FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE) – On September 2nd, in the season opener at Purdue, Erik Brooks had a statement game for the Fresno State football team: nine catches for 170 yards and two touchdowns.
Josiah Freeman, meanwhile, had one catch for eight yards.
That did not affect the outcome, but it did mean something to the redshirt sophomore.
“It was definitely different, my first game, getting my first snap at Purdue,” he said this week. “Just that one catch, I felt like everything happened so much faster than junior college. I think that one catch, that’s really all I needed right there.”
That one catch has led to many more catches, especially in the last few weeks. It began at Utah State on October 13th, when Josiah Freeman had four catches for 75 yards.
“That whole week I feel like I had a good week of practice, our game plan was pretty simple,” said Freeman. “I feel like they are starting to get more comfortable with me, giving me opportunities to make catches and plays they know I can make.”
He made them long before he arrived at Fresno State, both in high school and at Hartnell Junior College in Salinas where he was all-state as a wide receiver.
In 2021, in eight games, Josiah Freeman had 866 receiving yards and ten touchdowns.
“He has developed a lot this year, and he’s been coming into his own,” said Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene. “A lot more confidence has been instilled in him.”
Josiah Freeman had options coming out of Hartnell. He was recruited by several Division I schools, including Utah, Washington and Washington State.
“I remember coming here on a game visit to Nevada. Just the atmosphere is what really drove my attention here.”
