing a fumble, but by grabbing the game-sealing interception in the endzone.
Perich's story of being a hometown hero, the guy who chose the local school, is a refreshing occurrence that is becoming less and less frequent. It is even being used as a recruiting pitch by Golden Gophers head coach PJ Fleck. Perich's performance against the Trojans could be the first of many epic games in the career of the Golden Gophers' golden boy.
Dylan Stewart
Snaps:
EDGE - 41
Stats:
Defense - 3 pressures, 1 sack, 2 hurries, 4 tackles
After a monster debut, Stewart was held without a sack until Week 6 against Ole Miss, where Stewart finally hit home. Stewart also went viral online for his celebration after taking down Rebels QB Jaxson Dart, which Dart replied to on X (twitter).
Stewart has a tough matchup ahead of him this week as the Gamecocks travel to Tuscaloosa to take on the Crimson Tide. South Carolina will need Stewart to wreak havoc on Jalen Milroe if they want a chance at downing Bama.
Javion White
Snaps:
EDGE - 8
Slot - 18
Stats:
Defense - 1 pressure, 1 hurry, 2 tackles, 5 targets, 2 catches allowed, 15 yards allowed, 1 INT, 2 PBUs
Another freshman Green Wave who saw increased snaps due to blowing out UAB, White made his impact felt in multiple ways. White got it done as a pass rusher and in coverage, flashing versatility that if developed properly, could make him one of the best defensive players in the AAC in future years.
White generated one pressure on only two pass rushing snaps. That efficiency, while on a very small sample size, is quite impressive. But White's coverage ability was the focal point of his performance on Saturday. In 19 coverage snaps, White got himself an interception and also broke up two passes.
White's performance will certainly earn him more playing time in the future, and the emphatic win over UAB sent a message to the other Group of 5 teams that Tulane are among the best, and they have an emerging star in Javion White.
Jaylen Raynor
Snaps:
QB - 72
Stats:
Passing - 31/40, 77.5%, 344 yards, 8.6 YPA, 1 TD, 0 INT
Rushing - 6 carries, 5 yards, 0.8 YPA, 0 TDs
After South Alabama's recent results, and the form QB Gio Lopez and RB Fluff Bothwell were in, it seemed like Arkansas State didn't have much of a chance. But Raynor put the team on his back and tossed for nearly 350 yards.
Saturday was Raynor's second 300-yard performance of the year, and with the Red Wolves only rushing for 66 yards against the Jaguars, Raynor's performance was what earned the team a win. It has been an up and down year for the redshirt freshman, but a turnover-free game and big passing numbers were a good sign for Raynor as Arkansas State earned a win in their first Sun Belt game of the year.
Sam Leavitt
Snaps:
QB - 72
Stats:
Passing - 14/24, 58.3%, 157 yards, 6.5 YPA, 4 TDs, 1 INT
Rushing - 10 carries, 77 yards, 7.7 YPA, 0 TDs
Arizona State has been a surprise team this season - and they play tonight against a ranked Utah team who is also 4-1 this season. Leavitt has played a large role in the Sun Devils' success, along with RB Cam Skattebo. For those who didn't know who Leavitt was before last week's beat down of Kansas, now you do.
Leavitt had a field day against the Jayhawks, tossing four touchdowns and rushing for over 75 yards. The dual-threat ability of the redshirt freshman is something that opposing defenses will have to find ways to counter because it has proven time and again to be difficult to stop.
After playing musical chairs at the QB position last year, the Sun Devils are glad they found their guy in Leavitt, who has already led the team to more wins than I thought they would achieve all season long.
Trech Kekahuna
Snaps:
Slot - 35
Stats:
Receiving - 9 targets, 6 catches, 134 yards, 22.3 YPC, 2 TDs
The Honolulu, HI native played his high school ball at national powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas, NV but took his talents to Madison, WI at the collegiate level. Quite the list of destinations. But the redshirt freshman's talent that has gone under the radar was on full display against Purdue in Week 6.
Kekahuna worked solely from the slot against the rival Boilermakers and feasted to the tune of 134 yards and a pair of scores. Kekahuna did not have a single drop in Week 6 and led the Badgers in receiving yards in a massive 52-6 win. His 134 yards are by far the most the young wide out has logged in a game in his career, and with 14 targets in his last 2 games, Kekahuna could be in line for a bigger role moving forward.
