Spring Practice

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Ohio State is creating a lot of excitement about their offense this spring especially after
finishing #4 nationally in total offense last year. Add in a 5-star transfer quarterback from
Georgia and expectations are running high. The huge elephant in the room no one is talking
about is the Buckeye defense that gave up 5,204 yards during 2018, ranking the defense
#93 in the nation. Seems to me the lingering question this spring is can the new coach and
staff fix/improve the team's biggest weakness. We shall see...……...

 

[mws]

Clemson lost starting WR Amari Rodgers to a torn ACL this week. Tons of depth at WR, but obviously he was a starter for a reason. Clemson has played the whole spring without its starting DT's Jordan Williams (3-technique) and Nyles Pinckney (nose) because of a knee injury and a torn pec, respectively. And that's after losing their top three interior linemen to the NFL after last season.

 

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Mississippi State - Defense led the way in Starkville last season as the group held teams
to 13.2 points per contest. Now, this unit has a few holes to address in spring practice,
starting up front with the departure of future NFL'ers Jeffery Simmons and Montez Sweat.
Even though the defense might not be as strong as the 2018 version, there's still enough
talent to rank near the top of the SEC. Bigger concerns remain on offense where a new
starting quarterback and some big play receivers must be found.

 

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Texas - The Longhorns must replace a higher percentage of last year's production
than any other power conference team. Careful with the "we're back" hype this
season.

 

[mws]

Yeah, I'm not buying the Texas hype, especially with so much of it being based on that win over a disinterested Georgia tam in the bowl game.

 

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Georgia - The Dawgs return a lot of talent for 2019 but they also lost some really good
players, especially at the receiver positions. Gone are Mecole Hardman (35 receptions),
Riley Ridley (43), Isaac Nauta (30) and Terry Godwin (23). Those four combined for nearly
2,000 receiving yards and 22 touchdowns in 2018. The question for Kirby Smart is who will
replace them? Apart from junior Jeremiah Holloman (24), five-star recruit George Pickens
is expected to step in and start right away. Another receiving option is RB D'Andre Swift
coming out of the backfield where he caught 32 passes for 3 touchdowns last year. Jake
Fromm (2,761, 67%, 30 TDs) is a good QB but he needs help and right now there's some
uncertainty as to who he will be throwing to.

 

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Georgia just announced a home and home series with Florida State. The Bulldogs travel
to Tallahassee on September 4, 2027, then the Seminoles return the favor on September
28, 2028. The two schools last met in the 2003 Sugar Bowl where Georgia won. Good
scheduled series for both programs.

 

[Knightrofins]

I'm not sure if you missed it but Oklahoma and Clemson last week signed a home and home for 2035 and 2036.

Crazy how far out some of these schools schedule

 

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Georgia also inked a contract last week to play Clemson in a home-and-home series
in 2032 and 2033. The two schools already had a series setup for 2029 and 2030.

On a sour note, Georgia had 4 players arrested last month and already 2 this month.
Charges range from traffic violations to simple battery to disorderly conduct to possession
of marijuana. When I read this...I though Mark Richt was still in charge.

 

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Auburn - The Tigers are clearly in rebuild mode in 2019. They lose almost the entire front
seven and two-year starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham. The offensive line should be more
experienced and there is talent at receiver and in the secondary. Still, Auburn needs to retool
a bit before facing Oregon in the first game this season. CFB News has made an early prediction
that Oregon will win the opener 27-23. "Go with the underdog Pac-12 team with the NFL quarter-
back Justin Herbert and a loaded supporting cast." Good opening test for both teams.

 

[mws]

Georgia also inked a contract last week to play Clemson in a home-and-home series
in 2032 and 2033. The two schools already had a series setup for 2029 and 2030.

We also have a game in Atlanta in 2024.

 

[DeadLast]

Auburn - The Tigers are clearly in rebuild mode in 2019. They lose almost the entire front
seven and two-year starting quarterback Jarrett Stidham.

The QB position is most definitely in rebuild mode. It looks like a Nix/Gatewood battle for the starting position and neither have ever seen the field.

I don't agree, however, with the statement they lose almost the entire front seven. The backers will be a rebuild but their front will be one of the most experienced and talented fronts in the country.

Derrick Brown, Marlon Davidson and Nick Coe all passed up the temptation to bail early for the NFL. Those guys plus the return of Big Kat Bryant and T.D. Moultry give AU a ton of returning talent at the postion. Tyrone Truesdell will probably be a new starter at tackle, but Coe is expected to play inside a bunch this season. With him on the field every guy along the front will have previous starting experience.

While there will be some rebuilding to do at the backer position, I don't see it as a big deal. AU, like most teams now, play mostly nickle or dime so seldom do they have more than 2 backers on the field - many times just one. Projected starters, K.J. Britt and Chandler Wooten, (both juniors) have game experience. I actually look for this position to be stronger than last year despite the lack of experience.

I agree with the rest of your post - almost. There is some talent at the receiver position but this is an area that will have to be rebuilt. Ryan Davis caught 69 passes last year -almost twice as many as any other receiver. Darius Slayton caught 35 passes last year - second on the team Both of these guys are gone. Replacing their production will not be easy. Seth Williams and Anthony Schwartz return and both are solid. Eli Stove and Hastings both return from major knee surgeries. If both return near 100 percent the group will get a big boost. If not, some of the young guys will have to step up.

As for the offensive line having experience - I agree. All 5 starters return. Sacks were way down last year from the previous season and despite a lack of talent this group improved significantly as the season progressed. Herb 'can't coach a lick' Hand damn near ruined this group but Grimes have them going in the right direction. If experience can offset a lack of talent this group could end up serviceable next season. However, if there are injuries - especially at the tackle position - this group will again be a major liability.

 

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Washington State - Last year the Cougs won 11 games with transfer quarterback Gardner
Minshew leading the way. Minshew from East Carolina threw for 4,777 yards and 38 touchdowns.
For 2019, Mike Leach has brought in Eastern Washington transfer Gabe Gubrud where he passed
for 9,984 yards and 87 touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,042 yards and 13 touchdowns. Gubrud
was a two time finalist for the Walter Payton Award given to the Best Offensive Player in the FCS.
He will join a solid cast of returning starters with four offensive lineman, plenty of pass catchers,
and a good running back in Max Borghi. Leach has the weapons and knows how to use them. Don't
sleep on the Pirate...………..

 

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Oklahoma - The Sooners just sent four offensive line starters to the NFL with its only
returning starter (center Creed Humphrey) missing the entire spring recovering from
injury. OL coach Bill Bendenbaugh has had a rebuilding project going on this spring for
certain but he has a reputation of developing good offensive linemen. He's considered
one of the best in the business. There will be some rough spots but having an established
, veteran quarterback behind center like Jalen Hurts should help.

 

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Penn State - James Franklin enters his sixth season at State College with the same
challenges in the Big Ten East. The Nittany Lions are coming off a 9-4 season where
they finished third in the Big Ten East behind Ohio State and Michigan moving Franklin
to just 2-8 against those Big Ten contenders. Penn State must replace quarterback
Trace McSorley and lost key playmakers on both sides of the ball, but Franklin has
brought in some top recruiting classes to fall back on. Doubtful he will improve his
record against the Buckeyes and Wolverines this year.

 

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Auburn - The battle for the starting quarterback position is crowded for the Tigers. Coach
Gus Malzahn has four options who could conceivably be the starter for the opener against
Oregon. One is Joey Gatewood, who looks the part at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds but has just
one pass attempt under his belt. The second is Cord Sandberg, a former top recruit who
spent six years in the Philadelphia Phillies' organization before returning to college. Malik
Willis resembles the best athlete of the bunch, and brings along two years of experience as
a backup. And then there's 5-Star recruit Bo Nix who's father played quarterback at Auburn.
He's the most promising of the group, but Willis might be the safest, at least when it comes
to the opener against Oregon. Malzahn has a big decision to make!

 

[Knightrofins]

Just read that Alabama and Oklahoma agreed to a home and home series in 2032 and 2033.

Good times!!

 

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Michigan State - For those Spartan fans expecting to get ten wins this season, you
might need to scale back expectations a bit. There's possibly five contest verse Top 25
teams this fall, including the Big Ten opener at Northwestern on September 21. There's
a potentially brutal five game stretch in which the Spartans play road games against
Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan surrounding home games with Penn State and
Illinois...a season defining stretch.

Wisconsin - The Badgers may just have the toughest schedule in the Big Ten this season.
They literally play every above average to elite team in the conference this fall. Top com-
petition features Michigan, Northwestern, Michigan State, at Ohio State, at Nebraska and
verse Purdue. No double digit wins this season for the Badger boys.

 

[Knightrofins]

There are 57 spring games being played today.

Including 27 either on tv or streaming online

 

[cloverleaf]

There are 57 spring games being played today.

Including 27 either on tv or streaming online

Yeah, and after 0-4 in hockey last night, I'm going to watch as many as possible.