3 Freshmen prove Tennessee's future is in good hands against Kent State

When you score 65 in a half and take your starting QB out midway through the 2nd quarter, you know you had a pretty good day at the office.

Tennessee's absolute drubbing of Kent State gave a lot of opportunities for the young guys to show off their skills. Three freshmen stood out, not just in the box score, but they flashed some ability that proved Tennessee's next young core will be ready to take the mantle.

DeSean Bishop

DeSean Bishop should be the backup, not Cam Seldon. Bold claim? Maybe. Bishop has not run just as hard as Sampson to start the season. He is always looking for a lane into the end zone. He doesn't just want the first down; he wants to score.

Bishop had seven carries for 120 yards and 2 TDs, with his longest being a 53-yard touchdown scamper. He's a great story as a preferred walk-on from Karns High School, but Bishop is more than that; he's a legitimate starter for Tennessee in the future. He looks a lot like Jabari Small on the field, and he might run harder with a bit more explosiveness.

Mike Matthews

Matthews didn't stand out in the box score, only securing two catches for 35 yards and a 32-yard safety punt return. However, in both catches, he flashed his special talent.

His first catch was a short flat route that he caught, beat a defender, and raced for a 17-yard gain. His second catch was for a touchdown, and he high-pointed the ball from Gaston Moore, absorbed a good hit from the Kent State defender, and held on to the ball through him crashing back to Earth.

It will be hard to keep him off the field, and that's in a receiver room with Bru McCoy, Squirrel White, Chris Brazzell II, and Donte Thornton.

Edrees Farooq

The hyped freshman in the secondary this season was Boo Carter, but Farooq has been making waves both on the field and in practice. Tonight, he was able to play early and often after Jakobe Thomas was ejected for targeting in the first half.

Farooq led the defense in tackles from the safety position with six, and on a night when it was difficult for defensive players to stand out due to all the rotation, Farooq was all over the field. Farooq likely won't factor into the safety rotation this season, but the former 3-star has made a name for himself and could find himself a starter next season.