Which Freshmen Redshirted Last Year?

Along with the true freshmen coming in, there are also some guys who redshirted last year and still have 4 years of eligibility left.

The Redshirt Freshmen for 2008:

3 QB DeMarcus Grady
12 QB Chandler Harnish
46 LB Dan Hilbert
74 OL Adam Kiel
89 DL Ron Newcomb
62 OL Trevor Olson
68 OL Keith Otis
81 WR Nathan Palmer
29 LB Pat Schiller
35 RB Alan Smith
16 DB Boone Thorgesen
71 OL Scott Wedige
41 DB Tracy Wilson

Redshirt walk-on freshmen (Still on roster):

77 OL Eli Alafogainanis
10 WR Willie Clark
88 TE Brett Eriksen
97 TE Jack Marks
55 LB Pat McAvoy
55 LS Nolan Owen
77 OL Joe Pawlak
43 PK Andrew Trimmerman
3 LB Kyle Wideman

True Freshmen that did play last year:


36 RCB Chase Carter (JR) - Started all 12 games
Season stats: 42 tackles (23 solo), .5 TFL, 2 INTs for 120 yds and 5 pass break-up

Chase is a perfect example of how a JUCO guy can come in and help right away. Kill recruited guys from the same JUCO in Coffeyville, KS.


80 WR Landon Cox - Played in 10 games
Season stats: 2 catches for 19 yds
Special teams: 5 tackles (2 solo)

Cox would always play in games, but rarely caught the ball for some reason. Hopefully he can develop more skills this off-season with his 6'3" frame.


33 DB Patrick George - Played all 12 games
Season defensive stats: 7 tackles (5 solo)
Special teams: 13 kick returns for 242 yds (18.6 avg), longest 28 yds, 20.2 per game

George was sporadic in his kickoff returns. He would drop the ball a lot of the time. He has a ton of speed, and hopefully he can develop some more awareness over this off-season.


94 DL John Hopkins - Played in 3 games
Season stats: 1 tackle

Hopkins filled in pretty nice on the D-Line before falling to Compartment Syndrome.


98 DT DJ Pirkle - Played in 6 games, starting 3
Season stats: 13 tackles (11 solo), 4 TFL for 37 yds (3 sacks for 35), 1 pass break-up and 1 fumble recovery

Pirkle was another nice fill-in with all of the D-Line injuries. He is huge and just engulfs people sometimes. He had some huge games later in the season.


34 LB Kyle Skarb - Played in 8 games
Season stats: 4 tackles (2 solo)

Skarb is a guy I barely noticed playing, but he filled in pretty well as a backup LB.


3 RB Chad Spann - Played in 10 games
Season stats: 11 rushes for 61 yds
Special teams: 5 tackles (2 solo)

Spann had a tough year after apparently being put in Novak's doghouse after the Idaho game and injuring his knee on special teams later in the year.

This brings the entire freshman class number up to 24 scholarship players (11 true, 13 redshirt) along with 9 redshirt freshman walk-ons. Can't wait to see what walk-ons Coach Kill brings on the team this year in addition to Krisch.