[washingtonismoney]

In terms of sheer numbers -- of players played -- 2015 just edges out 2009 and is left behind 2012. (EDIT: by which I mean, is tied with 2012. Assuming I didn't miss more guys.) If the 2015 freshmen have an even vaguely comparable impact as either of those two classes, we'll be spending a lot more time in Pasadena in the future.

And there's more room for optimism. Many of the freshmen today are outliers on one dimension or another. Since 2009 no one's come close to Alijah Holder's 7 passes defended. Solomon Thomas's 10.5 tackles for loss just edge out Peter Kalambayi's performance in 2014. Bryce Love looks like the second-best true freshman running back since 2009. (EDIT: Quenton Meeks's 3 picks are the most of any freshman; his 4 PBU is tied with Tarpley for second since 2009. Alfieri's 7 TFL is tied with Chase Thomas for third since 2009.)

Also nice is the redshirt management. Shaw et al. had a tendency in previous years of burning redshirts for awfully frivolous roles. I don't see any spectacularly dumb redshirt burns here. (Even, say, Mustafa Branch played some important snaps during the ILB injury crisis against UCLA.)

[washingtonismoney]

In terms of sheer numbers -- of players played -- 2015 just edges out 2009 and is left behind 2012. (EDIT: by which I mean, is tied with 2012. Assuming I didn't miss more guys.) If the 2015 freshmen have an even vaguely comparable impact as either of those two classes, we'll be spending a lot more time in Pasadena in the future.

And there's more room for optimism. Many of the freshmen today are outliers on one dimension or another. Since 2009 no one's come close to Alijah Holder's 7 passes defended. Solomon Thomas's 10.5 tackles for loss just edge out Peter Kalambayi's performance in 2014. Bryce Love looks like the second-best true freshman running back since 2009. (EDIT: Quenton Meeks's 3 picks are the most of any freshman; his 4 PBU is tied with Tarpley for second since 2009. Alfieri's 7 TFL is tied with Chase Thomas for third since 2009.)

Also nice is the redshirt management. Shaw et al. had a tendency in previous years of burning redshirts for awfully frivolous roles. I don't see any spectacularly dumb redshirt burns here. (Even, say, Mustafa Branch played some important snaps during the ILB injury crisis against UCLA.)