There was a time not too long ago when freshmen were not expected to contribute in college football.
That time has passed.
These days, 18-year-old freshmen are often asked to play key roles early in their first collegiate season. LSU head coach Brian Kelly said Monday that his defense featured multiple first-year players versus UCLA.
“At one time we had (Gabriel) Reliford, we had (Dominick) McKinley, we had Ahmad Breaux all on the field at one time,” Kelly said. “You had (DeShawn) Spears at safety. So, you had four true freshmen on the field at one time.”
The task for the coaching staff is to take players from diverse backgrounds and talent levels and prepare them adequately for the demands of big-time college football.
True freshman tight end Trey’Dez Green dazzled on the football field as a prep junior and senior, garnering a five-star ranking from multiple outlets. However, he’s still relatively new to the sport. Green didn’t step onto a football field until 10th grade. His first love was basketball.
“I just started playing football for fun, and after my first game I had an offer from the University of Houston,” Green said. “Then I thought, ‘maybe I can do something with this.’”
That didn’t mean it was time to put the basketball away.
“Houston basketball offered me later that day,” he added.
Not just anyone receives an offer to play basketball for Houston. The Cougars have won more basketball games than any program in America over the last two seasons and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament both seasons.
Green averaged 28 points per game his final year in high school, but he will focus on football first at LSU. That means gaining weight and learning to block defensive ends instead of jump shots.
For the 6-foot-7, 245lbs, freshman gaining weight has become a top priority.
“It’d been difficult,” Green said. “I eat like three or four times a day…vegetables, healthy stuff. Our chefs are amazing.”
It does make Green miss the table at home, though.
“I miss eating soul food,” he said with a grin. “I’m from Jackson, Louisiana. We always cook wildlife. Rabbit stew, wild hog, deer. A lot of stuff like that.”
For some, the transition and weight gain have been easier.
Breaux, another Tiger true freshman, has made the move from defensive end where he played in high school to defensive tackle where he started LSU’s game Saturday against UCLA.
Breaux signed with LSU in December of 2023 and enrolled for the spring semester. He worked out at defensive end in the spring with eyes on a move to tackle over the summer.
“Honestly, I feel like that was (the coaching staff’s) plan the entire time,” Breaux said. “It wasn’t really ideal for my development for me to gain all that weight in that short of time, so waited until after the spring. I was more than happy to do it.”
Breaux needed to gain in excess of 30 pounds to physically hold up against Southeastern Conference guards who routinely tip the scales at 320 or more pounds.
When classes ended in the spring, Beaux went home for less than a week before returning to campus to train. He lifted weights rigorously and made sure to up his caloric intake to pack on the pounds.
“(The nutrition staff) just gave me a map of how much protein I’m supposed to eat,” Beaux said. “I didn’t go up that much in terms of body fat. I ate a lot of Whataburger to be honest with you.”
The physicality of the game is one thing, the speed can also catch young players off guard. While Breaux is grappling with interior offensive lineman, Spears is chasing down ball carriers and wide receivers from his safety position.
Unlike Breaux and Green, Spears already possessed the size necessary to play his position. At 210 lbs., he already outweighs seniors like Sage Ryan and Major Burns.
He’s more concerned with the playbook and his assignments.
“I would say I’ve adjusted well,” Spears, who starred at Denham Springs, said. “Being a freshman and learning this type of scheme, I wouldn’t so it’s easy, but it’s not hard. I think I can do better. The speed of the game goes faster. Coming from 5-A, that’s the best competition you’re going to get in Louisiana but coming to college, LSU has been a real game changer.”
In all, 16 true freshmen have seen the field for LSU through a month.
Running back Caden Durham made perhaps the largest statement when his 98 rushing yards and two touchdowns helped spearhead a 17-point comeback win at South Carolina. Durham’s successes have inspired his classmates and created some confidence that more is to come.
“I really like this 2024 class,” spears said. “Everybody wants to be great. Like Caden. I loved it when he went out here and executed. We talked about it.”
Breaux agrees.
“We knew coming in that our class had a different vibe to it, a different want to, a go get it mentality,” he said. “It’s really been showing. You see all the freshmen on the field doing their thing, and it really feels nice to know that everyone wants to put on for this school.”
