The Rise of the Freshman Has Greatly Changed Varsity Football Over the Last 20 Years

The evolution of player development — from Tyrod Taylor, Michael Vick, and my freshman journey to today’s instant-impact ninth graders

Warwick High School Freshman Running Back Avione Tucker. / Kalvin Claiborne

Two decades ago, seeing a freshman step onto a varsity football field was almost a community-shaking moment. I know because I lived it. During my freshman year, I appeared in just three varsity games, and even that felt monumental.

A Different Era of Friday Nights

I still remember our homecoming matchup — our starter was pulled in the third quarter, and suddenly I was jogging onto the field with the whole stadium buzzing. I threw a touchdown on my first drive, and in our city, that became news. It wasn’t normal; it was almost unheard of at that time.

I came up in the same district as Tyrod Taylor, who went on to an NFL career, and even he saw limited freshman reps. Freshmen simply didn’t play much because they weren’t physically or mentally ready for that level of competition. It was an era defined by patience and development. But today, freshmen starting on varsity isn’t just accepted — it’s expected. The evolution of training, competition, and development pipelines has completely changed the landscape.

More Freshmen Playing Varsity: The New Normal

Early athletic development has accelerated dramatically. Players now enter high school with a level of technical training and competitive repetition that didn’t exist when I played. '

Quarterbacks begin private training as early as sixth grade. Receivers learn advanced release techniques at age 12. Linemen spend summers drilling footwork with specialized coaches. And nearly every position benefits from year-round 7-on-7 competition. None of that existed in the early 2000s. Back then, you simply played whatever sport was in season. Today’s players specialize earlier, develop earlier, and arrive in high school with skills that used to take years to refine.

Part of this shift can be seen in Virginia's Peninsula District. Warwick High School freshman running back Avione Tucker is one of the clearest examples of how the modern athlete develops differently.

I’ve watched Tucker since youth league, followed him through middle school, and now into high school. His dominance hasn’t slowed for a single year. In youth football, people explained away his production by saying he had an early-matured frame or that kids his age just couldn’t tackle him yet. But now, against varsity competition, he is still producing at the same overwhelming rate. That isn’t just size—that’s training, skill, and a level of development that outpaces the era in which I grew up.

Woodside High School Freshman Jabari Jackson / Obed Jae Policarpio

Another freshman making noise is Woodside’s Jabari Jackson, another young player I’ve followed since his youth league days. The way he has transitioned into high-school football reflects the same evolution. These athletes are living proof that not only has the game evolved, but the training and preparation have changed with it. Freshmen today are often physically and mentally equipped to contribute right away.

There’s also a misconception that overall talent is dramatically higher today. In some ways, athletes are more polished and more specialized, but the talent pool itself isn’t as abundant or layered as it used to be. Twenty years ago, high-school programs were filled with upperclassmen who dominated games and created a natural barrier for younger players. Today, the standout freshman often earns varsity snaps not just because they’re advanced, but because the gap between freshman ability and senior ability has narrowed. The game has changed, and so has the depth of rosters.

Why Freshmen Used To Wait Their Turn

High school football used to be physically older. Varsity rosters were filled with 17- and 18-year-olds who looked like grown men. The physical difference between a 14-year-old freshman and an 18-year-old senior was enormous, and the idea of a freshman starting was seen as both unlikely and unsafe. That physical disparity shaped the culture of programs. Coaches built their systems around upperclassmen, and seniority carried weight.

Development followed a clear ladder: freshman team, junior varsity, and finally varsity. Players embraced the idea that their time would come. But that ladder has faded. Everything is accelerated now, from training to evaluation to opportunity.

Dec 1, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick (7) warms up before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-Imagn Images / John Geliebter-Imagn Images

A Personal Lens: My Father’s Standard

My father, legendary Virginia coach Tommy Reamon Sr., coached me, but he also coached one of the most electrifying quarterbacks the game has ever seen: Michael Vick. Even with Vick’s generational ability, he wasn’t immediately placed on varsity as a freshman. In fact, the JV coaches had to beg my father to move him up because JV was simply too easy for him. That’s how high the bar was. If Michael Vick, arguably the greatest athlete many of us have ever seen at the high-school level, didn’t automatically start as a freshman, it tells you how rare the opportunity was at that time.

My own freshman experience reflects the same reality. When I threw that homecoming touchdown, it felt like a breakthrough not just for me, but for the whole area. People talked about it for weeks. Coaches around the district took notice. It was rare enough to spark conversation. And remember—I shared a district with Tyrod Taylor, who is working on more than a decade in the NFL, won an ACC title, and earned a Pro Bowl appearance. Even he wasn’t a freshman varsity star. That’s how dramatically the timeline has shifted.

Why the Shift Happened

One major factor is the rise of 7-on-7 football, which has transformed how young quarterbacks and receivers develop. Middle-school athletes now face complex coverages and timing windows that used to only be available at the varsity level.

Another factor is the explosion of private training. Quarterbacks, receivers, linemen, and even defensive backs now work year-round with specialists who prepare them for the varsity game long before they reach high school. Social media has also changed the landscape. Coaches now evaluate athletes before they ever step foot in a high-school weight room. They’ve seen middle-school highlights, youth-league clips, and camp reps. The evaluation cycle begins years earlier, and athletes who show early promise get opportunities earlier. The talent gap between freshman and senior classes has narrowed, and that narrowing creates room for younger athletes to compete immediately.

What This Means For the Future

Freshmen playing varsity will continue to be part of the new normal. With earlier specialization, higher skill development, and more competitive environments, young athletes will enter high school better prepared than the generations before them. But early varsity action doesn’t automatically predict long-term greatness. Varsity at 14 simply means the athlete is ahead at that moment in time. Long-term success will always depend on work ethic, consistency, make-up, growth, and adaptability. Those qualities haven’t changed from my era to today’s game.

The Game Evolves, But Standards Stay the Same

Freshmen playing varsity used to be a headline. Now it’s routine. The game has evolved, the athletes have evolved, and the training has evolved. But football still rewards development and growth, regardless of when the journey begins. Whether it’s the freshmen who shine today or the Tyrod Taylors and Michael Vicks who waited their turn before becoming stars, the game always identifies those who continue to grow. That part of football remains timeless.