cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Tre Freeman /Duke

Tre Freeman

LB · Duke · Sr · #12

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

52 TACKLES · 1 SACKS

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Duke for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Duke for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Linebacker · Duke

Returning around him

  • 18% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
  • 3 Duke players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: +2 net (19 in / 17 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Duke · Last season: 9-5 · Talent rank #58 · 2026 recruiting class #30

LB · DUKE · ACC

Tre Freeman

  • 4
  • #12
  • 6-0 | 230 lb
  • Durham, NC

CFB Zeitgeist Score

70

Solid starter in the position cohort. Carried by interceptions at the 75th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#5671

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP LB AWARD

Butkus

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R06 · Starter

Starter. A locked-in starting role.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
No recruit profile
CFB
College
Duke
2021–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionLB
Class4
Jersey12
Measurements6-0 | 230 lb
HometownDurham, NC
Primary teamDuke

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree Not on file No matched recruiting profile in the loaded archive
Composite rating -- Composite rating unavailable for this player
Signed with -- Commitment history unavailable
Origin -- Hometown and high school unavailable
Class Profile Context
No recruiting profile is on file for this player.

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#5671Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#6265Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Tre Freeman

Fan sentiment · Awaiting signal

The Room reads fan conversation around a player — who’s talking, what they believe, and how that shifts. It publishes once weekly volume rebuilds; for most players that’s in-season, when game-week chatter spikes.

Cohort divergence map

Cohort divergence reads how different fanbases talk about this player. Returns once weekly mentions clear the publish floor.

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Tre Freeman

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the defensive totals stand

final
Through 13g
52Tackles
4Tackles for loss
1Sacks
Per game
4Tackles
0.3Tackles for loss
0.1Sacks
Final
52Tackles
4Tackles for loss
1Sacks

Why this is a rare defensive case

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Tre Freeman is trying to climb the steepest award hill in college football: a defensive candidacy. The hook is the disruption profile on Duke's defense, with 1.0 sacks, 4.0 tackles for loss, and 2 interceptions through the current loaded season. For a defender, the question is never just production; it is whether elite disruption and team context can become nationally undeniable.

Current place #5671 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load -- Role share still loading
Profile quirk Defensive rarity 1.0 sacks | 4.0 TFL

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

DEF season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Total tackles 52 23 solo | #550/4942 (89th pct)
TFL 4.0 Backfield disruption | #738/4972 (85th pct)
Sacks 1.0 Pass-rush finish | #872/4972 (82nd pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

High-disruption defender | Coverage splash | High-volume tackler against FBS defenders.

High-disruption defenderCoverage splashHigh-volume tackler

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Tackling & Disruption

TOT
52 89th
SOLO
23 82nd
TFL
4.0 85th
SACK
1.0 82nd
QBH
1 44th

Coverage & Takeaways

PD
3 76th
INT
2 87th

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 13 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppTKLSOLOTFLSACKINTPDNote
Wk 1W 45-17vs Elon621.50.50
Wk 2L 19-45vs Illinois631.50.50
Wk 3L 27-34@ Tulane110.00.00
Wk 4W 45-33vs NC State930.50.010Season-high 9 tackles
Wk 5W 38-3@ Syracuse400.00.00
Wk 6W 45-21@ California110.00.00
Wk 8L 18-27vs Georgia Tech100.00.00
Wk 10W 46-45@ Clemson740.00.00
Wk 11L 34-37@ UConn510.00.03
Wk 12L 17-34vs Virginia530.50.010
Wk 14W 49-32vs Wake Forest110.00.00
Wk 15W 27-20@ Virginia210.00.00
BowlW 42-39vs Arizona State430.00.00
Total52234.01.023
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2021Duke3-9HC: David Cutcliffe · Run-leaning, fast tempo
2022Duke9-4HC: Mike Elko · Run-leaning
2023Duke8-5HC: Trooper Taylor · Run-leaning, slow tempo
2024Duke9-4HC: Manny Diaz · Pass-leaning
2025Duke9-5HC: Manny Diaz · Balanced
SeasonTeam
2025Duke52234.01.032--
2024Duke67303.50.522--
2023Duke95525.01.531--
2022Duke1671.51.0------
2021Duke210.00.0------
Career5 loaded seasons23211314.04.085--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Disruption stats

TFL, sacks, and QB hurries are grouped together because defensive Heisman cases are usually built on visible havoc, not on tackle counts alone.

Coverage splash

Pass breakups, interceptions, and forced fumbles matter because national awards voters respond to plays that change possessions and highlight reels.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

INT 2 1 pick-six TD | #114/869 (87th pct)
Pass breakups 3 Coverage disruption | #521/2184 (76th pct)
QB pressures 1 Quarterback hurries | #1051/1878 (44th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Defense Total tackles 52 #550/4942 89th pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense TFL 4.0 #738/4972 85th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Sacks 1.0 #872/4972 82nd pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense Interceptions 2 #114/869 87th pct Takeawaysvs FBS DEF
Defense Pass breakups 3 #521/2184 76th pct Coveragevs FBS DEF
Defense QB hurries 1 #1051/1878 44th pct Disruptionvs FBS DEF
Defense INT return yards 85 #29/578 95th pct Takeawaysvs FBS DEF
Defense INT return avg 42.5 #44/578 93rd pct Takeawaysvs FBS DEF
Defense Solo tackles 23 #839/4584 82nd pct Volumevs FBS DEF
Defense Defensive TD 1 #23/200 89th pct Scoringvs FBS DEF
Defense Pick-six TD 1 #13/119 90th pct Scoringvs FBS DEF

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

The Butkus award tracker integrates per-week probability once a dedicated scraper for this award lands. Confirmed past winners and finalists for this player will surface here.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 13 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Home7g4.60.60.10.0
Road6g3.30.00.00.5

Win vs Loss

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Wins8g4.20.20.10.0
Losses5g3.60.40.10.6

First half vs Second half

TKL/gTFL/gSACK/gPD/g
Weeks 1-77g4.40.50.10.0
Weeks 8+6g3.50.10.00.5

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the LB cohort

70Solid starter
7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: tackles (81st).

Tackles#550 / 2975 · 81st pct
52defe
Passes defended#517 / 2975 · 78th pct
3defe
Interceptions#114 / 817 · 75th pct
2inte
Tackles for loss#736 / 2975 · 73rd pct
4.0defe
Solo tackles#839 / 2975 · 71st pct
23defe
Sacks#847 / 2975 · 63rd pct
1.0defe
QB hurries#1007 / 2975 · 55th pct
1defe

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · LB · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 7 metrics
Tre FreemanDukeTJ DotteryOle Miss· 85% simMarsel McDuffieUNLV· 84% simColton PharesApp State· 82% sim
Tackles
81
Freeman
98
Dottery
99
McDuffie
98
Phares
Passes defended
78
Freeman
67
Dottery
78
McDuffie
78
Phares
Interceptions
75
Freeman
75
McDuffie
90
Phares
Tackles for loss
73
Freeman
83
Dottery
83
McDuffie
96
Phares
Solo tackles
71
Freeman
97
Dottery
99
McDuffie
95
Phares
Sacks
63
Freeman
74
Dottery
80
McDuffie
80
Phares
QB hurries
55
Freeman
55
Dottery
72
McDuffie
72
Phares

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

Player DNA

The Coverage 'Backer

Carries tight ends and patrols the middle of the field in coverage.

LB

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Owen McGowan’s 2025 season.

Owen McGowan

85%match

Boston College · 2025

#2

Desmond Purnell

Kansas State · 2023

84%
#3

David Gbenda

Texas · 2023

84%
#4

Jaden Robinson

Florida · 2025

81%
#5

Cornell Wheeler

Kansas · 2024

80%

Matches Owen on

Sack rate
Tackle volume
PD rate

Not enough data yet for this comparison.

As a graduate, his production profile tracks closest to Brevin Randle's graduate season at UTSA (2024).

Brevin Randle

88%match

UTSA · 2024

#2

Jerome Jolly Jr.

Liberty · 2024

82%
#3

Sean Brown

NC State · 2025

80%
#4

Antonio Clary

Virginia · 2024

80%
#5

Vonta Bentley

Colorado · 2024

80%

Matches Brevin on

Class year
Sack rate
Tackle volume

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Manny Diaz

Pass share

53.3%

506 pass / 444 run

Plays / game

67.9

14 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

6.7%

358 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Balanced.

Coaching Lineage · 2021–2025

4 coaches
2021
David Cutcliffe
Duke
2022
Mike Elko
Duke
era →
2023
Trooper Taylor
Duke
era →
2024
Manny Diaz
Duke
era →
2025
Manny Diaz
Duke

Played under 4 different head coaches: David Cutcliffe, Mike Elko, Trooper Taylor, and Manny Diaz. Multi-era developmental context.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownDurham, NC
Height6'0"
Weight230 lb
Class4
PositionLB
Jersey12

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Duke LB4 #5671 #6265 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | ACC
2023 Duke LB4 #7080 #7799 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | ACC
2022 Duke LB4 #9750 #9742 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | ACC
2021 Duke LB4 #12950 #12903 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | ACC

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Duke ACC LB 4 No. 12 | 6-0 | 230 lb | Durham, NC
2024 Duke ACC LB 4 No. 12 | 6-0 | 230 lb | Durham, NC
2023 Duke ACC LB 4 No. 12 | 6-0 | 230 lb | Durham, NC
2022 Duke ACC LB 4 No. 12 | 6-0 | 230 lb | Durham, NC
2021 Duke ACC LB 4 No. 12 | 6-0 | 230 lb | Durham, NC