Every Power 5 Team's 1 Position Battle That Will Last Until Opening Day
When a position battle pops up on a college football team during the season, it's often a sign of trouble because it either means the starter has lost his effectiveness or an injury has forced a change at a spot where there's no go-to backup.
But in the offseason, position battles are far more common and looked at as an opportunity for hungry players to show their desire to be a starter. They also serve as an elixir for action-starved fans looking for anything football-related to track and discuss during the long months between the end of one season and the start of the other.
Every power-conference team figures to have several position battles that will be waged over the next two months during spring practice, but not all of them can be decided during this brief time frame. Either because no strong candidate emerges from the pack or because starting contenders aren't available until the summer, several competitions will continue on until the final days of training camp.
Here's the one position battle that every Power Five team (plus Notre Dame) will have continue on until right before the 2015 season opener.
Alabama
1 of 65
Position: Wide receiver
Candidates: Chris Black (Jr.), Daylon Charlot (Fr.), Robert Foster (So.), Calvin Ridley (Fr.), Cam Sims (So.), ArDarius Stewart (So.)
First things first: No one player can replace Amari Cooper when it comes to his production, which was off the charts in 2014 and rewrote Alabama's record book. His departure for the NFL was expected after his junior year, as the Crimson Tide landed two of the best wide receiver prospects of the 2015 class, but neither Charlot or Ridley will show up until the summer.
Before then, a quartet of wideouts who combined for 40 receptions and only one touchdown last year will be battling to stay ahead of the big names showing up later on. Of that group, Black was the most used with 15 catches for 188 yards.
"He arrived at Alabama in 2012 with slightly higher recruiting marks than Cooper," wrote Michael Casagrande of AL.com. "He figures to be more of a Christion Jones-type receiver in the slot, however, after two seasons in a reserve role."
Jones and DeAndrew White have also graduated, leaving every starting receiver position open.
Arizona
2 of 65
Position: Center
Candidates: Cayman Bundage (Sr.), Layth Friekh (So.), Levi Walton (Fr.), Carter Wood (Sr.)
Arizona graduated three starters from its offensive line, including both tackles, yet the center position is the most critical fill and the one where there's not a clear-cut successor in place. Spring ball won't solve this competition, since many of the candidates for the job will be coming from other spots on the line and learning the position in drills.
"If you can shotgun snap, you are going to rep some center in the spring," coach Rich Rodriguez told Anthony Gimino of Fox Sports.
Wood filled in for Steven Gurrola when he was ejected for fighting during the Pac-12 title game, but otherwise he didn't see much time. Bundage was Arizona's starting right guard, while Freith saw time as a backup tackle. Walton is also a tackle by trade, yet in order to ensure the Wildcats have their best athlete at the center position, it may mean having to switch people around.
Arizona State
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Position: Wide receiver
Candidates: Gary Chambers (Sr.), Frederick Gammage (Jr.), Ellis Jefferson (So.), Eric Lauderdale (Jr.), Cameron Smith (Jr.)
While converting running back D.J. Foster into a slot receiver will help, Arizona State needs more than just his production to replace what Jaelen Strong took with him to the NFL.
Smith has the best shot to win the job after he was third on the team with 41 receptions for 596 yards and six touchdowns last year. But he'll have strong competition from Jefferson, Chambers and Gammage, who combined for 37 catches and five TDs, and all showed promise.
Lauderdale, a top junior college transfer in the 2014 class, sat out last year and could be ready to burst onto the scene the way Strong did in 2013 after coming from a JUCO.
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Arkansas
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Position: Tight end
Candidates: Austin Cantrell (Fr.), Will Gragg (Fr.), C.J. O'Grady (Fr.), Jeremy Sprinkle (Jr.)
Few schools make better use of their tight ends than Arkansas, which frequently has two or more of them on the field at the same time to help in run blocking. These big boys also contribute well in the passing game, as the graduated A.J. Derby was the team's third-leading receiver.
Hunter Henry was Arkansas' No. 2 receiver last season, and that doesn't figure to change, but other tight ends have to step up for the additional starting or rotation spots. That's why coach Bret Bielema signed three players in the 2015 class, and all could get in there this fall.
O'Grady is the best of the lot, but he doesn't arrive until the summer, while Gragg enrolled early to get a jump on the competition.
Auburn
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Position: Running back
Candidates: Peyton Barber (So.), Jovon Robinson (Jr.), Roc Thomas (So.)
Auburn's offense has produced back-to-back 1,600-yard rushers since Gus Malzahn took over the program, but the shift this fall looks to be more toward the pass with Jeremy Johnson replacing the mobile Nick Marshall at quarterback. Don't expect the run to get completely abandoned, though, not with the candidates the Tigers have to carry the ball.
Barber and Thomas were reserves last season and combined for 268 yards and two touchdowns, though Barber only got into one of the final seven games. Thomas doesn't automatically take over the job, though, not with No. 1 junior college prospect Robinson coming in from Georgia Military College, where he ran for more than 3,100 yards with 43 touchdowns.
"Whoever manages to grab the starting job will see a heavy workload and a chance to lead the SEC in rushing," Kevan Lindsey of Fansided wrote.
Baylor
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Position: Right tackle
Candidates: Pat Colbert (Sr.), Dominic Desouza (Jr.), Maurice Porter (Jr.)
While Spencer Drango is back for one more year to protect the Baylor quarterback's blind side, whoever that ends up being, blocking for him on the right side is where the Bears still have some figuring out to do.
Colbert started the final six games in 2014 after Troy Baker tore his ACL, and while he did well, it was more by necessity that he was in the lineup. Now the Bears have options, as Desouza and Porter were signed from junior colleges with the expectation to compete for a starting spot.
Desouza, from City College of San Francisco, enrolled in January, while Navarro College product Porter won't arrive until the summer.
Boston College
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Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Troy Flutie (R-Fr.), Elijah Robinson (Fr.), Jeff Smith (Fr.), Darius Wade (So.)
After two straight years with senior quarterbacks, including one as a graduate transfer, Boston College has to start from scratch and skew very young.
Tyler Murphy set the ACC record for rushing yards by a passer last season, but the Eagles may not necessarily need a mobile quarterback. If they do, that could be Robinson, one of two quarterbacks signed in the 2015 class and (unlike Smith) already enrolled and participating in spring practice.
If BC turns more toward a dropback passer it figures that will be Wade, who served as Murphy's backup but didn't get much playing time. And there's also Flutie, the nephew of BC great Doug Flutie, who didn't play last season.
California
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Position: Center
Candidates: Matt Cochran (Jr.), Patrick Mekari (Fr.), Addison Ooms (R-Fr.)
With as fast as California's offense moves, it needs to have a good guy handling the ball at the start of each snap. Center Chris Adcock started 15 games at the position over the previous two years, but now it's the job of an untested player to handle that spot.
"Developing our offensive line is the next step in improving our football team," California coach Sonny Dykes told Jeff Faraudo of the San Jose Mercury-News.
Cochran played in 10 games last year but didn't get many meaningful snaps, having fallen behind in his development after missing the 2014 spring because of injury. He's the front-runner for the job, but redshirted Ooms and summer arrival Mekari are also going to get a shot.
Clemson
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Position: Defensive tackle
Candidates: Rod Byers (So.), Gage Cervenka (Fr.), Albert Huggins (Fr.), Sterling Johnson (Fr.), Scott Pagano (So.), D.J. Reader (Sr.), Carlos Watkins (Jr.), Christian Wilkins (Fr.)
Clemson graduated its entire defensive line from last year, but it has immediate replacements waiting to fill in on the edges. It will take more work to figure out who takes the defensive tackle spots, though, and while most of the candidates will be in camp this spring, the competition won't end until highly regarded recruit Wilkins shows up in the summer.
Before then, look for Reader, who had 2.5 tackles for loss as a backup in 2014. He will have the edge to lock up one of the starting spots. Former tight end Byers, Pagano and a collection of freshmen early enrollees will also get their shots.
But until Wilkins, the No. 24 player in 247Sports' 2015 rankings, gets into the race, it won't be settled.
Colorado
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Position: Cornerback
Candidates: Chidobe Awuzie (Jr.), Kenneth Crawley (Sr.), Nick Fisher (Fr.), Isaiah Oliver (Fr.), Tedric Thompson (Jr.), John Walker (Jr.), Ahkello Witherspoon (Jr.)
A complete lack of defensive presence has led to plenty of struggles for Colorado the last two years, and in 2014 the Buffaloes went winless in Pac-12 play mostly because they couldn't make stops. The pass defense was especially bad, and with its top cornerback graduating and others returning from injury, it's basically a wide-open competition for the starting spots.
Crawley emerged as a go-to defender and could have one of the jobs locked up, but the other corner spot is up for grabs. Awuzie and Thompson both looked good last year before injuries knocked them out of the final three and four games of the year, respectively.
Thompson, who played safety but can also handle the corner job, had all three of the team's interceptions before suffering a concussion that ended his season.
Duke
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Position: Wide receiver
Candidates: Terrence Alls (So.), Johnell Barnes (Jr.), Anthony Nash (Jr.), T.J. Rahming (Fr.), Ryan Smith (Jr.), Aaron Young (Fr.)
Duke has already completed spring practice, and there are several positions that remain open. The most significant area where the Blue Devils need to figure out who they're going with is at receiver, where top target Issac Blakeney and Jamison Crowder have moved on.
Max McCaffrey, a senior, is the only returning starter, and in Duke's final spring outing in late February, he was out there in the opening lineup along with Alls and Barnes, per Laura Keeley of the Charlotte Observer.
"Terrence has breakaway speed like none other on our team," Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk told Keeley of Alls. "If you get him in open space, he is going to score."
The competition isn't over, though, because notable recruits Rahming and Young won't arrive until the summer.
Florida
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Position: Offensive line
Candidates: Nick Buchanan (Fr.), Cameron Dillard (So.), Kavaris Harkless (R-Fr.), Martez Ivey (Fr.), Frederick Johnson (Fr.), Rod Johnson (So.), Andrew Mike (R-Fr.), Tyler Jordan (Fr.), Antonio Riles (So.), Brandon Sandifer (Fr.), David Sharpe (So.)
Other than left guard Trip Thurman, Florida's offensive line will be pretty much all new this season under first-year coach Jim McElwain. The Gators graduated three starters and one key backup, while left tackle D.J. Humphries turned pro early.
The Gators signed five linemen in 2015, including No. 2 overall prospect Martez Ivey, but the overall lack of experience is very troubling. Most of the candidates have seen little or no college field time, though because of the large signing class and the previous staff redshirting a few 2014 prospects (because depth existed last year), there's no shortage of of options.
Expect a spirited competition throughout the offseason, with several starting spots open until the final days of training camp.
Florida State
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Position: Quarterback
Candidates: J.J. Cosentino (R-Fr.), Deondre Francois (Fr.), John Franklin (So.), De'Andre Johnson (Fr.), Sean Maguire (Jr.)
After two wildly successful years led by Jameis Winston, Florida State finds itself again looking for a game-changing quarterback heading into 2015. The competition will be a fierce one, and one of the two highly touted freshmen the Seminoles signed (Francois) doesn't arrive until this summer, so odds are no decision will be made for several months.
Whoever it is, don't expect the same kind of flash and flair that Winston brought, at least not immediately.
"Florida State will field someone at the QB position," wrote Bud Elliott of SB Nation. "Someone will throw the ball and hand it off. But it's pretty certain that no one will be Jameis Winston between the lines for Florida State."
Maguire is the only entrant with game experience, and that includes a start last year when Winston was suspended. He threw for 304 yards and a touchdown (with two interceptions) in FSU's overtime win against Clemson.
Georgia
14 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Faton Bauta (Jr.), Jacob Park (R-Fr.), Brice Ramsey (So.)
Georgia didn't sign a quarterback in the 2015 class, which means everyone fighting for the position is already on the roster. But with new offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer getting acclimated to the Bulldogs' roster, it stands to reason he won't try to make too many final decisions during spring ball.
That means Bauta, Park and Ramsey will use the reps they get in the spring and during the summer to determine which one succeeds Hutson Mason and gets the cushy role of being able to hand off a lot to Nick Chubb.
Ramsey was the primary backup last year, and he played quite a bit in Georgia's Belk Bowl win after Mason was injured. He struggled, completing only four of nine passes for 51 yards with an interception, leaving the door wide open for Bauta or Park (a top recruit from 2014 who redshirted) to swoop in and win the job this offseason.
Georgia Tech
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Position: Wide receiver
Candidates: Harland Howell (Fr.), Antonio Messick (So.), Christian Philpott (Fr.), Brad Stewart (Fr.), Michael Summers (Jr.), Dorian Walker (Fr.)
Georgia Tech's option run game is so effective and efficient that throwing the ball seems almost unnecessary, but the Yellow Jackets did manage to have 19 touchdown passes on 106 receptions. Yet with the two most targeted receivers graduating, Tech has to develop new deep threats to help keep opposing safeties honest.
Messick and Summers had a combined eight receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown last year, so neither is assured of getting a starting spot. That leaves this competition open for a while, as of Tech's four receiving recruits from the 2015 class, only Howell enrolled early. The other three will keep the race going until the opener, with as much time spent on blocking for run plays as for being able to beat defensive backs deep.
Illinois
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Position: "Star" linebacker
Candidates: Eric Finney (Sr.), Zepheniah Grimes (Sr.), LaKeith Walls (Jr.), Justice Williams (Fr.)
Gone is Earnest Thomas, Illinois' most explosive linebacker and the team's top tackler behind the line of scrimmage with 4.5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss last season. His "star" position is key to what the Fighting Illini want to do on defense, and now it's up to one of his backups to make their case to be the starter.
Finney and Grimes have been serving as reserves for several years, but neither has made much of an impact, so even though they'll get a leg up on incoming recruit Williams because of being in spring ball, the battle to start this fall won't end early.
Illinois' defensive coaching staff has new faces as well, and they'll want to evaluate all of the potential candidates for open positions before making a choice.
Indiana
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Position: Cornerback
Candidates: Donovan Clark (So.), Rashard Fant (So.), Tyler Green (Fr.), Kenny Mullen (Sr.), Noel Padmore (So.), Laray Smith (So.)
Both of Indiana's starting corners have graduated, with Michael Hunter transferring to Oklahoma State for his final year of eligibility. This robs the Hoosiers of experience in the secondary, which could lead to an already struggling pass defense getting worse.
Fant has an edge over the rest of the field after seeing extended playing time last season, recording five pass breakups and 23 tackles. Another guy to watch is Mullen, who was granted a medical redshirt after missing most of last season with an injury, as he has played for the Hoosiers since 2011.
Iowa
18 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: C.J. Beathard (Jr.), Ryan Boyle (Fr.), Drew Cook (Fr.), Jake Rudock (Sr.), Tyler Wiegers (R-Fr.)
While Rudock did most of the work last year, it was Beathard who began spring practice with his name atop the depth chart. Expect continued shuffling to happen between now and the start of the 2015 season based on how they both fared last year.
Neither was particularly prosperous when on the field last fall, combining for 3,081 yards and 21 touchdowns on 60.6 percent passing.
If their spring performance does not make either stand out, look for one of the younger passers who have been signed in the past two recruiting classes to challenge for the job. Boyle and Cook won't arrive until the summer, but Wiegers has been in the program since last season.
UPDATE: Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman reported Wednesday that Rudock plans to transfer. As a graduate student, he would be eligible to play elsewhere immediately.
Iowa State
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Position: Defensive end
Candidates: De'Amontae Jackson (Fr.), Bobby Leath (Jr.), Dale Pierson (Sr.), Demond Tucker (Jr.), Darius White (Jr.)
As bad as last season was for Iowa State, one positive to take out of the campaign was that the Cyclones got a lot of players to gain experience that can come in handy this season. There aren't many starting jobs that need to be filled because of graduation, but of the few that are out there, the one left by the departure of Cory Morrissey is most significant.
Morrissey had team-bests in sacks (six) and tackles for loss (8.5) last year, and there wasn't much to work with behind him.
Iowa State went heavy on defensive linemen in the recruiting cycle, including a few junior college transfers, and all should be considered for the job.
Kansas
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Position: Cornerback
Candidates: Greg Allen (Jr.), Shola Ayinde (Fr.), Bazie Bates (Jr.), Matthew Boateng (So.), Ronnie Davis (Sr.), Michael Mathis (Jr.), Tyrone Miller (Fr.), Derrick Neal (So.), Marnez Ogletree (Jr.), Shaquille Richmond (Fr.), Brandon Stewart (Jr.)
David Beaty didn't just inherit the Big 12's worst program when he was hired as Kansas' head coach, he also took over a team that has far too many holes to fill for a team that struggled just to win three games last season.
The question marks are all over the field, but the cornerback position might be one of the most critical fixes. Kansas was strong at the position last year, but it graduated starters Dexter McDonald and JaCorey Shepherd and returns a crop of players that recorded one interception in 2014.
The Jayhawks went heavy on defensive backs in their recruiting class, including several junior college pickups.
Kansas State
21 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Alex Delton (Fr.), Jesse Ertz (So.), Joe Hubener (Jr.)
Kansas State was spoiled last year with the play of Jake Waters, who not only threw for more than 3,000 yards, but also served as the Wildcats' most consistent runner. His play prompted Daniel Sams to transfer before the 2014 season, a move that now could become an issue since the options for Waters' successor don't include any surefire choices.
Hubener was Waters' backup last year, but he only attempts 17 passes and threw one touchdown in six games.
Ertz has seen little action since joining the program in 2013, and Delton will show up in the summer to get himself involved in the competition. It could be Hubener's job by default, but more likely coach Bill Snyder will allow all of the candidates to get a shot at the gig.
Kentucky
22 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Drew Barker (R-Fr.), Reese Phillips (So.), Patrick Towles (Jr.)
Towles was almost Kentucky's quarterback by default in 2014, as coach Mark Stoops hoped to hold off throwing highly regarded prospect Drew Barker into the fire as a true freshman. Now that Barker has had a season to get settled into college, and with a new offensive coordinator in tow, the starting job is back open.
Shannon Dawson comes from West Virginia and figures to open up the playbook this year, which means that Barker and Towles will battle during the spring to get acclimated to the system.
"It's an open situation," Coach Stoops told Kyle Tucker of the Louisville Courier-Journal. "Certainly I have to be respectful of Patrick and the effort that he gave us last year, and (he) did some very good things … but Drew is going to get a bunch of opportunities."
Phillips could be around in the summer if he is able to recover from a torn Achilles, and his experience as Towles' backup could factor into the competition.
Louisville
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Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Kyle Bolin (So.), Reggie Bonnafon (So.), Tyler Ferguson (Jr.), Will Gardner (Jr.), Lamar Jackson (Jr.)
Louisville started three different quarterbacks in 2014, with Gardner getting into eight games but missing the last month with a knee injury. Bonnafon played as a true freshman in 10 games and started three, while Bolin started the final two contests. All of them remain in the mix but now have to compete not just against themselves but also Ferguson, a transfer from Penn State who sat out last season.
Ferguson was Christian Hackenberg's backup in 2013 but only appeared in five games. However, he figures to get a chance to beat out all of the Cardinals' holdovers. The number of horses in this race almost guarantees the job won't be awarded until the summer, and that's when junior college transfer Jackson shows up.
LSU
24 of 65
Position: Defensive end
Candidates: Tashawn Bower (Jr.), Deondre Clark (So.), Arden Key (Fr.), Lewis Neal (Jr.), Sione Teuhema (So.)
Both of LSU's starting ends have moved on, and with a new defensive coordinator also on board, it's going to be a long battle to see who is rushing off the edge for the Tigers this fall.
Kevin Steele comes over from Alabama needing to replace Danielle Hunter and Jermauria Rasco, a pair that combined for 20.5 tackles for loss last season. Bower, Clark, Neal and Teuhema only had 6.5 TFLs combined from the quartet, yet now they'll be first up in the race to win those starting spots.
Any progress they make in the spring will only serve as a small edge over Key, a top recruit from the 2015 class whose arrival for preseason training camp will make the competition start all over again.
Maryland
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Position: Wide receiver
Candidates: Daniel Adams (Sr.), Malcolm Culmer (Jr.), Jahrvis Davenport (Fr.), Amba Etta-Tawo (Jr.), Levern Jacobs (Sr.), Taivon Jacobs (So.), Marcus Leak (Sr.), D.J. Moore (Fr.), Jacquille Veii (Jr.), Juwann Winfree (So.)
With Deon Long graduating and Stefon Diggs turning pro, Maryland lost roughly half of its receiving production from 2014. Whoever steps up to become starters will get a lot of touches, but who that will be is wide open at this point.
Besides Leak, who was the third receiver, there is a lot of uncertainly. Levern Jacobs was the team's top target in 2013, but he missed all of last year with a suspension, while Taivon Jacobs is coming back from an injury that kept him out last season.
Etta-Tawo, Veii and Winfree combined for 37 receptions and four touchdowns last year in reserve roles.
Miami (Florida)
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Position: Right tackle
Candidates: Trevor Darling (So.), Taylor Gadbois (Jr.), Brendan Loftis (Fr.), Hayden Mahoney (Fr.), Kc McDermott (So.), Bar Milo (Fr.), Sunny Odogwu (So.), Tyree St. Louis (Fr.)
Miami's offensive line lost three starters, yet it's the right tackle position that is going to be the Hurricanes' biggest question mark to deal with throughout the offseason. Both Gadbois and McDermott started there in 2014, but each suffered injuries that cut short their seasons and will hold them out of spring practice.
Darling, who moved into the starting lineup at the end of the season, will be the front-runner while Gadbois and McDermott heal up, but Miami will also look at Odogwu. Yet the competition won't end until the injured players return and the numerous tackle recruits who are set to show up in the summer get their chance to be involved.
Michigan
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Position: Running back
Candidates: Derrick Green (Jr.), Karan Higdon (Fr.), Ty Isaac (So.), Drake Johnson (Jr.), De'Veon Smith (Jr.)
Almost every position on either side of the ball is open for a change under new coach Jim Harbaugh, but few have as many question marks connected to the candidates as what the Wolverines have to work with in the backfield.
Green, Johnson and Smith combined for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, but only one of them managed to avoid injury. That's Smith, who ended up with a team-best 519 yards and eight touchdowns on 108 carries and took over No. 1 running back duties after Green broke his clavicle and missed the final six games. Johnson, who had missed nearly the entire 2013 season with a torn ACL, suffered another knee tear in the Ohio State game and will miss spring ball.
A wild card in the competition is Isaac, a USC transfer who sat out last season. With the Trojans in 2014, he ran for 236 yards and two TDs on 40 carries.
Michigan State
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Position: Cornerback
Candidates: Josh Butler (Fr.), Arjen Colquhoun (Sr.), Demetrious Cox (Jr.), Jermaine Edmondson (Jr.), Darian Hicks (Jr.), Tyson Smith (Fr.)
A position of so much strength for Michigan State the past few seasons is one that is full of uncertainty heading into 2015, as the Spartans graduated both of the cornerbacks who started the Cotton Bowl in January. That includes Trae Waynes, who ran some of the fastest times at the NFL combine and figures to be a first-round draft pick.
Hicks and Cox combined for 54 tackles and two interceptions (both from Hicks) as backups last season, and they figure to be the ones getting the first shot at the starting jobs. However, there are other contenders already on the roster, and two more freshmen corners come along in the summer to add to the mix.
Michigan State's new co-defensive coordinators, Harlon Barnett and Mike Tressel, will have their work cut out for them to decide this competition.
Minnesota
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Position: Tight end
Candidates: Duke Anyanwu (So.), Jerry Gibson (R-Fr.), Brandon Lingen (So.), Lincoln Plsek (SR.), Bryce Witham (Fr.), Nate Wozniak (So.)
No team was hurt by the loss of a tight end more than Minnesota, as redshirt sophomore Maxx Williams (who turned pro) was far and away the Golden Gophers' top receiving threat with 36 receptions, 569 yards and eight touchdowns. The rest of the team had four TD catches, and none of those came from tight ends.
Minnesota often uses two tight ends, so there's a lot of playing time available. Lingen and Plsek have the most experience, while Anyanwu hopes to finally get to see significant action after redshirting in 2012, playing only a few snaps on special teams in 2013 and then missing all of last year because of injury.
Mississippi State
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Position: Running back
Candidates: Nick Gibson (Fr.), Brandon Holloway (Jr.), Ashton Shumpert (Jr.), Aeris Williams (R-Fr.)
The surprise decision by Josh Robinson to turn pro after his junior year caught Mississippi State off guard, though getting mobile quarterback Dak Prescott back helped ease the pain. But Prescott's durability could be in question if he has to carry the ball too much, so the Bulldogs need to find a reliable running back to handle much of the load.
Holloway and Shumpert combined for 92 carries, 568 yards and three touchdowns last year backing up Robinson, who had more than twice as much action. They'll both get a shot along with Williams, a noted member of the 2014 recruiting class who was held out last year to save his eligibility.
Gibson will arrive this summer after signing with the Bulldogs in February, and assuming no back stands out significantly in the spring, he'll be given a shot to compete in the preseason.
Missouri
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Position: Wide receiver
Candidates: Nate Brown (So.), Richaud Floyd (Fr.), Emanuel Hall (Fr.), Johnathan Johnson (Fr.), Wesley Leftwich (Sr.), J'Mon Moore (So.), Ronnell Perkins (Fr.), Justin Smith (Fr.)
Missouri's passing game produced 221 receptions for 2,648 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. Of that production, only 10 catches for 114 yards were by receivers who are still part of the program.
As the Tigers decide whether to stick with inconsistent quarterback Maty Mauk or skew younger to Drew Lock, a bigger concern is who their passer will throw to. Brown, Leftwich and Moore had extremely limited action in 2014, while the rest of the candidates are true freshmen who don't show up until the summer.
Expect this to be a fluid situation that doesn't get sorted out until just before the first game of the 2015 season.
Nebraska
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Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Tommy Armstrong (Jr.), Ryker Fyfe (Jr.), Johnny Stanton (So.)
Mike Riley always strove to have one of the best quarterbacks in the country during his time at Oregon State, ending his tenure there by turning Sean Mannion into the Pac-12's all-time passing leader. He inherits a far less stable situation at Nebraska, where Armstrong is coming off of a year as the full-time starter but not having a lock on the job.
Armstrong threw for 2,695 yards and 22 touchdowns, but he was intercepted 12 times (in 345 attempts) and completed only 53.3 percent of his throws. The Cornhuskers were a run-heavy team, with Ameer Abdullah rushing for more than 1,600 yards and Armstrong adding another 700 with six TDs, but Nebraska needs to be able to throw to compete in the Big Ten.
Fyfe and Stanton both saw the field in 2014, but not in meaningful situations. Both will get plenty of reps throughout the offseason to try to beat out Armstrong, with whoever handles the switch from a spread attack to a pro-style offense ending up as the starter.
"I think it's important for every player to have an opportunity to win a job," Riley told ESPN.com's Mitch Sherman.
North Carolina
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Position: Running back
Candidates: Charles Brunson (Jr.), Elijah Hood (So.), T.J. Logan (Jr.), Romar Morris (Sr.), Ty'Son Williams (Fr.)
North Carolina didn't have much trouble moving the ball, but a lot of that was due to the effort that quarterback Marquise Williams put forth both as a passer and ball-carrier. His 783 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns were both team highs, with the Tar Heels' running backs combining for the same number of scores.
With Williams missing spring practice because of a hip injury, UNC will be operating with Mitch Trubisky under center. This will lead to a different makeup, but also allow the likes of Hood, Logan and Morris to show what they can do without having the game plan geared toward just one offensive player.
By the time the preseason comes around, the hope is that one of these rushers (Logan's 582 yards were the most of the candidates) will be able to become a primary option rather than have to stick with a committee approach.
North Carolina State
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Position: Wide receiver
Candidates: Johnathan Alston (Jr.), Bra'Lon Cherry (Jr.), Vernon Grier (Fr.), Stephen Louis (So.), Brian Sessoms (Fr.), Freddie Phillips (Fr.)
North Carolina State was set to bring back four receivers with at least 20 catches from last season, and with quarterback Jacoby Brissett also returning, the pieces were there for the Wolfpack to have a great passing attack in 2015. Then two of those standout wideouts—freshman Bo Hines and sophomore Marquez Valdes-Scantling—both left the program.
Hines was the top target, with 45 receptions for 616 yards, and someone else will have to step into that lead role. The top returner is Cherry, who had three touchdown catches among his 27 receptions, while Alston had 21 receptions and two scores.
Several freshmen will show up in fall camp to add to the competition, which NC State hopes will produce two viable options on the outside.
Northwestern
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Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Matt Alviti (So.), Zack Oliver (Sr.), Clayton Thorson (R-Fr.), Lloyd Yates (Fr.)
After having two interchangeable quarterbacks in 2013 and then a senior leader in Trevor Siemian last season, Northwestern has had it good at the position lately. But when Siemian got hurt late in the season, it got the process started on finding his replacement.
Oliver saw significant action in the Wildcats' final two games, and entering his senior year, he figures to be the front-runner for the job. But Alviti and Thorson are also getting equal reps during spring ball, while Yates will show up in the summer to get a shot himself.
Northwestern needs strong quarterback play to balance out an offense that found a star last year in freshman running back Justin Jackson, so expect coach Pat Fitzgerald to take his time making a decision.
Notre Dame
36 of 65
Position: Tight end
Candidates: Mike Heuerman (So.), Aliz'e Jones (Fr.), Durham Smythe (So.), Tyler Luatua (So.), Nic Weishar (R-Fr.)
The graduation of dependable Ben Koyack leaves Notre Dame with one of its few significant holes to fill this offseason, and the direction the Fighting Irish go with the position could determine how its offense operates overall. Koyack was the latest in a string of pass-catching tight ends under coach Brian Kelly, but the group looking to replace him doesn't have much experience in this area at the college level.
Smythe had one catch for seven yards last year, while Luatua was only used as a blocker and Heuerman has been unable to overcome two years' worth of injuries. Weishar was held out last season, and now another notable recruit shows up.
Jones, the nation's top tight end prospect, won't arrive until the summer, but he'll have as good of a shot as anyone to be on the field if Notre Dame hopes to have a big target to throw to.
Ohio State
37 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: J.T. Barrett (So.), Cardale Jones (Jr.), Braxton Miller (Sr.)
Whoever wins the right to start Ohio State's first game as defending national champion on Labor Day at Virginia Tech, it's going to be someone who emerged from one of the closest college quarterback competitions ever seen in college football. Three guys who could start anywhere in the country are all fighting for playing time, and assuming they're all healthy (and still on the roster) in August, they will battle it out until the final practice.
Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer and offensive coordinator Tim Beck only have one fully able passer available in the spring, and that's Jones, the man who started all three postseason games in 2014 and was magnificent. Barrett was even better during the regular season, setting numerous school passing and total offense records before suffering a broken ankle in late November, while Miller was a three-year starter in line to have that job again before injuring his shoulder in August and requiring surgery.
"While Jones certainly can impress Beck and head coach Urban Meyer this spring, the only certainty is Meyer owes Barrett and Miller a legitimate chance to win back the job," wrote Ted Miller of ESPN.com.
Oklahoma
38 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Justice Hansen (R-Fr.), Trevor Knight (Jr.), Baker Mayfield (So.), Cody Thomas (So.)
What a difference a year makes.
Heading into last spring's practice, all of the talk surrounding Oklahoma's quarterback position was whether Knight could live up to the early Heisman hype he picked up after lighting up Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. Then the season came along, and Knight struggled mightily and also missed several games because of injury.
Now Knight heads into this spring having to hold off several challengers, including a former Texas Tech starter who sat out last season following his transfer.
Mayfield threw for 2,315 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2013 with the Red Raiders, making eight starts, before deciding to go elsewhere. He fought to be eligible immediately last year but didn't win his appeal, yet he was stellar during last year's spring practice.
Thomas is also in the mix after starting in place of Knight for three games in November, though the run-first passer did struggle.
The competition figures to be a long one not just because of those involved, but also because new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley is returning the Sooners to the Air Raid and will want to take his time picking the guy to run that attack.
Oklahoma State
39 of 65
Position: Running back
Candidates: Jeff Carr (Fr.), Chris Carson (Jr.), Rennie Childs (Jr.), Sione Palelei (R-Fr.), Raymond Taylor (Sr.)
Desmond Roland was Oklahoma State's starting tailback the past two years, and while his numbers weren't overwhelming, he was dependable and durable. His graduation, along with the unexpected departures of two players who could have replaced him this season, have the Cowboys feeling very uncertain about their run game this offseason.
Tyreek Hill and Devon Thomas were both dismissed from the team, sapping the options to replace Roland. Childs got the most action of those in contention, rushing for 294 yards and three touchdowns last season and seeing time in the bowl victory over Washington.
Ole Miss
40 of 65
Position: Running back
Candidates: Eugene Brazley (So.), Akeem Judd (Jr.), Jaylen Walton (Sr.), Jordan Wilkins (So.)
While Ole Miss' offense will be predicated more on who replaces Bo Wallace at quarterback and whether Laquon Treadwell can return from his broken leg suffered in November, the key to the Rebels' success when moving the ball comes from having an effective run game. This hasn't been the case for several years, but in order for them to remain in the upper half of the SEC, some better running has to occur.
"Ole Miss needs to run to set up the pass, not the other way around, and the journey to find a way to do that begins in March," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote.
Walton led Ole Miss with 586 yards and five touchdowns last year, but he never carried the ball more than 14 times in a game. And take away his long TD run against Mississippi State, and his highest single-game total was 89 yards.
The transfer of I'Tavius Mathers to Middle Tennessee State opens up not just the battle for the top rushing spot but also the No. 2 position.
Oregon
41 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Vernon Adams (Sr.), Ty Griffin (So.), Jeff Lockie (Jr.), Morgan Mahalak (R-Fr.)
The competition to replace Heisman winner Marcus Mariota is a wide-open affair, and one that won't truly get going until the summer when Adams transfers in from Eastern Washington. The senior is set to graduate in June, at which time he can start working out with the Ducks and try to show what he has done the past three years at the FCS level can stack up in the big leagues.
Adams threw for 3,483 yards and 35 touchdowns last season, completing 66.1 percent of his throws. He threw for 475 yards and seven touchdowns in a loss at Washington last year, and in 2013 he threw for 411 yards and four TDs and added two rushing scores and 107 yards in a win at Oregon State.
Lockie was Mariota's main backup last year, throwing for 207 yards and a touchdown on 21-of-28 passing.
Oregon State
42 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Seth Collins (Fr.), Luke Del Rio (So.), Kyle Kempt (So.), Marcus McMaryion (R-Fr.), Nick Mitchell (R-Fr.), Tanner Sanders (R-Fr.), Brent VanderVeen (Jr.)
How do you best replace the most prolific passer in school and conference history, while also settling in a new coaching staff? By having as many quarterbacks as possible compete for the job.
No fewer than seven players are getting looked at during spring ball, with a whopping 18 career passes between the lot. All of those are from Del Rio, who served as Sean Mannion's backup in 2014 after transferring from Alabama. The son of current Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio threw for 141 yards in three games last season.
Beyond that, it's a lot of inexperience. And adding to the uncertainty is that new coach Gary Andersen is switching from a pro-style offense to one that factors more quarterback mobility into the mix.
Penn State
43 of 65
Position: Left tackle
Candidates: Ryan Bates (Fr.), Noah Beh (R-Fr.), Brendan Brosnan (R-Fr.), Sterling Jenkins (Fr.), Albert Hall (Jr.), Paris Palmer (Jr.), Chance Sorrell (R-Fr.), Chasz Wright (R-Fr.)
Penn State's offensive line was one of the worst of any power-conference team last year, allowing 44 sacks and contributing to a run game that averaged just over 100 yards per game. And the best blocker on that line, Donovan Smith, turned pro after his junior year, leaving a slew of potential replacements.
Only Hall has played at the FBS level, but he's a converted tight end and will struggle to win the job against all of the natural tackles the Nittany Lions have signed the past two years. That includes three who were redshirted last year and a trio heading to campus from the 2015 class.
Palmer was the No. 2 junior college offensive tackle, while Bates is already on campus after signing early, and Jenkins will show up in the summer. With so many candidates to replace Smith, don't expect a quick decision.
Pittsburgh
44 of 65
Position: Defensive end
Candidates: Rori Blair (So.), Devin Cook (Sr.), Allen Edwards (Jr.)
With a defensive guru like Pat Narduzzi taking over as head coach, Pittsburgh expects to be far more focused on that side of the ball than under previous coach Paul Chryst. And one of the first places that Narduzzi needs to shake things up is on the defensive line, where the graduation of David Durham leaves open a spot that requires a playmaker.
Shakir Soto has the other defensive end spot locked up, but opposite him will be a competition that starts in the spring between Blair and Cook and then will continue when junior college pickup Edwards arrives in the summer.
Blair had 5.5 tackles for loss last year, second-best on the team, but he will need to prove he can handle the job on a full-time basis.
Purdue
45 of 65
Position: Running back
Candidates: Keith Byars II (So.), Tario Fuller (Fr.), Keyante Green (So.), Markell Jones (Fr.), D.J. Knox (So.), David Yancey (So.)
The duo of Akeem Hunt and Raheem Mostert gave Purdue a relatively dependable amount of run production last season, but their departure starts the clock over again in the backfield. With the Boilermakers continuing to struggle to find a reliable quarterback, the lack of an experienced rusher adds to potential offensive woes.
Green is the lone guy in the running for the starting job with any semblance of experience, as he had 199 yards on 27 carries last season. Beyond that, it's a bunch of guys who either redshirted, didn't play or are new to the program this season.
An intriguing name in the mix is Byars, the son of former Ohio State and NFL star Keith Byars.
Rutgers
46 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Michael Dare (Fr.), Chris Laviano (So.), Giovanni Rescigno (R-Fr.), Hayden Rettig (So.),
It seemed like Gary Nova was at Rutgers forever—though it was only since 2011—but he finally exhausted his eligibility last season and now the Scarlet Knights have to search for a new quarterback. Laviano stepped in when Nova got banged up last year, but his performance wasn't strong enough to warrant just handing him the job.
His main competition will be Rettig, an LSU transfer who never saw the field with the Tigers in his one season there and sought a program that would give him more of a chance to throw the ball.
Rescigno could be involved this spring as well, while Dare comes along in the summer as coach Kyle Flood starts trying to narrow down the race.
South Carolina
47 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Connor Mitch (So.), Lorenzo Nunez (Fr.), Perry Orth (Jr.), Michael Scarnecchia (R-Fr.)
For the first time since Steve Spurrier came to South Carolina, he's headed into an offseason without a good idea of who his quarterback will be. The luxury of always seeming to have a talented (and experienced) backup to step in for a departing passer is no longer, as Mitch and Orth only got eight and two passes, respectively, in three games last year in relief of Dylan Thompson.
They'll have to contend with a pair of freshmen looking to jump right in and play, with Scarnecchia spending last season learning the system as a redshirt and then Nunez showing up in the summer to add to the competition.
"Nunez's athletic ability gives him a puncher's chance to win the job, but the smart money says the player who emerges from spring practice with the lead will start against North Carolina on Sept. 3," wrote Josh Kendall of GoGamecocks.com.
Considering Spurrier's past history of shuffling quarterbacks, even a great spring isn't going to guarantee the job with all of the preseason to influence his decision.
Stanford
48 of 65
Position: Defensive end
Candidates: Dylan Jackson (Fr.), Nate Lohn (Jr.), Gabe Reid (Fr.), Harrison Phillips (So.), Aziz Shittu (Sr.), Solomon Thomas (R-Fr.), Jordan Watkins (Jr.)
Stanford has been able to withstand losses on defense for the past few years, but never this many at once. Eight starters have moved on, including the entire defensive line, with the loss of ends Henry Anderson and Blake Lueders the most significant.
Only Lohn has seen significant time among the players who are healthy and able to play in the spring, as Shittu and Thomas are both out because of injuries. Shittu hurt his knee in October, while Thomas injured his toe at the start of spring ball, per John Taylor of NBC Sports.
Another potential candidate, Luke Kaumatule, is working at linebacker, while two signees arrive in the summer to get their shot.
Syracuse
49 of 65
Position: Running back
Candidates: Jordan Fredericks (Fr.), Devante McFarlane (Sr.), George Morris (Sr.), Tyrone Perkins (Fr.)
Syracuse has a major rushing production issue to address this offseason, as top running backs Prince Tyson-Gulley and Adonis Ameen-Moore (who combined for 951 yards and two touchdowns) have graduated. The Orange are getting back mobile quarterback Terrel Hunt, though how he moves after suffering a broken leg may put his durability in question.
Ervin Phillips showed promise as a freshman last season, but he's being moved to a hybrid rusher/slot receiver spot, according to Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports. That leaves McFarlane and Morris, who had only 63 carries last year as juniors, to get first crack at the starting job.
But Fredericks and Perkins, signees from the recent recruiting class, will show up over the summer to keep this competition going until late August.
TCU
50 of 65
Position: Cornerback
Candidates: Cameron Echols-Luper (Jr.), Torrance Mosley (So.), Corry O'Meally (Sr.), Nick Orr (So.), Deshawn Raymond (Fr.), Niko Small (Fr.)
The battle to replace Kevin White at one of the cornerback spots features a variety of candidates, some of whom are new to the program or to the position.
Echols-Luper was a punt returner and part-time receiver last season, but one of the fastest players in college football has been moved to defense to provide more depth in the secondary. And though he hasn't played corner with the Horned Frogs, he's not much less experienced than the rest of the lot.
Mosley played five games last year, and O'Meally saw time in eight games, while Orr managed only three tackles in 12 games. Raymond, who enrolled early, is also a top candidate.
Tennessee
51 of 65Position: Backup quarterback
Candidates: Quinten Dormady (Fr.), Jauan Jennings (Fr.), Sheriron Jones (Fr.)
Tennessee has very few holes to fill in its starting lineup from 2014, and with the amount of youth that got involved in the action last year, there is no shortage of options to choose from for picking new starters and building depth. That's the case everywhere but at quarterback, where, after starter Joshua Dobbs, there's a big question mark.
Justin Worley graduated, and Nathan Peterman transferred, leaving the backup job to one of three true freshmen. Jones is the most notable of the group, though he doesn't arrive until the summer. Until then, early enrollees Dormady and Jennings will battle to get that second-team job, then fight again in training camp for the right to back up Dobbs.
Texas
52 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Jerrod Heard (R-Fr.), Kai Locksley (Fr.), Tyrone Swoopes (Jr.)
Texas has made it known it's switching to a spread attack in 2015, which further clouds a quarterback situation that was already murky. Swoopes did not fare well in Charlie Strong's previous system last year, but now he gets another chance to win the job if he can show the ability to handle a more wide-open scheme.
But so does Heard, who ran a spread offense in high school, and by sitting out last year, he didn't have his skills impacted by the pro-style offense the Longhorns used. And Locksley, whom Texas managed to steal from Florida State in the 2015 recruiting cycle, will arrive in the summer and could be in the mix if neither Heard nor Swoopes takes to the system right away.
Texas A&M
53 of 65
Position: Safety
Candidates: Justin Dunning (Fr.), Justin Evans (So.), Larry Pryor (Fr.), Armani Watts (So.), Donovan Wilson (So.)
Texas A&M graduated three-fifths of its starting secondary, a group that struggled last year by ranking 83rd in pass defense and only recording five interceptions. Both safety positions are open, and this is one of the key areas that new defensive coordinator John Chavis will try to address, likely by tapping into the Aggies' latest crop of recruits.
Evans, a transfer from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, enrolled in January in order to get a jump on fellow prospects Dunning and Pryor. Watts and Wilson were key reserves in 2014, with Watts ranking fifth on the team with 59 tackles and Wilson recording three tackles for loss.
Texas Tech
54 of 65
Position: Linebacker
Candidates: Dakota Allen (R-Fr.), Sam Atoe (Sr.), Micah Awe (Sr.), Collin Bowen (So.), Bobby Esiaba (Jr.), D'Vonta Hinton (Fr.), Malik Jenkins (Jr.), Jacarthy Mack (So.), Braden Marusak (R-Fr.), Mike Mitchell (So.), Talor Nunez (So.), Andre Ross (Sr.), Kris Williams (Jr.), Kahlee Woods (So.)
Improvement on the defensive end is paramount to Texas Tech's chances for success in 2015. If it could find a few more guys like Pete Robertson, that would certainly help.
Robertson, who will be a senior, led the Red Raiders in tackles (82), sacks (13) and tackles for loss (15.5) last year. But after him, it's a big question mark, as the other three starting spots have been vacated by graduating seniors.
There's no shortage of contenders for those starting spots, and 13 of the above players were on the roster a year ago. It will be a spirited spring, and the summer competition should be even more intense as the depth chart gets sorted out.
UCLA
55 of 65
Position: Defensive end
Candidates: Keisean Lucier-South (Fr.), Takkarist McKinley (Jr.), Rick Wade (Fr.)
UCLA's most recognizable 2015 recruit is quarterback Josh Rosen, who enrolled early and figures to win the starting job as a true freshman. But almost as important to what the Bruins want to do this fall is Lucier-South, a 5-star signee who was rated 17th in the country and could be the answer to the giant hole on the defensive line left by Owamagbe Odighizuwa.
The only problem is that Lucier-South doesn't arrive in Westwood until the summer, which means until then McKinley will get the majority of the spring reps to try to win the open position.
McKinley only had five tackles in nine games last year, but 3.5 of those were for loss and 2.5 were sacks.
USC
56 of 65
Position: Middle linebacker
Candidates: Lamar Dawson (Sr.), Michael Hutchings (Jr.), Cameron Smith (Fr.), Olajuwon Tucker (So.)
The three-man battle to replace Hayes Pullard gets started in the spring but will carry over to the fall, as USC will want to make sure it has the right person to step in for a player who led the Trojans in tackles the previous two seasons and had 377 takedowns in his career.
Hutchings was Pullard's main backup in 2014, but he only made 20 tackles and had an interception. Dawson was a star as an outside linebacker, but that was prior to injuries that knocked him out of half of the 2013 season and all of last year, and now he could be getting a shot to fight for time in the middle.
Both of those veterans will have to contend with one of USC's top recruits, Smith, an early enrollee who will be involved in spring practice and should be at full speed come the start of the 2015 season.
Utah
57 of 65
Position: Wide receiver
Candidates: Philip Afia (Fr.), Cory Butler (Jr.), Deniko Carter (Jr.), Jameson Field (So.), Kyle Fulks (Jr.), Delshawn McClellon (Jr.), Tim Patrick (Sr.), Caleb Repp (Fr.), Kenneth Scott (Sr.), Alfred Smith (Fr.), George Wilson (Fr.), Kenric Young (So.)
When Dres Anderson was lost to an injury midway through last season, it hurt an already-thin Utah receiving corps that became even more devoid of talent with Kaelin Clay's graduation. Those two departures have left Patrick and Scott (who had a combined 65 receptions and four touchdowns in 2014) as the top options, but the Utes will have an overabundance of choices when fall camp gets going.
Utah signed seven receivers in the 2015 class, including junior college transfers Carter and Fulks. Both came from schools in California that threw the ball a lot, so each got plenty of touches to build off of.
Other speedsters like McClellon and Young figure to give the Utes the fastest receiving corps in the Pac-12, if not the country.
Vanderbilt
58 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Wade Freebeck (So.), Johnny McCrary (So.), Patton Robinette (Jr.), Kyle Shurmur (Fr.)
It was a disastrous first season for coach Derek Mason, and not just because Vanderbilt dipped to 3-9 after three straight bowl trips. The Commodores could not find a quarterback, despite going with four different options as a starter in 2014.
Three of those guys are back, with McCrary and Robinette serving as the best options if Vandy wants to go with experience. Robinette has seen action each of the previous two years, while McCrary had the most yards (985) and touchdowns (nine) but also the most interceptions (eight) a season ago.
A wild card could be Shurmur, who arrives in the summer to compete for the job if it's still open. Based on how last year went, there's no reason not to take all of the offseason to find the right fit.
Virginia
59 of 65
Position: Defensive tackle
Candidates: Andrew Brown (So.), Andre Miles-Redmond (Jr.), Donte Wilkins (Jr.)
Virginia's defense was a source of strength in 2014, but with the departure of notable stars like Max Valles and Eli Harold, it will be hard to replicate that performance. To do so, it will require better effort from the tackle positions, with someone needing to step up alongside senior David Dean to control the other starting spot.
Wilkins became Virginia's starter toward the end of last season, while Brown only got into six games after coming to the Cavaliers as a big-time in-state recruit. Together they only had 23 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss, numbers that will need to go up.
Virginia Tech
60 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Michael Brewer (Sr.), Chris Durkin (R-Fr.), Andrew Ford (R-Fr.), Dwayne Lawson (Fr.), Brenden Motley (Jr.)
Brewer started every game for Virginia Tech last season, but he failed to impress to the point that he's assured of being in the lineup when the Hokies open against Ohio State in September. He threw for 2,692 yards and 18 touchdowns, but he also had 15 interceptions with a 59.4 percent completion rate.
"As the season progressed, he struggled with confidence in his protection and also would hold onto the ball too long, leading to more sacks," wrote Bryan Manning of Bleacher Report.
With Brewer's job up in the air, backup Motley and redshirted passers Durkin and Ford get into the mix. So, too, will Lawson when he shows up in the summer.
Wake Forest
61 of 65
Position: Running back
Candidates: Matt Colburn (Fr.), Rocky Reid (Fr.), Isaiah Robinson (So.), Dezmond Wortham (So.)
Effective rushing was not part of Wake Forest's offense last season, as it ranked second-worst in the country at 39.9 yards per game that included a paltry 1.25 yards per carry. The good news is that the Demon Deacons' top two running backs return, but because of their poor production, neither is guaranteed to be getting the bulk of the carries this season.
Robinson and Wortham had flashes of decent play, with Wortham rushing for 68 yards against Florida State and Robinson gaining 60 yards against Army, but they have their work cut out for them to hold off a pair of freshmen signed in February.
Washington
62 of 65
Position: Nose tackle
Candidates: Greg Gaines (R-Fr.), Elijah Qualls (So.), Taniela Tupou (Sr.), Damion Turpin (Jr.), Vita Vea (R-Fr.)
If it were the only position Washington had to fill this offseason, the nose tackle spot that was previously handled by the massive Danny Shelton would still be a big one. But when it's one of six starting spots in the front seven that the Huskies have open, the need to get the perfect person into the middle of their defensive line is even more important.
Qualls served as Shelton's backup last season, but he only had 13 tackles and two tackles for loss. After him, the experience really drops off, and Washington didn't sign any notable players at that position in the recent recruiting class.
Qualls is the player who figures to win the job, but it won't just be handed to him, and he'll probably need all offseason to lock it down.
Washington State
63 of 65
Position: Defensive tackle
Candidates: Robert Barber (Jr.), Daniel Ekuale (So.), Ngalu Tapa (R-Fr.), Thomas Toki (Fr.), Destiny Vaeao (Sr.)
Nobody is ever going to confuse Washington State for being a defensive juggernaut, but it has produced some top-notch individual players the past few years. That includes Xavier Cooper, who turned pro after recording five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 2014.
Barber, Ekuale and Vaeao all saw limited action last season and will be given the first chances to win the job, but WSU also has a promising redshirt in Tapa who should get involved. Toki, a top recruit in 2015, will show up in the summer to make this a five-player race.
West Virginia
64 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: Chris Chugunov (Fr.), William Crest (R-Fr.), Skyler Howard (Jr.), Paul Millard (Sr.), David Sills (Fr.)
With two early enrollees, a promising redshirt, a late bloomer and a grizzled veteran, there's no shortage of drama and intrigue associated with the competition to be West Virginia's quarterback in 2015.
Howard ended last year as the starter after concussions forced Clint Trickett to end his career early. He looked good in those final two-plus games, but he also had some accuracy issues that will need to be worked out during the offseason. Crest took a medical redshirt after injuring his shoulder early last year, while Millard didn't play after starting several games in 2013.
Chugunov and Sills joined the team in January, giving the Mountaineers five quarterbacks to work with during spring ball. Don't expect the race to dwindle to fewer than three passers when spring practice ends, and expect coach Dana Holgorsen to hold off on choosing his starter until late in the summer.
Wisconsin
65 of 65
Position: Quarterback
Candidates: D.J. Gillins (R-Fr.), Alex Hornibrook (Fr.), Bart Houston (Jr.), Austin Kafentzis (Fr.), Tanner McEvoy (Sr.), Joel Stave (Sr.)
Wisconsin has a quarterback competition for the second straight offseason, but not because of departures. The same two guys who fought to be the starter last year—McEvoy and Stave—will be at it again, but unlike in 2014 when then-coach Gary Andersen chose to rotate the passers at the position, new coach Paul Chryst is likely to only go with one guy and stick with him.
And it might be neither, as there are other quarterbacks on the roster who could get a shot, as well as two freshmen who enrolled early to further cloud the situation.
Houston has seen limited action the past two seasons while also getting in some punting work.
All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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