Back to School: The 10 Best Players Learning New Positions or Schemes

Every season, coaching transitions occur at major schools across the country. There are some changes that receive little attention, while others receive spotlights larger than the latest Hollywood hit. 

This season's changes will bring adjustments at the player level—from schemes to positions—and there are 10 talented players that will be facing new scenarios this fall that stand out heading into the 2012 season.

With major shifts occurring at the head coaching and coordinator level this season, big-name teams with high aspirations will be affected.

Here is a look at the top 10 players that look to have major changes in schemes and positions this fall.

Corey Lemonier: Auburn

Corey Lemonier finished last season as an All-SEC selection at defensive end. He earned the honor by finishing with 47 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

Lemonier was a pass-rushing specialist in the Ted Roof defense, but this season, he will be cut loose to attack both the weak and strong sides of the offensive line (per al.com). 

Auburn hired former Georgia and Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Brian VanGorder to run the defense for the Tigers this season. He has coached big-name ends before—David Pollack, for one—and Lemonier looks to be another big name in the future. 

According to Phil Steele (via AuburnTigers.com), Lemonier is a preseason third-team All-American selection—playing in the new VanGorder defense will give him the ability to overachieve even those lofty expectations. 

Lemonier will be learning a new scheme and will even make a position adjustment this season. All signs are pointing to positive results for the Tigers if it goes smoothly.

Gerald Hodges: Penn State

As the Penn State football team takes the field this season, there will be questions surrounding the mentality of the program. One player that no one should have concern over is Gerald Hodges. 

Hodges had a stellar 2011 junior campaign—finishing with 106 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and one interception. Hodges had the chance to jump to the pros after his huge season, but he opted to stick with College Station in 2012.

According to ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg, Hodges comes in as the No. 19 player in the Big Ten preseason top 25. Hodges is also a first-team preseason All-American selection, according to Lindy’s College Football Preview.

There are a lot of high expectations for Hodges, but he will be facing a new head coach and new defensive coordinator with the arrival of Ted Roof on campus. Roof has been known to run multiple formations in the past despite his base schemes that were seen at Auburn.

That should favor Hodges.

The Nittany Lions also retained linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden, keeping continuity and familiarity from the coaches box for Hodges. There looks to be promising results for Hodges this season under the new schemes that will come. 

Matt Scott: Arizona

Arizona made a major shift in philosophy when it hired Rich Rodriguez. A major piece of the Wildcats' new offense will be quarterback production—placing a lot of responsibility at the feet of the assumed 2012 starter, Matt Scott. 

Rodriguez has shown in his time at Michigan and West Virginia that his offense can produce masterful results. Some argue that he has helped re-introduce the quarterback option to college football. 

That being said, if Scott can make the positive transition under the Rodriguez leadership, he will become a household name by season's end.

In no way am I saying that the Wildcats will be national title contenders or even conference contenders, but if Scott develops quickly in the new offense, his highlights will land on SportsCenter often. 

Braxton Miller: Ohio State

Urban Meyer is back. We all know the story of the return and extremely short “break” from the game that was taken, but the bigger story this fall will be the development of Braxton Miller in the new Meyer offense. 

Jim Tressel ran a power-based offense that was hard-nosed and generic, but not overly productive. With Meyer at the helm, the open, spread-option offense will allow for Miller to reach his potential and put up monster numbers. 

The skill players that exist on the Buckeyes roster will assist his leap to stardom, but Miller will be a major player in this season's Heisman conversation with his abilities and now-freed up offensive scheme. 

According to David Daniels, this could be a scary-good offense in 2012 for the Buckeyes. 

Randall Mackey: Ole Miss

With the departure of Houston Nutt at Ole Miss came the shift of Randall Mackey from quarterback to receiver early this spring.

Even before the move was official, Mackey was listed by Barrett Sallee as the No. 143 overall player in the SEC—as a quarterback.

Mackey never really fit into the quarterback role for the Rebels, but his athleticism came through often as he made numerous busted plays completions in the passing game. He also threw for a modest 1,112 yards. He earned those yards despite not throwing a pass in three games, and attempting less than 10 passes in three others. 

One of the glaring positives for Mackey is his athleticism, and with the quarterback race narrowing this spring with Barry Brunetti taking the lead (per the Associated Press, via GulfLive.com), the move for Mackey was natural. 

The new Hugh Freeze offense will incorporate the athleticism of Mackey in many scenarios from receiver, running back and even Wildcat. 

Tino Sunseri: Pitt

It was a dramatic shake-up for Pitt to start the 2012 season, but Paul Chryst was officially named the head man in late December after the departure of Todd Graham after one season.

Chryst spent seven years as offensive coordinator at his alma mater—Wisconsin—building explosive offenses based off of a heavy rushing, pro-style attack.

Tino Sunseri has been a very effective leader for the Pitt Panthers in the past two seasons, accumulating 2,616 yards and carrying a 64.2 completion percentage in the Todd Graham hurry-up, no huddle, spread offense in 2011. 

This season will bring a shift in philosophy for Sunseri and the Panthers, handing the biggest adjustment to the quarterback to learn a third offensive philosophy in three years. 

Sunseri is a good leader and can make the adjustment, but Panthers fans are not looking for mediocre results this fall. With the history that Chryst has at developing quarterbacks, Pitt fans won’t be disappointed in the 2012 transition for Sunseri. 

Dan Hicks: Florida State

The Seminoles of Florida State are yet again gaining ground in the preseason rankings. According to the College Football Live preseason top 25 for 2012, the Seminoles land at No. 7.

A lot of that has to do with the returning defensive prowess and assumed quarterback leadership, but the rushing attack for the Seminoles was downright terrible last season. Florida State finished as the No. 104 team in the country in rushing offense in 2011.

One of the biggest issues for the Seminoles was lead blocking in 2011. This spring, the Seminoles moved Dan Hicks from defensive end to tight end (per Tomahawk Nation) to shore up the position and assumedly assist in improving the rushing attack.

This is a major move for Hicks, as he was an up-and-coming defensive lineman for the Seminoles. This will be a position to watch simply for the production value from the Seminoles rushing attack. 

If the Hicks transition works out well, expect Florida State to grind out a lot of rushing yards. 

Trey Burton: Florida

Trey Burton has become a household name for virtually every SEC fan in the past two seasons.

Burton was expected to be the next Tim Tebow in the Urban Meyer offense, but following the departure of Meyer and change of offensive philosophy, Burton’s options opened immensely.

Burton will be in his third offensive system this fall, with Brent Pease making the move from Boise State to Florida, but that looks to be a good thing for the athlete. 

In the past two seasons, Burton has thrown passes, played running back and receiver. In 2012, Burton will be looked to fill a hybrid running back/wide receiver role. According to Barrett Sallee, Burton is the No. 119 player in the SEC heading into the season. 

Burton finished 2011 with 274 yards of combined receiving and rushing yards. He has too much talent for such little production.

Look for Pease to find a better role for Burton and for the Gators to rely heavily this season on his offensive playmaking skills. 

Cameron Marshall: Arizona State

Cameron Marshall has been a quiet producer in Tempe over the past few seasons.

It isn’t because the production isn’t there—Marshall has rushed for 2,117 yards and 29 touchdowns in three seasons—it is the fact that he has been overshadowed by the other amazingly skilled backfield athletes found in the Pac-12. 

Marshall marched to 1,050 yards and 18 touchdowns last season while also hauling in 24 receptions. The old offensive systems for the Sun Devils was pass oriented, now the power back will be asked to do what he does best—pound the ball down the field. 

When the hire of Todd Graham was announced for Arizona State, Marshall was admittedly excited. When asked about the new system, Marshall said, “as a running back, that's the kind of offense you want to be in, it's a lot of downhill running," via ESPN.com.

Bryn Renner: North Carolina

The North Carolina Tar Heels were becoming one of the most powerful sleeper teams in the ACC in the Butch Davis days. After a run-in with the NCAA and change of regime that led to the hiring of Larry Fedora, a no-huddle spread attack found its way to Chapel Hill. 

Fedora turned the Southern Miss Golden Eagles into one of the most dangerous offenses in the country in 2011, finishing at No. 17 in total offense. The Eagles were also No. 14 in scoring offense. 

Bryn Renner has to be excited to land in the new Fedora offense, and the options that it brings for his future. Renner finished his sophomore season as a starter for the Heels with 3,086 yards passing, a 68.3 completion percentage and 26 passing touchdowns.

Under Fedora, the development should continue. 

Renner went into the Tar Heels' spring game battling for the starting job, and a 23-of-28 performance for 295 yards and two touchdowns likely solidified his position as the starter this season. 

Bringing in Fedora looks like a great move for the Tar Heels that will build an even stronger passing attack with Renner at the helm.

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