2024 Football Roster
Roster
McLaurin, Hershey

Jersey Number 15
Hershey McLaurin
- Position:
- DB
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 210
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Friendship, Miss.
- High School:
- Collins HS
- Prev School:
- West Virginia / Jones County JC
Bio
As a Senior (2024)
Prior to Houston
Personal
- 629 snaps played including 535 defensively
- Appeared on special teams in all 12 games (94 snaps)
- Single-season career-best 50 tackles on season (sixth on the team)
- Set a single-season career-best eight tackles for loss
- Forced first-career fumble at TCU (Oct. 4)
- Notched a career-high 11 tackles vs. Baylor (Nov. 23)
- 71.1 pass-rush grade (PFF) ranked sixth among Big 12 safeties
- One-or-no receptions allowed in seven games
- No receptions allowed in four games
- 79.1 defensive grade against #18/19 Iowa State (Sept. 28)
- Grade vs. Cyclones led all Big 12 safeties during Week 5
- UH honorary game captain vs. Rice (Sept. 14)
Prior to Houston
- Spent two seasons at West Virginia (2022-23)
- In 24 games at WVU: 89 tackles (49 solo), 7 TFL and 4 passes defended
- Appeared in 12 games including eight starts during 2023
- 44 tackles, 6 TFLs and three breakups
- 74.6 defensive grade (PFF) ranked ninth among Big 12 safeties
- Fourth among Big 12 safeties in run defense (79.0) and pass rush (76.6) per PFF
- 76.6 pass rush grade ranked 24th among Power 5 safeties per PFF
- Season high 9.0 tackles at Oklahoma (Nov. 11)
- 7.0 tackles and two passes defended at TCU (Sept. 30)
- 4.0 tackles, including three solo stops at Houston (Oct. 12)
- In 2022, played in all 12 games and started two at free safety
- 45 tackles, including 25 solo stops, a tackle for loss and a pass breakup
- Four tackles at Oklahoma State
- two tackles vs. Kansas State
- Assisted on two tackles and broke up a pass vs. TCU
- Career-high nine tackles (seven solo) at Texas Tech
- Five tackles and first career tackle for loss vs. Baylor
- Four tackles at Texas
- First career WVU start vs. Towson, tallying four stops
- Team-high eight tackles vs. Kansas
- Mountaineer debut at Pitt; finished the game with a pair of tackles
- Enrolled at WVU in January 2022
- Spent two seasons at Jones County JC (2020-21)
- Two-time All-Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference honoree
- In 2021, he finished with 36 tackles and five interceptions
- Tied for No. 4 nationally in interceptions as defense led nation in picks (22)
- Defense gave up 16.3 points per game, ranking No. 6 nationally
- Helped lead Jones to an 8-2 record and 5-1 mark in the conference
- Season-high 9.0 tackles (four solo), 1.0 TFL and an interception at Pearl River
- Season-high two interceptions and a pass breakup at Copiah-Lincoln
- Had seven tackles at Itawamba
- In his first year in 2020, played in all five games in a COVID-19 shortened season
- 21 tackles and one tackle for loss
- Two interceptions, one fumble recovery and four breakups
- 27-yard fumble return for a touchdown vs. East Central
- MACCC Defensive Player of the Week
- Season-high 8.0 tackles, one INT and a TFL vs. Pearl River
- Distinguished Academic All-MACCC and two-time JC Honor Roll member
- Prepped at Collins High School
- Four-year starting quarterback for Tigers
- Won combined 29 games over final three seasons
- First team All-Area selection
- Threw for over 6,000 yards and 73 touchdowns in his career
- Named offensive player of the year in both football and basketball
- Basketball MVP
- Earned Dean's List honors
Personal
- Nickname: Hershey
- Hobbies: fishing
- Dream job outside of football: physical therapist
- Something most people don’t know: Hershey isn’t his real name
- Hidden talent: can dance
- Chose UH because of Coach Fritz
- One word to describe himself on the field: focused
- If he could eat one food for the rest of his life: fish
- Biggest motivation for working hard: his parents
- Highlight of life thus far: playing college football
- Best advice: be you
- Sports hero: his brother – his role model
- Most memorable athletic feat: 2020 player of week in JUCO
- Unique fact: named himself Hershey
Postgame Press Conference: Football at Rice
Saturday, September 06
Postgame Press Conference: Football vs. Stephen F. Austin
Friday, August 29
Press Conference: Head Coach Willie Fritz Previews SFA
Monday, August 25
Camp Availability: Head Coach Willie Fritz
Monday, August 04