College football, like all major sports, is a land of stars.
The problem is, most of these players are shooting stars; you enjoy them for a bit, but then they are gone.
This makes it all the more special when an underclassman steps up and allows the fans to enjoy his production for at least three seasons. If you look at the biggest stars in college football over the past decade, almost all of them produced as a freshman or a sophomore. Adrian Peterson set the rushing record for a freshman at Oklahoma. Tim Tebow won a national championship in his freshman year and won the Heisman as a sophomore. If you want a star closer to home, Ron Dayne started all four years for the Badgers, earning the Heisman trophy as a senior.
Here are the freshmen who have a chance to be the next big stars in college football:
Terrelle Pryor, Quarterback, Ohio State
The No. 1 recruit out of high school has yet to disappoint Buckeyes fans this season. After splitting time early in the year with fifth-year senior Todd Boeckman, Pryor has taken over the starting role with authority. While he is viewed as a dual-threat quarterback, many believe Pryor chose Ohio State — as opposed to Michigan or Penn State — to shake that label and prove he can throw the ball as well as he runs it.
So far, so good. While there is clearly room for improvement, Pryor is completing 65.6 percent of his passes, and he has only thrown two interceptions on the season. Though erratic at times, Pryor has the arm to make every throw, and head coach Jim Tressel has taken off the training wheels the past few games.
That being said, Pryor is still most dangerous when he runs in the open field. He produced the game-winning touchdown against Wisconsin on a last-second scramble, and he is second on the Buckeyes rushing list with 411 yards.
Unfortunately for the rest of the Big Ten, Pryor has shown the work ethic and motivation needed to advance his game. Despite being the No. 1 recruit in the nation, Pryor manages to find a way to carry a chip on his very broad shoulders.
“People don’t know what I can do,” Pryor said. “They say I’m overrated. Wait and see. The time will come, and you will find out.”
Though I am not sure who finds Pryor “overrated,” the perceived slight should serve as motivation for Pryor to reach his potential and dominate the college game the next three years.
Kellen Moore, Quarterback, Boise State
It’s official. What Gonzaga is to college basketball, Boise State is to college football. No other small school has sustained success on the national level like Boise State has in recent years.
The reason? They recruit players like Moore. The freshman quarterback has led the Broncos to a 5-0 record, and they are well within reach of another BCS bowl bid. Moore has thrown for 1,591 yards in five games, and he is completing 72.4 percent of his passes. Besides the gaudy numbers, Moore has shown poise in ways most freshman never achieve. The young quarterback has thrown 13 touchdowns opposed to only three interceptions on the season. There are fifth-year seniors (See: Allan Evridge) that can only dream of ball security like that. Furthermore, Moore has proven he can win on the road in a hostile environment when the Broncos beat Oregon the third game of the season.
Boise State has proven they are far from a one-hit wonder, and with Moore at the helm, we should see plenty of the blue turf over the next four years.
Julio Jones, Wide Receiver, Alabama
Despite head coach Nick Saban’s best efforts to keep this stud freshman under wraps, Jones became a star before the season even started when a video leaked out of Jones stiff arming all-SEC safety Rashad Johnson to the ground in a scrimmage.
Even with defensive coordinators on notice, Jones has still been the best receiver for the undefeated Crimson Tide. Though his numbers are average — 22 catches for 341 yards — Jones has done everything Saban has asked of him, and he leads the team in both yards and receptions. Most importantly to Saban, though, the 6-foot-4-inch, 210-pound Jones has taken to blocking enthusiastically. The Crimson Tide are powered by their ground game, and Jones blocking downfield has shown maturity and understanding beyond the realms of a typical freshman. With Saban as his coach, we can expect Jones to evolve into the top wide receiver in the game over the next four years.
Jacquizz Rodgers, Running Back, Oregon State
Most fans know Rodgers as the running back who handed USC and their vaunted defense their only loss. What few people know, is that game was far from an aberration. The 5-foot-6-inch, 160-pound running back has played far larger than his size would indicate. Many would assume that a half back of Rodger’s size would gain many of his yards on outside runs, but as the feature back for the Beavers, Rodgers does most of his running in between the tackles. On the season, Rodgers has rushed for 812 yards and nine touchdowns, while sporting a 4.3 yards per carry average. He is a typical workhorse, and he has shown no signs of slowing down. Over the past five games, Rodgers has topped the 100-yard mark four times. This little running back will continue to cause big problems for defensive coordinators over the next four years.
