By Dan Harralson
We all know there are many different variables to align team chemistry. Teams lose players to graduation, players leaving early for the NFL, and academic casualties. One of the biggest components to team chemistry is incoming true freshman. Not all true freshman have the luxury of enrolling in January to participate in spring ball. Some high school players need the last semester to graduate and become academically eligible for their college choice. Below I have listed the top true freshman that will have the biggest impact on the 2010 college football season:
Kennan Allen (WR - California) 6-3/195; Greensboro (N.C.) Northern Guilford
Ricardo Allen (CB - Purdue) 5-9/175; Daytona Beach (FL) Mainland
Anthony Barr (ATH - UCLA) 6-5/228; Los Angeles Loyola
Brian Blechen (FS - Utah) 6-2/203, Moorpark (Calif.) High
Robert Bolden (QB - Penn State) 6-4/208; Orchard Lake (Mich.) St. Mary's
William Gholston (DE - Michigan State) 6-7/250; Detroit Southeastern
Jake Heaps (QB - BYU) 6-1/194; Sammamish (Wash.) Skyline
Luke Joeckel (OT - Texas A&M) 6-6/304; Arlington (Texas) High
TJ Jones (WR - Notre Dame) 5-11/187; Gainesville (Ga.) High
Marcus Lattimore (RB - South Carolina) 6-0/218; Duncan (S.C.) Byrnes
Alejandro Maldonado (K - Oregon) 5-10/198; Colton (Calif.) High
Kyle Prater (WR - USC) 6-5/210; Hillside (Ill.) Proviso West
Connor Shaw (QB - South Carolina) 6-1/202; Flowery Branch (Ga.) High
Marquis Spruill (LB - Syracuse) 6-2/223; Fork Union (Va.) Fork Union Military Academy, preceded by Hillside (N.J.) High
Kenny Stills (WR - Oklahoma) 6-0/183; Carlsbad (Calif.) La Costa Canyon
Pete Thomas (QB - Colorado State) 6-5/218; El Cajon (Calif.) Valhalla
Evan Wilson (TE - Illinois) 6-6/237; Woodstock (Ga.) High
On a side note, probably the most skilled and talented true freshman is USC's Dillon Baxter. Baxter is 6'0"/195 lbs. from San Diego, CA (Mission Bay HS.) Kiffin suspended Baxter for the opening game against Hawaii and possibly could linger throughout the 2010 season. Here is a recent quote from Coach Kiffin regarding Baxter"
"I think this is an extremely strong message, a very severe punishment for a player that may potentially be our most skilled player on the whole roster to miss his first game. I'm hoping that message not only helps him but our team and especially our freshman class. This is our first class coming in, first class we've signed here at USC and I want to make sure they understand we have extremely high expectations for all of our players, even the young ones on and off the field."
