Pac-12 Football: Ranking the Conference's Top Freshman Classes Through September
We're over a month into the college football season, and while a pecking order has been established in the Pac-12, no team looks head-and-shoulders above the rest.
One thing we do know, however, is that as talented as the conference is at present, the future looks even brighter.
Freshmen on nearly every team have made an instant impact, and that experience early on should turn the group into leaders, playmakers and top-notch NFL talent down the road.
From a running back in the desert to wide receivers all over the place and even a few defenders, the Pac-12 has no shortage of freshmen who've arrived on the college scene and delivered immediately.
But which teams have the best freshman classes through the month of September?
Let's take a look at the top five through the first four weeks of the season. Will this be a sign of who's set to dominate over the next few years?
All stats via CFBStats.com. Redshirt players included. Just missed: UCLA, Colorado.
Washington Huskies
1 of 5
Two players highlight the list of freshmen playing well for the Washington Huskies in 2014: running back Lavon Coleman and safety Budda Baker.
Coleman already has 65 carries in four games which have gone for 286 yards and a touchdown. It appeared that Dwayne Washington would be getting the bulk of the touches at running back, and he has 187 yards of his own.
But Coleman has been a nice surprise at a position that figured to be the weak point of the offense.
Baker is not only a great player, but he has a story that will melt the heart of every Husky fan until the end of time. He committed to play for the Oregon Ducks before a change of heart paved the way for Washington to become his destination.
Not only did he spurn a hated rival, he now has the chance to hurt the Ducks on the field with his play for several years. Baker already has 21 tackles from his safety position.
On the defensive line, Elijah Qualls figures to step in and replace Danny Shelton when the senior is gone after the season. Qualls only has five tackles, but he plays a position where youngsters rarely see playing time, and that's impressive in itself.
Chris Petersen didn't have time last winter to involve himself in a thorough recruiting process, though it appears his efforts have paid off nonetheless. It'll be interesting to see what kind of group he can put together in 2015 with more than a year under his belt.
Arizona State Sun Devils
2 of 5
Arizona State is known for its offense in 2014, but we're going to start with the defense, where several players have stepped up during a season many expected the unit to be shredded week after week.
Freshmen on the defense have combined for 57 tackles out of the 209 posted by the entire team. Defensive back Armand Perry has 16, while touted linebacker D.J. Calhoun has 15. Both figure to be leaders of the defense for several years.
Moving to the other side of the ball, you'll find a pair of running backs in Demario Richard and Kalen Ballage who've combined for 141 yards and four scores on 30 carries, providing a nice complement to the dazzling display put on by D.J. Foster each week.
The two have also combined for 84 yards receiving, continuing the trend of dual-threat running backs, started by Marion Grice and continued by Foster. Also at receiver are Ellis Jefferson and Ronald Lewis, a pair of freshmen with six catches.
Out of the entire group, you'd have to spotlight Calhoun as the one player who figures to be an all-conference guy down the road, perhaps as soon as 2015.
But the Sun Devils have seen enough of a contribution from freshmen at other positions to know that the future is in good hands.
Arizona Wildcats
3 of 5
The dynamic backfield duo of quarterback Anu Solomon and running back Nick Wilson gives the Wildcats a freshman duo that cannot be ignored and thus, Arizona makes the cut.
Solomon, who used his redshirt last year waiting behind B.J. Denker, had to beat out Jerrard Randall, Jesse Scroggins and Connor Brewer during spring and fall camp, and it sure looks like Rich Rodriguez made a wise decision.
All Solomon has done is thrown for 1,454 yards and 13 touchdowns with just three interceptions. Oh, and he's tacked on 167 rushing yards as well, though something tells us his wheels haven't shown everything they're capable of just yet.
As impressive as the play has been at signal-caller, what we've seen from Wilson may be even better. The true freshman back already has 482 yards and four touchdowns for an average of more than 120 yards per game.
He has home run speed and shiftiness that will make fans forget about Ka'Deem Carey, or at least not lament the loss of the current Chicago Bear.
Other freshmen contributing early are wide receiver Tyrell Johnson with four grabs for 52 yards and a score, and cornerback Jarvis McCall Jr. who's already made 20 tackles.
Denker was a tremendous quarterback in Rodriguez's system, and Carey was the ideal running back to place alongside him.
But now, the head coach has found equal, if not better, replacements, and they're only just starting out. The rest of the Pac-12 has been warned.
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Oregon Ducks
4 of 5
Including redshirt freshmen here may seem like a sneaky way of putting Oregon near the top of yet another list, but the Ducks' true freshmen are doing their part as well.
Headlining the group is Royce Freeman, a big back the likes of which Oregon hasn't seen since LeGarrette Blount.
Freeman has already racked up 261 yards and five touchdowns, which includes a 13-carry, 89-yard outing against Michigan State where he hit paydirt on two occasions.
Charles Nelson is another true freshman with three catches on the year to go along with a punt return for a score and eight tackles on special teams alone.
Finally, tackle Tyrell Crosby was pressed into action when Andre Yruretagoyena went down with the injury. He's had his ups and downs thus far, but Crosby definitely looks like a player with a bright future.
Outside of the brand-new players, redshirts Devon Allen and Darren Carrington at wide receiver have combined for 23 catches and 471 yards receiving with five touchdowns.
Count defensive backs Tyree Robinson and Chris Seisay as two more redshirt freshmen making their presence known early.
When Darron Thomas and LaMichael James departed, it looked as though the Ducks might go away for a bit. When Chip Kelly went off to the NFL, it seemed like a guarantee.
When Marcus Mariota leaves, that has to bring Oregon back down to earth, at least on offense, right?
Perhaps not, if the freshmen have anything to say about it. So far, their collective play has said quite a lot.
USC Trojans
5 of 5
Toa Lobendahn, Damien Mama, Adoree' Jackson and John "Juju" Smith are just some of the names making an immediate impact for the USC Trojans in 2014.
There's also touted freshman tight end Bryce Dixon, cornerback Chris Hawkins and wide receiver Ajene Harris.
The list of youngsters having success right away for Steve Sarkisian's team is practically endless, and it signals a future brighter than most would have thought two years ago with the program still under the dark cloud of NCAA sanctions.
Those penalties, by the way, are still hurting USC's depth, as minor injuries become major without numerous backups ready to step in.
Nonetheless, redshirts and members of the 2014 recruiting class have stepped in and paved the way thus far. Smith, Jackson, Harris and Dixon have combined for 18 catches and 257 yards receiving with two touchdowns. The highly touted Jackson has seen time at defense, too, notching a pair of tackles for loss.
The young offensive line appears to be in great shape as well with Mama and Lobendahn gaining valuable experience and leading a rushing attack averaging over 150 yards per game.
The veterans on USC have the Trojans on the verge of a potential return atop the Pac-12 throne, but that may not happen in 2014.
The success of the freshmen, however, ensures that the ascent is not a matter of "if" but simply "when" at this point.
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