Tag: Freshman All-American

Pair of Florida football freshmen earn All-American honors

These two freshmen Gators are a good reason to feel good about Florida football in the near future.

The Football Writers Association of America announced their Freshman All-American list on Tuesday, which included a pair of standout members of the Florida Gators program.

Tight end [autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] and wide receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson[/autotag] were both recognized after impressive performances in their debut collegiate campaigns for the Orange and Blue. Florida joins the Miami Hurricanes, Oklahoma Sooners and Tulane Green Wave as the only schools to boast two players on the list.

The pair represent the first UF players selected for the honor since 2016. That year, offensive lineman Juwaan Taylor and linebacker David Reese made the first-year cut.

Wilson burst onto the scene in 2023 with his electrifying playmaking, catching the heart and soul of the Gator Nation early on while finishing as one of the bright spots for the future of the program. The Sunshine State product played in 10 games with seven starts, leading the offense in touchdown receptions with six, while finishing second in receptions and yards with 61 and 538, respectively.

Boardingham played in all twelve games with two starts, snagging 26 receptions for 289 yards and four scores while providing needed athleticism at the tight end position. The California native was also recognized by the College Football Network as an honorable mention for Freshman All-American.

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Florida’s dynamic wide receiver named 247Sports Freshman All-American

Wide receiver Tre Wilson was named to the 247Sports Freshman All-American team on Tuesday.

Add another piece of hardware to this season’s Florida football mantle!

Wide receiver Eugene “Tre” Wilson was named to the 247Sports Freshman All-American team on Tuesday, following up his inclusion on the All-SEC freshman team last week. The first-year offensive standout was a bright spot in a season clouded with darkness.

“It wasn’t the best season for Florida, but there were some true freshman bright spots for Billy Napier’s club,” 247Sports’ Chris Hummer begins. “None were bigger than Wilson. An underneath threat who caught nearly everything thrown his way, Wilson finished the season with 61 catches for 538 yards and six scores — and zero drops!”

Wilson’s catches and receiving yardage were second on the team to senior wideout Ricky Pearsall; he led the team with six touchdowns through the air.

He also set the Florida single-game freshman record with 11 receptions against then-No. 1 Georgia in Jacksonville at the end of October and earned the Shaun Alexander National Freshman of the Week award after the Arkansas game.

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Gators EDGE makes The Athletic’s Freshman All-American Team

Kelby Collins nabbed his second freshman honor on Thursday.

Florida football’s greenhorn edge defender Kelby Collins was named to The Athletic’s Freshman All-American Second Team, which was released on Thursday. The honor came right after being named to the Coaches Freshman All-SEC Team along with three other teammates

Playing in all 12 games this season, the 6-foot-4-inch, 270-pound defender totaled 23 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and sacks, four quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and a forced fumble in his debut in the Orange and Blue. According to Pro Football Focus, Collins was the fourth-highest-graded Gator defensive lineman in terms of pass rush in 2023 (62.4) and the third-highest in terms of run defense (70.7).

Take a look below at The Athletic’s full Freshman All-American Second Team roster.

Keldric Faulk, DL – Auburn
TJ Bush, DL – Liberty
Kelby Collins, DL – Florida
Princewill Umanmielen, DL – Nebraska
Ben Roberts, LB – Texas Tech
Javante Mackey, LB – Arkansas State
Kam Robinson, LB – Virginia
Michael Richard, CB – Louisiana Tech
Caden Jenkins, CB – Baylor
Khalil Barnes, S – Clemson
Kamari Ramsey, S – UCLA

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Peyton Bowen featured on FWAA’s freshmen All-American watch list

Peyton Bowen’s off to a strong start to his Oklahoma Sooners career and was featured on the FWAA’s freshmen All-American watch list.

Midway through the 2023 college football season, the turnaround of the Oklahoma Sooners defense has been the talk of the nation. It’s a big reason why the Sooners are 6-0 and a top 10 team entering the second half of the season.

A number of players have played key roles for an OU defense allowing just 14 points per game. True freshman [autotag]Peyton Bowen[/autotag] has been a big-time playmaker early in his Sooners career.

Bowen was featured by the Football Writer’s Association of America on their freshman All-American watch list.

He’s been an impact player on both defense and special teams with a number of passes defended and a pair of punt blocks. It’s why he was such a coveted player in the 2023 recruiting cycle. He’s yet to get an interception, but he’s been close on multiple occasions.

In a rotational role, Bowen is Oklahoma’s fifth highest-graded defender, according to Pro Football Focus. He’s the second-highest-graded safety in the Big 12 per PFF.

Bowen joined Oklahoma as a late flip on early signing day deciding to come to Norman rather than play for the Irish. He has made an impact on defense and special teams. His blocked punt led to a touchdown just three plays later against SMU. He also has accumulated 23 tackles, 4 PDs, and 1 forced fumble in six games. – Patrick Conn, College Sports Wire

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Pair of LSU signees among On3’s True Freshman All-Americans

Ka’Morreun Pimpton and Lance Heard could make an early impact for the Tigers.

The Tigers have a lot of veteran talent on both sides of the ball entering the 2023 season, but that doesn’t mean that coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] won’t look to several young newcomers to make an early impact.

On3’s Charles Power recently released his list of True Freshman All-Americans, and a pair of players from LSU’s 2023 signing class made the list.

One was tight end [autotag]Ka’Morreun Pimpton[/autotag], a signing day flip from Vanderbilt who could make an immediate impact with a ton of athleticism and an impressive 6-foot-6 frame already. He’s been an early standout from fall camp, according to several reports.

“For my money, had the largest catch-radius of any prospect in the 2023 cycle. A guy with exceptional arm length, and high-end coordination. Absolutely exploded as a senior, just had a monster senior year, which led to his recruitment ramping up and exploding too.”

“… He is making a highlight catch seemingly every day in camp. I think his ability as a mis-match, and particularly as a red-zone target, is substantial. I think he provides just a huge jump-ball threat for LSU. … I think we’ll see Pimpton make an impact as a receiver, which we’ll place a pretty high value on when assembling these teams. I would not be surprised to see him come down with, at the minimum, a handful of touchdowns, if not more than that,” Power threw light on.

Five-star offensive tackle signee [autotag]Lance Heard[/autotag], the top prospect the Tigers landed in the 2023 class, also made the cut. Heard likely projects as a backup in Year 1, but he’s seen some work at right tackle and could potentially compete for a starting spot there with [autotag]Emery Jones[/autotag] seeing some work inside.

“Brian Kelly has completely rebuilt LSU’s offensive line since taking over as head coach of the Tigers, and I think they enter the season with one of the better fronts in the SEC, with a lot of returning experience. With that said, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Zalance Heard get on the field as a freshman as he continues to work in.

“He’s one of the most physically gifted offensive lineman in the 2023 cycle. A guy who is still relatively new to the position, but took to it really quickly. Was a five star for On3. … I think his performance has continued to really validate our belief in his ability. … While I think Heard is still kind of working in and getting his feet wet, I wouldn’t be shocked to see him get on the field as a freshman, and potentially push for a starting role at right tackle,” Power untangled.

Both players seem to be among the most likely early contributors from LSU’s 2023 recruiting class, and the Tigers will hope they live up to the hype as they prepare for their first seasons in Baton Rouge.

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Peyton Bowen selected as preseason true freshman All-American by On3

After a high-profile recruitment, expectations are high for Peyton Bowen who was named a true freshman All-American by On3.

When the Oklahoma Sooners earned the signature of 2023 five-star safety Peyton Bowen, it was a huge feat. Bowen was committed to Notre Dame for nearly a year when he flipped to Oregon in the early signing period. Then a day later, Bowen signed with the Sooners.

It was a signature that is set to pay huge dividends for the Oklahoma Sooners in 2023.

Bowen was named to On3’s true freshman preseason All-America team for the 2023 season.

Electric playmaker at safety, and was a huge get for Brent Venables in his first full class in Norman. Peyton Bowen, just everytime I watched him throughout his high school career, he made just really, really high level plays. He’s an exceptional athlete, with outstanding speed, but pairs that speed with instincts and ball skills. … Also doubled as one of the best return men in the class as well. – Charles Power, On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings

There’s a lot of excitement about a deep safety group the Sooners will deploy in 2023. A big reason for that excitement is the potential that Peyton Bowen has already displayed in his short time in Norman.

Brent Venables spoke highly of him in the spring and he flashed in the spring game, intercepting Dillon Gabriel on a deep ball.

The playmaking freshman is going to see the field a lot this season and at multiple positions. He has a good chance to be a part of the safety rotation and could earn a starting role at some point in 2023. Even if he doesn’t start, he’ll see a significant number of snaps this season.

Where he’ll also make an impact is on special teams. His speed and athleticism give Bowen the opportunity to be a game-changing player for the Sooners

Oklahoma has a star in the making with Peyton Bowen. As the season gets ready to kickoff, there will be few debuts as anticipated as Oklahoma’s five-star safety.

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Notre Dame cornerback Morrison gets recognition after fantastic first year

No surprise here

It should come as no surprise that [autotag]Notre Dame[/autotag] cornerback [autotag]Benjamin Morrison[/autotag] is getting serious love after his extremely impressive freshman season. A contributor since the season opener, the Arizona native registered 33 tackles and 6 interceptions.

The six takeaways through the air put Morrison tied for third best in the country. As a true freshman. An absolutely dominant performance had led Morrison to be named to numerous Freshman All-American teams, with the latest being the [autotag]Football Writers Association of America[/autotag].

If Morrison is able to build off his first season, he should be getting plenty of talk about being a [autotag]Jim Thorpe[/autotag] candidate after the 2023 year is completed.

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Texas LT Kelvin Banks named FWAA Freshman All-American

Texas found a special player in left tackle Kelvin Banks.

Texas found a special player in left tackle Kelvin Banks. One of the top-rated prospects from the 2022 recruiting class proved himself as a superstar.

The former five-star enjoyed a fantastic freshman season for the Longhorns in 2022. Banks has been named to the Football Writers of America Association Freshman All-American team.

The honor marks one of many for Banks following the season. He was named second-team All-Big 12 and On3 Sports Freshman All-American.

Banks provided a much-needed anchor to the left side of Texas’ offensive line this year. He held strong against some of the nation’s best pass rushers, such as Will Anderson, Dallas Turner, Tyree Wilson, Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Will McDonald.

Texas returns all five starters on the offensive line going into 2023. Banks leads a unit that may be the strength of Texas’ roster going forward.

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Report: Shawn Stiffler hired as Notre Dame baseball coach

Like the hire?College World Series

With Link Jarrett moving within the ACC to Florida State, Notre Dame needed a new coach to build upon its College World Series berth. Less than three weeks after the end of the 2022 season, the Irish appear to have found their man. According to Matt Fortuna of The Athletic, VCU coach [autotag]Shawn Stiffler[/autotag] has been tabbed as the Irish’s next coach.

Stiffler just completed his 10th season as Rams coach, accumulating a 352-207 record during that time, including a 42-20 record in 2022. Stiffler has led the Rams to the Atlantic 10 Tournament title and the NCAA Tournament in each of the past two years and in 2015. They also won the regular-season title in 2019, and Stiffler was named the conference’ coach of the year.

During Stiffler’s tenure, the Rams produced four All-Americans, five Freshman All-Americans and 43 all-conference players. Here’s hoping that success will carry over against the arguably tougher competition that will come with this new job.

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Tygart earns another Freshman All-American honor

Make that three All-American honors for the Razorbacks’ closer.

Arkansas right-hander [autotag]Brady Tygart[/autotag] had an amazing first season in a Razorback uniform.

He struck out 51 batters over 37 innings in 24 appearances, nailing down 8 saves for Arkansas in his freshman campaign. Those numbers were big enough for D1Baseball to take notice, as they named Tygart 2nd team Freshman All-American.

He, along with starting pitcher [autotag]Hagen Smith[/autotag] extended a streak this season by being named to the Freshman All-American team by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper early last month, which marked the sixth straight season that a first-year player has earned an All-American nod.

Tygart earned his second All-American honor during Arkansas’ stay in the College World Series, as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association included Tygart in their Freshman All-American honors.

Tygart was one of two SEC players to be named second team All-American by D1Baseball, joining Mississippi State’s Hunter Hines. Out of all pitchers named Freshman All-American, Tygart earned the most saves.

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