Freshman Five: Week 2, 2022

True freshmen are looking for the opportunity to shine early in their career. Here’s a look at five who took advantage of their chances in week two:

Nicholas Singleton – Penn State

Nicholas Singleton was a five-star recruit in the 2022 recruiting class, he showed why in week two. He got his feet wet week one, but put on a show at home in 46 – 10 win against Ohio. Singleton showed good power and leg drive, running through arm tackles and moving the pile, but also showed the speed and burst that gets him into the open field. He was able to get to the second level quickly, where he ran through arm tackles and displayed his excellent speed on several long runs. He finished the game with 10 carries for 179 yards and 2 touchdowns. Tougher defenses await on the schedule, but for a Penn State offense that struggled to run the ball last year, Singleton’s week two performance was a sight for sore eyes.

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OT – Kelvin Banks – Texas

Starting at left tackle as a true freshman is no small feat in college football. Doing it against #1 ranked Alabama and superstar defensive end, Will Anderson, is an even tougher challenge. Banks did just that and held his own up-front for the Longhorns. He wasn’t perfect, but he certainly performed well and did his part to keep Texas toe to toe with Alabama. Banks has started both games this season and appears to be well on his way to being a star in Austin.

RB – Ashton Jeanty – Boise State

Boise State’s running backs struggled against Oregon State and things were not looking much better early against New Mexico in the 31 – 14 week two win. Enter Ashton Jeanty, who changed the narrative in the second half of the game. He showed an explosive gear that the Broncos have been missing in the backfield. Jeanty was quick through the hole, showed speed in the open field and the wiggle to make defenders miss. He finished the game with 12 carries for 72 yards and 2 catches for 27 yards. All of those receiving yards and 60 of the rushing yards came in the second half, when Jeanty was the spark-plug for a stagnant Boise State offense. This should earn him more playing time moving forward, which bodes well for the offense.

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WR – Dane Key – Kentucky

Kentucky earned a hard fought 26 – 16 road win over Florida in week two. Dane Key continued his strong play at receiver for the Wildcats making one of the best plays of the week and helping get the offense going in a tough environment. He got one on one coverage deep and won on a 50/50 ball by out-leaping and out-muscling the defender. His touchdown was the first score of the game for Kentucky and put the Wildcats ahead 7 – 3 in the second quarter. Key finished the game with 3 catches for 83 yards and that touchdown. The true freshman is quickly showing his big play ability and will be a weapon for the Wildcats in 2022.

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DE – Caden Curry – Ohio State

Ohio State had a comfortable 45 – 12 win over Arkansas State on Saturday. Later in the game true freshman Caden Curry got his first opportunities of the season and #92 kept making plays. He was quick off the ball and showed an advanced feel for the game and ability to get penetration. He only played 12 snaps in the game, but Curry was noticeably disruptive, making 4 tackles including 1 tackle for loss. The young defensive end showed plenty of promise and should see more opportunities in the coming weeks.

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