Clemson, USC quarterbacks among freshmen who could make impacts

Freshmen should play a bigger role than ever in college football this season, thanks to an NCAA rule change.

The NCAA is allowing players to participate in up to four games and still qualify for a redshirt season that would enable them to maintain four years of eligibility. That rule change should put many more freshmen on the field than in past years.

“It’s a seismic change in our world,” Baylor coach Matt Rhule said.

Of course, more and more freshmen have been making an impact on the game well before this rule change. With a growing number of freshmen enrolling in school early and participating in spring practice rather than preparing for their senior proms, newcomers already have been delivering big performances on college football’s biggest stage.

The latest example of that came in last year’s College Football Playoff championship game, when freshman Tua Tagovailoa came off the bench in the second half to rally Alabama to an overtime victory over Georgia.

“I know the freshmen are more ready now than maybe ever before,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. “Back when I first got into coaching, 95 percent of your freshman class would redshirt. Now it’s probably less than 50 percent.”

A rundown of some true freshmen with the opportunity to make a major impact this fall.

/ Daniel Varnado/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, File Trevor Lawrence (16), shown playing for Cartersville in 2016, is so promising at Clemson that he’s forged a legitimate preseason competition with incumbent starter Kelly Bryant.