True freshmen who stood out in Week 10 in college football
True freshmen impacted games all across the national landscape in week ten. Power Five teams are increasingly turning to true freshmen as young talent continues to get assimilated to the college game.
This week we see two repeat top performers and just one player who made our midseason True Freshman All-America team. New names are popping up nationwide, with pass catchers emerging as top targets for their respective teams and defenders earning starting jobs.
QB Seth Henigan, Memphis
Seth Henigan returned from injury to lead Memphis to one of its biggest wins of the season, a 28-25 victory over SMU. Henigan, from Denton (Texas) Ryan, helped take down the Mustangs by going 34-of-53 for 392 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. One of Henigan’s biggest plays came on a fourth-and-11 in the third quarter. He stepped up in the pocket, delivering a dart to wide receiver Javon Ivory for a crucial touchdown.
Outside of Oklahoma’s Caleb Williams, Henigan is the clear top true freshman quarterback this season. He’s completing 61.4 percent of his passes for 2,545 yards (9.1 yards per attempt) and 18 touchdowns against five interceptions.
RB Alton McCaskill, Houston
Alton McCaskill continues to be an integral part of Houston’s offense. The 8-1 Cougars found themselves in a tussle with USF on Saturday. McCaskill brings a high-end combination of size and speed at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, with sub 11.0-second marks in the 100 meters. He ran for 135 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries, and helped put the game away with a 16-yard touchdown run with 2:27 remaining.
McCaskill has shown a nose for the end zone this season, rushing for 12 scores. That total is tied for 12th nationally and second among all true freshman running backs, after Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson.
WR Beaux Collins, Clemson
Clemson’s passing game showed more life than it has all season Saturday in a 30-24 win over Louisville. Some of that can be attributed to the connection between D.J. Uiagalelei and his former high school teammate, Beaux Collins. They were teammates at Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco. Collins was Uiagalelei’s primary target, catching six balls for 104 yards and one touchdown against the Cardinals. The score came on a 46-yard deep ball early in the first quarter.
We’ll see if Clemson can build off the rapport between Uiagalelei and Collins in the remaining games. Collins was the No. 96 overall prospect in the 2021 cycle in the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.
WR Rara Thomas, Mississippi State
Rara Thomas is beginning to emerge as a reliable target in Mississippi State’s pass-happy attack. From Eufaula (Ala.) High, Thomas has had a touchdown catch in each of the past three games and had his best day yet Saturday. Thomas hauled in four catches for 63 yards and two second-half touchdowns in a 31-28 loss to Arkansas. The second score came on a 37-yard catch-and-run in the fourth quarter. Thomas caught a short pass across the middle, made a safety miss and took it to the house.
EDGE Dallas Turner, Alabama
Dallas Turner made his second start for the Crimson Tide in a 20-14 win over LSU and didn’t disappoint. He stuffed the stat sheet, with four tackles, two sacks and three pressures in 47 snaps. Turner showcased a high motor, and used his length and athleticism to create some issues on the edge.
Turner, from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas, ranked as the No. 8 prospect in the 2021 cycle in the On3 Consensus. He was one of two five-star true freshmen to start for the Tide, with cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry also getting the nod.
LB Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon
Facing a number of injuries at linebacker, Oregon turned to safety Jeffrey Bassa, a 6-foot-2, 217-pounder who has flourished in his new role in recent weeks. He played his best game in a 26-16 win over Washington. Bassa, from Salt Lake City Kearns, had four tackles, two assists and a sack in 50 snaps. Among Bassa’s impactful plays came when he contributed to a key fourth-down stop behind the line in the second quarter.
A big, physical safety with plus athleticism, it will be fun to see how Bassa continues to grow in the linebacker role. He was ranked as the No. 176 overall prospect in the On300 for the 2021 cycle.