First-year quarterback Zach Wilcke received most of the headlines, but another true freshman quietly slid into the Southern Miss football starting lineup against Northwestern State on Saturday.
That rookie was Kyron Barnes, who took over the job at right tackle three games into his first season in Hattiesburg.
Barnes, a 6-foot-4, 300-pound product of Adams County Christian, played 37 snaps for the Golden Eagles against Northwestern State, emerging from the game as USM's second-highest graded offensive lineman by Pro Football Focus.
"(He) played really well," Southern Miss coach Will Hall said during his Sun Belt media teleconference Monday.