Tristan Wheeler among 24 frosh named to Jerry Rice Award watch list
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We’ll need a very large contingent of friends and family of Tristan coming down from Bethlehem,Pa for the 1 hour ride to support the Spiders on Saturday.
Game Details - 2019 District XI 6A Semifinal
The Freedom varsity football team has a home playoff game vs. Parkland (Allentown, PA) on Friday, November 8 @ 7pm.
Game Details - 2019 District XI 6A Semifinal
The Freedom varsity football team has a home playoff game vs. Parkland (Allentown, PA) on Friday, November 8 @ 7pm.
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Believe this young man will become the best Spider LB since Eric McBride. He certainly deserves - has earned - consideration for this award. Love to watch him play!
Focus on physiology helped Spiders freshman LB Tristan Wheeler make immediate impact
University of Richmond linebacker Tristan Wheeler (30) and end Maurice Jackson closed in on Jacksonville runner Nasser Clark in the Spiders' 38-19 win early this season.
Tristan Wheeler
University of Richmond linebacker Tristan Wheeler this week was one of 24 players named to the watch list for the Jerry Rice Award, which annually goes to the FCS’ top freshman.
The recognition is related entirely to what Wheeler does on the field, and that is tightly tied to what he does off the field, Wheeler said Wednesday. His impact – second among all FCS freshmen in tackles (8.4 tpg) – is partly explained by his attention to nutrition, rest and other physiological matters.
“All the little things that people don’t realize go into it,” said Wheeler, a 6-foot-2, 228-pounder from Bethlehem, Pa.
His interest to this area emanates from his fascination with the field of science. Wheeler intends to major in biology and hopes one day to pursue a medical degree. Wheeler said that starting years ago, one of his curiosities was “understanding how my body works as an athlete, because we’re using it every day. It’s kind of interesting to see how it works and why it does the things that it does.”
Wheeler’s physical ability, his football IQ, and his preparation habits distinguish him from other freshmen, according to Richmond coach Russ Huesman. With most of the Spiders’ first-year players, participation in four games and the retention of a redshirt year is the plan of the Richmond staff.
Wheeler has played in all nine Richmond games and is the second-leading tackler for UR (5-4, 4-1 CAA) behind fellow linebacker Tyler Dressler, who's a junior. The Spiders are the only CAA team with two players who rank among the league's top 10 in tackles.
“We had a good feeling about (Wheeler) because in the summertime, he had a commitment. He was watching film. He was getting himself ready to do this,” said Huesman. “Tristan’s a hard worker. He knows what it takes to be a college football player. Most freshmen, they don’t have a clue.”
Wheeler announced his presence in his first game as a Spider. During Richmond's 38-19 win over Jacksonville on Aug. 29, he took part in a team-high 12 tackles.
Saturday, at No. 18 Villanova (6-3, 3-3 CAA), defense figures to be the Spiders’ ticket to their fifth consecutive league victory. The Wildcats rank among the CAA’s top four in scoring (35.1 ppg), rushing (190.7 ypg), passing (253.8 ypg), and total offense (444.5 ypg).
Richmond continues its run toward a position in the 24-team FCS playoffs, which seemed highly unlikely after a 1-3 start.
“I don’t want to say we needed it, but in a way, I think it benefited us,” Wheeler said of the dissatisfying September. “It made us want to work harder and prove all the doubters wrong. I think we were the ‘but …’ team, you know? Everyone was like, ‘They’re pretty good, but they can’t finish.’
“So I think that was part of our motivation to finish the season strong.”
Villanova has dropped three straight since getting off to a 6-0 start.
“I think they want to try to put out our fire and install some confidence back in them,” said Wheeler, who lives about a 90-minute drive north of VU, but was not offered by the Wildcats.
- BY JOHN O'CONNOR Richmond Times-Dispatch
- 12 min ago
University of Richmond linebacker Tristan Wheeler (30) and end Maurice Jackson closed in on Jacksonville runner Nasser Clark in the Spiders' 38-19 win early this season.
Tristan Wheeler
University of Richmond linebacker Tristan Wheeler this week was one of 24 players named to the watch list for the Jerry Rice Award, which annually goes to the FCS’ top freshman.
The recognition is related entirely to what Wheeler does on the field, and that is tightly tied to what he does off the field, Wheeler said Wednesday. His impact – second among all FCS freshmen in tackles (8.4 tpg) – is partly explained by his attention to nutrition, rest and other physiological matters.
“All the little things that people don’t realize go into it,” said Wheeler, a 6-foot-2, 228-pounder from Bethlehem, Pa.
His interest to this area emanates from his fascination with the field of science. Wheeler intends to major in biology and hopes one day to pursue a medical degree. Wheeler said that starting years ago, one of his curiosities was “understanding how my body works as an athlete, because we’re using it every day. It’s kind of interesting to see how it works and why it does the things that it does.”
Wheeler’s physical ability, his football IQ, and his preparation habits distinguish him from other freshmen, according to Richmond coach Russ Huesman. With most of the Spiders’ first-year players, participation in four games and the retention of a redshirt year is the plan of the Richmond staff.
Wheeler has played in all nine Richmond games and is the second-leading tackler for UR (5-4, 4-1 CAA) behind fellow linebacker Tyler Dressler, who's a junior. The Spiders are the only CAA team with two players who rank among the league's top 10 in tackles.
“We had a good feeling about (Wheeler) because in the summertime, he had a commitment. He was watching film. He was getting himself ready to do this,” said Huesman. “Tristan’s a hard worker. He knows what it takes to be a college football player. Most freshmen, they don’t have a clue.”
Wheeler announced his presence in his first game as a Spider. During Richmond's 38-19 win over Jacksonville on Aug. 29, he took part in a team-high 12 tackles.
Saturday, at No. 18 Villanova (6-3, 3-3 CAA), defense figures to be the Spiders’ ticket to their fifth consecutive league victory. The Wildcats rank among the CAA’s top four in scoring (35.1 ppg), rushing (190.7 ypg), passing (253.8 ypg), and total offense (444.5 ypg).
Richmond continues its run toward a position in the 24-team FCS playoffs, which seemed highly unlikely after a 1-3 start.
“I don’t want to say we needed it, but in a way, I think it benefited us,” Wheeler said of the dissatisfying September. “It made us want to work harder and prove all the doubters wrong. I think we were the ‘but …’ team, you know? Everyone was like, ‘They’re pretty good, but they can’t finish.’
“So I think that was part of our motivation to finish the season strong.”
Villanova has dropped three straight since getting off to a 6-0 start.
“I think they want to try to put out our fire and install some confidence back in them,” said Wheeler, who lives about a 90-minute drive north of VU, but was not offered by the Wildcats.
