Freshman-15: Weeks 8-9 (2024)
A weekly spotlight on 15 freshmen across the country who had standout performances. All stats are courtesy of PFF Premium Stats. (2024 season)
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) warms up before a game. (Kelii Horvath/The Battalion)
Marcel Reed
QB - Texas A&M
Big Moment: Week 9
Snaps:
QB - 25
Stats:
Passing - 2/2, 100%, 70 yards, 35.0 YPA, 0 TDs
Rushing - 12 carries, 59 yards, 4.9 YPA, 3 TDs
It was a defining moment in the career of the redshirt freshman's career, as Reed stepped into the starting role in place of QB Conner Weigman and led the Aggies to a signature win against LSU. The offense was stagnant with Weigman in the lineup and at halftime the decision was made to give Reed a shot.
When Reed was injected into the lineup, so was explosiveness. Reed's dynamic ability as a runner opened up running lanes not only for himself but also running backs Le'Veon Moss and Amari Daniels. The dominant run game then created opportunities to throw the ball downfield, and Reed took advantage of what the defense gave him, completing both of his passes, including a picture perfect deep throw to WR Noah Thomas.
Reed was the conductor of the comeback against LSU to keep Texas A&M atop the SEC standings, and with 3 touchdowns to go with it, there aren't many other players more deserving of a spot on the Freshman-15 than Reed.
Jadan Baugh
RB - Florida
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
RB - 35
Slot - 1
Wide Out - 1
Kick Return - 4
Stats:
Rushing - 22 carries, 106 yards, 4.8 YPA, 5 TDs
Rarely do you see a back punch the ball into the endzone four times in a game. Even less often do you see a back score five times in a single game. But that is what Jadan Baugh did against Kentucky, tying Florida's single-game rushing touchdown record. Trey Burton and Tim Tebow are the others who share the record with the freshman back.
With the departure of Trevor Ettienne to rival Georgia, it seemed during the offseason that RB Montrell Johnson would see the bulk of the workload in 2024. After Baugh's big day, it would seem that those snaps are up in the air. Florida could opt to roll with the true freshman duo of Baugh and QB DJ Lagway, another Freshman-15 member, and if they did, it would help set themselves up for a bright future, regardless of who the head coach is in 2025.
CJ Bailey
QB - North Carolina State
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
QB - 68
Wide Out - 1
Stats:
Passing - 25/36, 69.4%, 306 yards, 8.5 YPA, 2 TDs, 0 INTS
Rushing - 10 carries, 25 yards, 2.5 YPA, 0 fumbles
Receiving - 1 target, 1 catch, -6 yards
Bailey has had some solid outings as of late, but turnovers have often gotten the better of him, holding him back from his second Freshman-15 appearance. In Week 8 against a stout Cal defense, Bailey wasn't hampered by the turnover bug and continued to put up good numbers.
NC State won the contest against the Golden Bears to the tune of 24-23 thanks to Bailey's heroics. The Wolfpack defense held Cal scoreless in the final period of the game but in that same timeframe Bailey tossed both of his touchdown passes. Bailey did not have much support from his running game as NC State's leading rusher had 25 yards on the day, so Bailey's efforts in the passing game were much needed in a comeback victory.
Nick Marsh
WR - Michigan State
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
Slot - 6
Wide Out - 66
RB - 1
Stats:
Receiving - 8 targets, 8 catches, 113 yards, 14.1 YPC, 0 TDs
After racking up over 100 yards in the Spartans' Week 2 matchup against Maryland, Marsh found himself on the Freshman-15 list. Since then, production has dipped for the true freshman, but in Week 8 against Iowa, Marsh found his rhythm and hit the century mark for the second time this season.
Marsh's reliability was on full display, bringing in all eight of his targets. With only 1 drop on 36 targets this season, Marsh has flashed his good hands all season long, but in Week 8 he turned that reliability into production. While he didn't hit paydirt against the Hawkeyes, he did in Week 9 against in-state rivals Michigan.
TJ Moore
WR - Clemson
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
Slot - 3
Wide Out - 38
Stats:
Receiving - 5 targets, 4 catches, 78 yards, 1 TD
In Week 8, Clemson was on upset alert for some around the country against Virginia, but Moore was filled with big players to help the Tigers move past the Cavaliers. His knack for big plays was on full display on a 34-yard touchdown pass from QB Cade Klubnik, who has put it all together this season.
Moore's average depth of target (ADOT) against the Cavaliers was 16.8, showing how Klubnik likes to look for his true freshman wide out deep downfield. His ADOT on the year is 14.4, and has logged multiple games this season with an ADOT over 20.0 yards.
Some people have raised questions regarding the quality of Clemson's competitions, but so far Moore has looked like a dangerous deep threat for Klubnik and the Tiger offense.
Chris Durr Jr.
WR - Wyoming
Big Moment: Week 9
Snaps:
Slot - 21
Wide Out - 5
Stats:
Receiving - 10 targets, 9 catches, 83 yards, 9.2 YPC, 0 TDs
While Wyoming lost to Utah State on a game-winning field goal as time expired, Durr led the Cowboys in receiving yards, the second time he has done so this season. His numbers looked a little different compared to most of his performances, however, as he averaged over 20.0 YPC in his last two games in which he was targeted.
On the season Durr has 18 receptions, half of them coming against the Aggies. It was by far the most volume Durr had seen in a game up to that point. One thing Durr will need to work on are the drops: he has 3 drops on 26 targets. Once Durr eliminates the mental errors and get better quarterback play, he will become a force to be reckoned with, and could make a jump up to a bigger program similar to former Cowboy WR Isaiah Neyor.
Caden Durham
RB - LSU
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
RB - 39
Slot - 1
Stats:
Rushing - 21 carries, 101 yards, 4.8 YPA, 3 TDs
Receiving - 1 target, 1 catch, 7 yards, 0 TDs
LSU has had its woes in the running game this year, but if anyone has stood out it's been Durham. Now a three-time member of the Freshman-15, Durham has made his mark in Baton Rouge and has shown flashes of being one of the best freshman backs in the country.
While his Week 9 performance against Texas A&M was quite disappointing, his Week 8 display was much better, as Durham found the endzone on three separate occasions against Arkansas. It was also the second time in his career than Durham surpassed 100 rushing yards in a game. As the season has gone on, it has been clearer and clearer that Durham is the future of the LSU backfield.
Kyran Duhon
EDGE - UTEP
Big Moment: Week 9
Snaps:
EDGE - 38
DT - 8
Special Teams - 2
Stats:
Defense - 3 pressures, 1 sack, 1 hit, 1 hurry, 1 batted pass, 2 tackles
It was a busy day for the Miner pass rusher, who stuffed the stat sheet and caused all sorts of problems for Louisiana Tech. Duhon's big day came in Week 9 in the second start of his career, after earning the role over his first few games this season.
Duhon has been a contributor along UTEP's defensive front all season long and is ramping up his production in the pass rushing department now that he has earned more playing time. For a team that only has one win this season, UTEP needs all the young help they can get. Duhon is going to be a key player for the Miners moving forward.
South Carolina defensive lineman Dylan Stewart gets ready to rush the passer. (Katie Dugan/GamecockCentral)
Dylan Stewart
EDGE - South Carolina
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
EDGE - 38
Stats:
Defense - 5 pressures, 1 sack, 1 hit, 3 hurries, 1 tackle
Another quarterback has been terrorized by Dylan Stewart. His Week 8 performance against Oklahoma marks the second time this season Stewart has logged at least 5 pressures in a single game, and the fourth time this season that Stewart has logged at least 3 pressures.
Stewart has been as good as any freshman pass rusher across the country this season, as he has 4.5 sacks on the year and a pair of forced fumbles. The physical freak has had the benefit of lining up on the opposite side of DE Kyle Kennard, who has been one of the most productive pass rushers in the country this season, and has played his way into the first-round conversation. In two years, we could be saying the same about Stewart.
Jay Crawford
CB - Auburn
Big Moment: Week 9
Snaps:
Slot - 6
Corner - 47
FS - 2
Special Teams - 2
Stats:
Defense - 2 tackles, 6 targets, 2 catches allowed, 25 yards allowed, 1 INT
Crawford makes his first Freshman-15 appearance after one of the best defensive performances from a freshman defensive back all season. In terms of volume, Crawford was tested by Kentucky QB Brock Vandagriff numerous times but in the end Crawford got the last laugh.
Crawford not only allowed only a third of his targets to be completed, but he nabbed the first interception of his young career. Crawford also held Vandagriff to a 7.6 NFL passer rating when the Georgia transfer threw in Crawford's direction. After being named a starter against Oklahoma, Crawford has put it solid performance after solid performance, but his outing against the Wildcats was by far his best of the season.
Jaylen Raynor
QB - Arkansas State
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
QB - 72
Stats:
Passing - 20/31, 64.5%, 186 yards, 6.0 YPA, 3 TDs
Rushing - 6 carries, 34 yards, 5.7 YPA, 0 TDs
The redshirt freshman signal caller got it done against Southern Miss in Week 8, as the Red Wolves offense dropped 44 points on the Golden Eagles. While the running game got a majority of the offense's yards, Raynor was able to contribute with nearly 6 YPA.
The biggest takeaway from Raynor's performance was having no turnovers. Raynor was able to make plays without putting his defense in a bind for the first time this season. For Raynor to go out there and protect the football, something he has not done up to this point in the season, is a good building block for the young quarterback who has a bright future ahead of him.
South Alabama running back Fluff Bothwell scores a touchdown. (South Alabama Athletics)
Fluff Bothwell
RB - South Alabama
Big Moment: Week 9
Snaps:
RB - 29
Stats:
Rushing - 17 carries, 119 yards, 7.0 YPA, 2 TDs
All three times Bothwell has rushed for over 100 yards, he has made that week's Freshman-15 list. South Alabama has won all three of those games, and has only won once when Bothwell has failed to reach the century mark. Alongside QB Gio Lopez, who can be a threat with his legs, Bothwell has become an integral part of this Jaguars offense.
Bothwell recorded his third game with multiple rushing touchdowns this year and is yet to fumble the football. With 86 carries on the season, he has done a very good job at protecting the football. In previous weeks I have written about the elusiveness Bothwell possesses, but in Week 8 he showed the ability to shrug off tacklers and gain the tough yards after contact. Bothwell recorded a season-high 82 yards after contact against ULM and forced 7 missed tackles.
Bryson Washington
RB - Baylor
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
RB - 21
Slot - 2
Wide Out - 2
Stats:
Rushing - 11 carries, 123 yards, 11.2 YPA, 2 TDs
Receiving - 3 targets, 2 catches, 17 yards, 8.5 YPC, 0 TDs
When Baylor took the field against Big 12 rivals Texas Tech in Week 8, not many people gave the Bears a chance to take down the 5-1 Red Raiders. But thanks to Washington, the Bears won in a shootout in Lubbock. Washington had his second career 100-yard game and was very efficient in doing so, averaging over 10 YPA for the first time in his collegiate career.
Washington's first start came in Week 3 against Air Force, his first 100-yard game, but his outing against the Red Raiders was his first game with multiple touchdowns. Washington is able to make guys miss, bouncing off tackles and finding open space. He had 66 yards after contact in Week 8 and will be a building block moving forward in this Bears offense.
Jack Luttrell
S - Arizona
Big Moment: Week 8
Snaps:
SS - 11
FS - 65
Special Teams - 14
Stats:
Defense - 7 tackles, 1 target, 0 catches allowed, 2 INTs
Luttrell had the tall task of facing a dangerous Colorado offense in his first career start. While Arizona lost, Luttrell did all he could to keep the Wildcats in the game. Luttrell picked off Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders not once but twice in Tucson, giving his offense the every opportunity to go out there and move the football.
Week 8 was Luttrell's first start of his career, and only his third appearance on defense this season. He also played a team-high 76 snaps on defense, getting it done not just in coverage but also in run defense. Luttrell added 7 tackles to go with his brace of interceptions.
Ja'Marley Riddle
S - East Carolina
Big Moment: Week 9
Snaps:
SS - 31
Slot - 7
FS - 27
Stats:
Defense - 4 tackles, 1 target, 1 catch allowed, 5 yards allowed, 2 INTs, 1 TD
Logging the first start of his career against AAC opponent Temple, Riddle stole the spotlight with a two-interception performance, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
Riddle's impact was felt in a high-scoring affair against the Owls, with East Carolina taking home the win. Riddle accounted for two of Temple QB Evan Simon's three interceptions. Riddle's pick-six in the third quarter helped propel the Pirates to a 29-point third quarter in what ended up being a 22-point victory.
Riddle's big performance should not go unnoticed and may earn him more playing time down the stretch.
