DALLAS (FWAA) – This is the the Week 10 installment of the Football Writers Association of America's weekly Freshman Focus for the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award, Freshman Player of the Year and the 2024 FWAA Freshman All-America Team.
The Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach Award, presented by Chris Doering Mortgage, goes to the best first-year coach (at his school) in FBS football at the conclusion of the season.
The recipient of the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach, the FWAA Freshman of the Year and the Steve Spurrier Legends Coach will be honored at a special reception on Feb. 24, 2025 in Gainesville, Fla.
FIRST-YEAR PLAYERS: THE FRESH FOUR
CJ Bailey, QB, NC State (6-6, 190, Miami, Fla.): 18/20, 234 yards, 3 TD; 6 rushes, 19 yards
Bailey’s first three-touchdown game helped NC State dominate Stanford by a 59-28 count on Saturday. The Wolfpack’s highest-scoring game before Bailey’s explosion was a 38-10 Week 1 win over Western Carolina. The true freshman completed 90 percent of his passes, including three throws of more than 25 yards. Bailey can lead his team to bowl eligibility and a three-game win streak by beating Duke on Saturday.
LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina (6-3, 242, Florence, S.C.): 13/27, 244 yards, 2 TD, 15 rushes, 106 yards, 1 TD
After nearly upsetting LSU and Alabama earlier this season, Sellers finally introduced himself to the country, leading South Carolina to a 44-20 domination of then-10th-ranked Texas A&M. The redshirt freshman’s first three-touchdown game was more than enough to knock off the Aggies, who entered the game as the only remaining undefeated team in SEC play. Sellers and the Gamecock offense outscored Texas A&M 24-0 in the second half to seal the upset. South Carolina can earn bowl eligibility and another AP Top 25 win when it travels to Vanderbilt this Saturday.
Kam Shanks, WR, UAB (5-8, 180, Prattville, Ala.): 5 receptions, 153 yards, 3 TD; 2 rushes, 19 yards, 1 FUM; 4 punt returns, 139 yards, 1 TD
Shanks has been a fixture in UAB’s offense all season, but the way he erupted in UAB’s 59-21 win over Tulsa was brand new. Shanks was nothing if not explosive, scoring on receiving touchdowns of 67, 48 and 34 yards to go along with a 58-yard punt return touchdown. The redshirt freshman set a school record with 311 all-purpose yards on Saturday. UAB snapped a six-game losing streak and can win another on Saturday against UConn.
Bryson Washington, Baylor (6-0, 203, Franklin, Texas): 26 rushes, 196 yards, 4 TD; 2 receptions, 22 yards
Washington took over with season-highs in carries, yards, and touchdowns in Baylor’s last-second 37-34 win over TCU on Saturday. The redshirt freshman displayed good vision and breakaway speed on long touchdown runs of 40 and 35 yards. Baylor even leaned on Washington in its two-minute drill drive, handing him the ball five times before the game-winning field goal. The Bears have the week off to prepare for a trip to West Virginia on Nov. 16, where they aim to win their fourth straight.
STEVE SPURRIER FIRST-YEAR COACHES
Fran Brown, Syracuse: Brown’s Orange earned bowl eligibility and a dose of ACC respect, beating Virginia Tech 38-31 in overtime. Syracuse was down 14-3 at the half before exploding for four second-half touchdowns, setting up a game-winner for running back LeQuint Allen in overtime. Brown’s defense had struggled for most of the day but sealed the game with their first turnover, a fumble recovery. Syracuse can move to 7-2 on the year with a win at Boston College this Saturday.
Curt Cignetti, Indiana: Led by the only remaining undefeated first-year coach, Indiana looked strong again in a 47-10 beatdown of Michigan State. Cignetti’s Hoosiers entered the second quarter down 10-0 before rattling off 47 unanswered points to earn the first 9-0 start in school history. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke led the attack, throwing for 263 yards and four touchdowns on 19 completions. The Hoosiers have a matchup with Michigan this Saturday before getting a bye week to prepare for a trip to Ohio State on Nov. 23.
Willie Fritz, Houston: Fritz’s Cougars followed a 17-14 upset of Utah last weekend with a 24-19 upset of Kansas State on Saturday. Houston’s offense struggled for most of the day before quarterback Zeon Chriss took control with a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Chriss ripped off a 41-yard touchdown run through the heart of the Kansas State defense to pull ahead for good. Houston can win its third straight when it travels to face Arizona this Friday.
Jon Sumrall, Tulane: Sumrall’s Green Wave just keeps winning, as the team moved to 5-0 in the AAC with a 34-3 win over Charlotte. Running back Makhi Hughes rolled for 117 yards and two scores on 27 carries, while freshman quarterback Darian Mensah added 214 yards through the air. Charlotte could only gain 189 yards of offense and was 1-for-9 on third-down conversions. Tulane can stay undefeated in the conference with a win over Temple on Saturday.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of journalists, broadcasters, publicists, photographers and key executives in all areas of college football. The FWAA works to govern media access and gameday operations while presenting awards and honors, including an annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its programs and initiatives, contact Executive Director Steve Richardson at 214-870-6516 or tiger@fwaa.com.