20 College Football Teams with the Most to Prove in Spring Ball

Spring football is right around the corner, and there are already questions that teams must be able to answer. 

Many of the teams that are coming off a solid 2011 campaign must be able to prove themselves once again. 

There are many different options to choose from, but I feel that these 20 teams have the most to prove in the spring before we get the 2012 season underway.

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Alabama

Nick Saban will have more questions to answer next season with all of his superstars gone to the NFL.

Courtney Upshaw, Dre Kirkpatrick, Mark Barron and Josh Chapman are just the defensive stars that are gone. It may sound silly to ask, but can Saban turn the backups into the next group of stars?

His linebackers were easily the best in America, so there has to be a drop-off in 2012, right?

Also, isn’t that running back gone?

Eddie Lacy won’t be the next Trent Richardson, but the likely healthy emergence of Dee Hart and Jalston Fowler should be solid. They are arguably running behind the best offensive line in the country (Barrett Jones and DJ Fluker, both future first-rounders).

Lastly, the SEC West is the toughest division out there (don't forget Michigan in opener), and there will be three or four brutal games that will test the Tide. Saban has plenty to prove again, and more than likely, he will find a way to get it done.

Ohio State

Urban Meyer will be the most popular coach in America next season not named Nick Saban, and it will be interesting to say the least. 

Is Ohio State capable of pulling a USC by staying motivated and winning perhaps double-digit games (top 10 finish)?

Braxton Miller’s legacy could take a hit or it can take a step closer to All-American status. Are the weapons he has around him good enough to make him look like the next star in Columbus? Is Miller a future Heisman front-runner?

There are a ton of questions that Meyer will have, but his team-first approach and ability to out-recruit you (on top of eight home games) should makes things run smoothly. 

Southern California

Why are the Trojans on this list?

It is simple. Because they are my preseason national champions, and many aren’t putting that much stock into this group of talented stars.

Matt Barkley is losing just one offensive lineman, but it is arguably the best in the sport. Matt Kalil protected the blind side of Barkley, but there also needs to be an improvement in the Trojans average running game (51st , 162 YPG).

If USC wants to become that dominant program to eventually knock off the SEC, they better step it up on defense as well.

Wes Horton need to be the anchor off the edge, but clearly, linebackers Dion Bailey and Hayes Pullard need to show their superstar ability.

We know the secondary is going to be athletic, but in order to beat the Ducks twice (likely need to beat them twice to get crack at title), they will need to control the line of scrimmage on defense.

Oklahoma

Landry Jones was abysmal without Ryan Broyles when he went down for the year, so what can he do in 2012 without him for a full season?

Broyles was arguably an All-Decade type of receiver, and guys like Kenny Stills and Jaz Reynolds need to be able to handle double-teams.

Plus, they have a bevy of young freshmen coming in. They will have questions to answer and a ton of performances to prove people wrong over.

Is Oklahoma really worthy of a top-five preseason ranking? Losing guys like Travis Lewis, Ronnell Lewis and Frank Alexander could be too tough to overcome on defense.

Lastly, what kind of impact will losing Brent Venables (Clemson) have on the team with Mike Stoops as the new DC? The players will always be there, but the Sooners have been relatively quiet on the national radar in the past few years now.

Florida State

The Seminoles are a near mortal lock to be ranked in the top 10 once again, and they need to prove they aren’t the same old overrated team.

Maybe it sounds harsh, but the reality is, Jimbo and the boys need to appear in a BCS (at least) bowl before they start being called a "soft team."

America has labeled them as such, but this team finally has everything going for them: talent, swagger, experience and a tremendous coaching staff in place.

The third year for Jimbo could be a special one, but the offense needs to develop a running game, or else E.J. Manuel and the defense will need to play out of their minds.

Clemson

Dabo Swinney and his Tigers were humiliated in the Orange Bowl, and they need to prove they are no longer that joke of a Clemson team.

The talent is BCS-worthy, and they need to not fool us like they did last year. They get Auburn in the opener, and the likes of Sammy Watkins and Tajh Boyd better perform like All-Americans since the squad seems to build off their play.

Also, what about the defense? A few bright stars will be missed, but the recruits are piling up, and the young talent eventually needs to rise up to fit their billing.

Virginia Tech

David Wilson is gone in the backfield, and their All-American caliber defensive back (Jayron Hosley) is also gone.

More of the onus will be put on quarterback Logan Thomas, and he has a fairly new offense around him. Which receivers will be stretching the field for him?

The offense needs to improve or else they will have no chance to compete with the likes of Clemson or FSU, though the defense should be improved.

Frank Beamer has one of the best active streaks in college football right now: Eight straight seasons of 10-plus wins at the moment, but some think that is in serious jeopardy for 2012.

Michigan

Denard Robinson will have a ton of questions to answer, and Brady Hoke’s second season could be a tricky one. Alabama awaits in Dallas Cowboys Stadium, and then a trip to South Bend could give them two losses in September.

How does Michigan prevent a tough start to its season?

It starts with other playmakers around "Shoelace" to develop as young stars, but the receiving corps really needs to develop into one of the best in the Big Ten. Also, don't forget the porous performance that Robinson and Michigan left us with in the Sugar Bowl, offensively speaking. 

Virginia Tech clearly looked robbed from that bowl game, and Michigan was never in rhythm or sync.

Lastly, the defense that was sensational this past season will need to play lights out. Especially if they expect to compete for another BCS berth, let alone a possible Big Ten title.

Michigan State

Kirk Cousins, BJ Cunningham, Keshawn Martin and Jerel Worthy are all gone. How will the Spartans be able to overcome all of those losses?

Well, their defenense is loaded with stars in the making, and their ability to run the ball can allow them to finally get a shot at a BCS bowl.

Plus, the Big Ten does not look as if it has a premier national title contender, does it?

This season could be where Mark Dantonio finally gets the credit he deserves. The guy is an elite coach, and he has the ability to answer every question that his team has.

Wisconsin

The Badgers return Montee Ball, but they need to answer questions as to why they are still not an elite college football team.

Their defense could not play much better, but it hasn’t been good enough in consecutive Rose Bowls.

Russell Wilson is no longer the signal-caller, and Wisconsin needs to remain a balanced offense in order to get another crack at a third straight Big Ten title. What are the expectations for this squad?

I expect a top-15 ranking and a Big Ten title appearance, but they will likely see an overwhelming and talented opponent in the Big Ten title if they do reach it.

Plus, they cannot keep their dominance up, can they? Bret Bielema has had a tremendous ability to prove the nation wrong, but will he honestly keep it up?

Oregon

Darron Thomas somehow and someway decided to leave the program for the NFL draft despite (potentially) not even getting drafted. LaMichael James is gone, but De’Anthony Thomas and Kenjon Barner remain as the most explosive backfield in the universe.

The defense is fairly young and developing into a much better unit, and Chip Kelly’s coaching staff finally got its first BCS victory.

Still, they have a ton to prove since some still do not view them as national title contenders. Are they physical enough and can they stand a chance of slowing down the Trojans? Forget national contenders, they may not even win their own conference, according to most.

In Chip Kelly does Duck nation have faith in.

Boise State

Kellen Moore is gone, and Chris Petersen and the Broncos will have to answer a ton of questions and concerns. How can they possibly remain relevant after losing the winningest signal-caller in college history?

Moore may be the only player to ever record 50 wins, but D.J Harper does return in the backfield. Still, they will have to find a way to keep up their torrid pace on the scoreboard since the defense loses their entire front four.

Are the replacements capable of becoming productive right off the bat?

They get Sparty in East Lansing on Friday, Aug. 31, and what better way to shut up the naysayers? MSU will be a top 10-15 team, and Boise may barely be ranked in the top 20, so they have a lot to prove, and it starts in the spring.

TCU

Is Gary Patterson ready for the prime-time Big 12 conference? He has the players, but will they take a businesslike approach or will they just be happy to finally be able to play with the big boys?

Patterson is an elite coach in the game, and his signal-caller, Casey Pachall, has the weapons around him to succeed.

The only problem is that Oklahoma and Texas have legit ball clubs right now, and it may be tough for TCU to go BCS bowling in its first Big 12 season.

However, the rest of the conference may not be able to keep up, and it will be interesting to what they want to prove to the nation. Is TCU capable of going undefeated or close to it?

In time, the recruiting classes will only improve, and the Horned Frogs could become yearly national contenders. Until then, they have plenty to improve starting in the spring.

Stanford

Without Andrew Luck, is Stanford a seven-win squad or perhaps still a double-digit program?

We will soon find out, and David Shaw is landing some beasts on the offensive line that will make life much easier.

Stanford has become that new hot girl in school, and it is all because they have been consistently taking care of business and winning games.

Nothing is better than winning in sports, and nothing is worse than losing. Guys like Ty Montgomery should emerge as near future stars for the Cardinal, but they still need somebody throwing the pigskin to him. It starts with the spring when the questions hopefully turn into answers. 

Georgia

The Georgia Bulldogs have been labeled overrated by some experts and your average fans that they let down the SEC in their loss to Michigan State.

A ton of their stars are back (Aaron Murray, Jarvis Jones, Bacarri Rambo), and Mark Richt would love nothing more than getting his ‘Dawgs back into the BCS picture.

It has been a long six seasons since the last BCS appearance, and the talent is there for a top-five type of season. Can they get some balance from their running game, or is this team too one-dimensional to become an elite team?

The talent is there, the schedule is there and the East Division is winnable once again. 

South Carolina

Is Marcus Latttimore going to become the Doak Walker Award winner like many expected from last season? Is South Carolina going to live up to the expectations as a legit top-15 squad?

The Gamecocks are coming off an all-time high where they have won their New Year’s Day bowl and they also just recorded the most wins in program history. Steve Spurrier has finally taken the Gamecocks to new heights, but a BCS trip has to be in the works to truly celebrate.

The SEC East is vastly improving, and the loss of Alshon Jeffery at receiver isn’t the greatest of news. Do they have anybody (collectively) that can help out Connor Shaw in the passing game? 

Nebraska

Is this the year Nebraska finally gets back to the BCS? It has been seemingly forever (’01-‘02), and Rex Burkhead, contrary to belief, will not be in the backfield for the rest of eternity.

Taylor Martinez has to mature quickly as a passer, even though some do not think he is a lock to start. Lavonte David, Alonzo Dennard and Jared Crick (though he missed time with injury) are all gone.

Who is going to step up and fill those voids? 

Oklahoma State

Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon are both goners, and Mike Gundy will be questioned as to whether his system will be half as effective. They wanted their title shots and fell short, so will the motivation still remain?

How much will the talent level drop, if at all? Joseph Randle was a near All-American last season, and he should help out new quarterback Clint Chelf. If they want to become another double-digit caliber squad, then they will need to really step it up on defense. Will they get lucky, causing nearly five turnovers a game again?

West Virginia

The move to the Big 12 should happen any day or week now, but is the team ready? Geno Smith and Tavon Austin are the real deals offensively speaking, but the defense better show up.

Seven starters are expected back, but the grueling schedule in comparison of the Big East to the Big 12 may be too tough for the Mountaineers to run through.

They will need to slow down the passing attack of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, and let us not forget TCU and Texas.

The Big 12 was arguably the second best conference in the nation last year, and it may become that with no questions asked next season. WV better look improved in the spring before things get cracking in the fall. 

Arkansas

Bobby Petrino has been so close to becoming a national title contender, but he has failed to get the best of Nick Saban and Alabama.

The Razorbacks have had consecutive successful seasons, but they still need to get over the top. Tyler Wilson is the perfect quarterback to lead them there, but they lose guys like Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright. Cobi Hamilton can become a star, but who else will step up?

Also, can Knile Davis become one of the elite backs in the SEC before his ankle injury in 2010? We haven’t even had a chance to discuss the defense, and we know that is the real concern when it comes to winning and losing.

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