True Freshman Standouts from Week 8 of College Football

We saw several true freshmen make significant impacts during eight of college football. A former blue-chip pass rusher dominated in Miami’s upset win over Clemson, while one of his Hurricane teammates got the win in his first start behind center. A pair of other freshman pass rushers had big outings, including one who looks like a budding star in the Group of Five. The day’s biggest game also saw a former On3 five-star step in for Ohio State at corner and play well.

Let’s highlight this week’s true freshman standouts.

EDGE Rueben Bain, Miami – True Freshman of the Week

On a field full of talented defenders and touted true freshman, Rueben Bain stole the show in Miami’s 28-20 overtime win over Clemson. The Miami native lived in the backfield on Saturday night. He was credited with two sacks and 10 pressures – the most of any defender in the nation in week eight, according to Pro Football Focus. Bain got things going in the first quarter with a strip sack of Cade Klubnik, which Miami recovered. The second sack came on an extremely impressive counter club swim move. Bain used the advanced move and his strong power base to hurl right tackle Blake Miller off balance before closing on Klubnik.

Bain, who was part of On3’s Midseason True Freshman All-American Team, looks like one of the more disruptive defenders in the ACC among all classes, not just true freshmen. The Miami legacy ranked as the No. 57 overall prospect in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.

QB Emory Williams, Miami

With starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke out with an injury to his throwing hand, Miami turned to true freshman Emory Williams. The Milton (Fla.) High product played admirably in his first college start, leading Miami to the win while facing a defense that ranks top ten nationally. Williams completed 24-of-33 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown and one interception. He showed a live arm from the pocket and made some impressive throws against tight coverage. The touchdown pass came with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter. Williams found Colbie Young on a well-thrown fade pass from 11 yards out to put the Hurricanes within a field goal. An Elite 11 Finalist, Williams ranked as a three-star in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.

EDGE Nathan Johnson, Appalachian State

If you’re looking for the best true freshman in the Group of Five, it might be Nathan Johnson. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder nearly missed out on making On3’s Midseason True Freshman All-American Team and at this rate he’s going to be a strong contender to be on the postseason team. Johnson is the second-highest graded true freshman EDGE after Rueben Bain. The Gaffney (S.C.) High product appears to be getting better and better, too. This week, Johnson had a huge outing in App State’s 28-21 loss to Old Dominion, tallying two sacks and eight pressures. His combination of size and athleticism pops off the screen, particularly against Group of Five competition. There’s little question Johnson is a high-end talent. On3 was significantly higher on Johnson than the rest of the industry, as he finished with the highest three-star rating of 89 and was ranked as the No. 40 EDGE prospect in the 2023 cycle.

EDGE Princewill Umanmielen, Nebraska

Nebraska’s defensive front was able to get after Northwestern quarterback Brendan Sullivan in the Cornhuskers’ 17-9 win on Saturday. True freshman Princewill Umanmielen played a role in the success, registering three tackles, four assists and a sack. The 6-foot-4, 240-pounder from Manor, Texas got some preseason hype with a strong fall camp in Lincoln and has seen his role expand. Umanmielen saw his most reps of the season to date on Saturday, logging 39 snaps. His athleticism and twitch off the edge provides a spark. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Umanmielen’s role continue to increase over the next few weeks. A consensus four-star recruit, Umanmielen ranked as the No. 227 overall prospect in the 2023 On3 Industry Ranking.

CB Jermaine Mathews, Ohio State

Saturday’s biggest game saw a former On3 five-star step up in a big way. With star cornerback Denzel Burke out with an injury, Ohio State turned to true freshman Jermaine Mathews for much of the Buckeyes’ 20-12 win over No. 7 Penn State. Mathews played 47 snaps on Saturday and played a key role in a defensive performance that limited the Nittany Lions to just one third down conversion on 16 tries and held quarterback Drew Allar to 18 completions on 42 pass attempts. Mathews delivered a key pass break-up on a third down in the third quarter, getting his hand on a pass intended for Keandre Lambert-Smith. The true freshman’s confidence and playmaking ability was readily apparent on Saturday. Matthews surrendered three completions for 29 yards on seven targets, per Pro Football Focus.

The Cincinnati (Ohio) Winton Woods product was a five-star outlier On3 finishing as the No. 14 overall prospect and No. 1 corner in the 2023 On300. If his early play is any indication, Mathews looks to be a future star in the Buckeye secondary.