It's always fun to see true freshmen play well since the upside and potential for enormous long-term contributions is tantalizing. So far we have seen several true freshmen stand out. A little context for the standouts:
Connor Wedington
Leads the team in catches (10) and receiving yards (119). In the conference that is fourth among freshman receivers, behind Oregon's Johnny Johnson III, Oregon State's Isaiah Hodgins, and Utah's Samson Nacua. Washington State's Renard Bell, Washington's Hunter Bryant, and Arizona State's Frank Darby are close on Wedington's heels. So he is one of the seven premier freshman receivers in the conference to this point. His output favorably compares to the outstanding true freshmen wide receivers we've had in our history. Without spending a ton of time looking it up I think it might be our best true freshmen skill position player start to a season in a few decades. The best WR three game starts to a career as a true freshman I can find are Richard Sherman (7 catches for 87 yards), Mark Bradford (4 catches for 77 yards), and Austin Yancy (5 catches for 71 yards). If you include redshirt freshmen Austin Hooper (12 catches for 168 yards and 1 touchdown) of course blows away the competition.
Walker Little
Cracked the starting lineup by the third game. It took Andrus Peat until his 15th game. (I believe cracking the lineup as a true sophomore was also the case with Kwame Harris.) Herbig started his eighth game. Ismail Simpson, Jeff Edwards, Alex Fletcher, David DeCastro, Jonathan Martin, David Yankey, and Cameron Fleming started from game one as freshmen but redshirted. I'm wondering if we've ever had an offensive lineman start as early as Little. I doubt it. Anybody know?
Colby Parkinson
Two touchdowns in his first three games (both in the opener of course). I've run out of ambition to go back and look rigorously if anybody has ever done this for us so I'll instead point out that over the course of an entire true freshman season Mark Bradford had 3 touchdowns, Richard Sherman had 3 touchdowns, Anthony Wilkerson had 3 touchdowns, Ty Montgomery had 3 touchdowns, Bryce Love had 3 touchdowns, Stepfan Taylor had 2 touchdowns, Christian McCaffrey had 2 touchdowns, Jeremy Stewart had 2 touchdowns, Ray Jones had 2 touchdowns, Delano Howell had 1 touchdown, Tyler Gaffney had 1 touchdown, Evan Moore had 1 touchdown, and David Marrero had 1 touchdown. Others, including Toby Gerhart, had zero. So Parkinson is already in good company and is one touchdown from tying the lead over the last 15+ years.
Foster Sarell even playing as a true freshman is of course rare for an offensive lineman but so far in line with Peat, Murphy, Garnett, Harris, Herbig, etc.
Connor Wedington
Leads the team in catches (10) and receiving yards (119). In the conference that is fourth among freshman receivers, behind Oregon's Johnny Johnson III, Oregon State's Isaiah Hodgins, and Utah's Samson Nacua. Washington State's Renard Bell, Washington's Hunter Bryant, and Arizona State's Frank Darby are close on Wedington's heels. So he is one of the seven premier freshman receivers in the conference to this point. His output favorably compares to the outstanding true freshmen wide receivers we've had in our history. Without spending a ton of time looking it up I think it might be our best true freshmen skill position player start to a season in a few decades. The best WR three game starts to a career as a true freshman I can find are Richard Sherman (7 catches for 87 yards), Mark Bradford (4 catches for 77 yards), and Austin Yancy (5 catches for 71 yards). If you include redshirt freshmen Austin Hooper (12 catches for 168 yards and 1 touchdown) of course blows away the competition.
Walker Little
Cracked the starting lineup by the third game. It took Andrus Peat until his 15th game. (I believe cracking the lineup as a true sophomore was also the case with Kwame Harris.) Herbig started his eighth game. Ismail Simpson, Jeff Edwards, Alex Fletcher, David DeCastro, Jonathan Martin, David Yankey, and Cameron Fleming started from game one as freshmen but redshirted. I'm wondering if we've ever had an offensive lineman start as early as Little. I doubt it. Anybody know?
Colby Parkinson
Two touchdowns in his first three games (both in the opener of course). I've run out of ambition to go back and look rigorously if anybody has ever done this for us so I'll instead point out that over the course of an entire true freshman season Mark Bradford had 3 touchdowns, Richard Sherman had 3 touchdowns, Anthony Wilkerson had 3 touchdowns, Ty Montgomery had 3 touchdowns, Bryce Love had 3 touchdowns, Stepfan Taylor had 2 touchdowns, Christian McCaffrey had 2 touchdowns, Jeremy Stewart had 2 touchdowns, Ray Jones had 2 touchdowns, Delano Howell had 1 touchdown, Tyler Gaffney had 1 touchdown, Evan Moore had 1 touchdown, and David Marrero had 1 touchdown. Others, including Toby Gerhart, had zero. So Parkinson is already in good company and is one touchdown from tying the lead over the last 15+ years.
Foster Sarell even playing as a true freshman is of course rare for an offensive lineman but so far in line with Peat, Murphy, Garnett, Harris, Herbig, etc.
