Every First-Year College Football Coach's Biggest 2015 Offseason Question Mark
With the summer offseason in full swing, how are first-year coaches adapting to their new jobs? What questions do they still have to answer?
Chances are, there are a lot of things that still have to be tied up. However, not everything can be solved in a day. For now, let's start with the most pressing issues. (For that matter, they may not be solved anytime soon, either.)
What do first-year coaches still have to figure out during the offseason and going forward? We take a stab at the biggest storylines based on unanswered spring-time questions and ongoing concerns within the program.
Buffalo: Can the Offensive Line Be Rebuilt?
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Last year's team was loaded with juniors and seniors. The good news for first-year head coach Lance Leipold is that more juniors and seniors are waiting in the wings.
There may not be a position more directly impacted by turnover than the offensive line, however. Three experienced seniors—Trevor Sales, Andre Davis and Jake Silas—are gone. That could be bad news for running back Anthone Taylor, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards in just 11 games last year. He's the cornerstone of this offense.
Central Michigan: Can the Offense Build Around QB Cooper Rush?
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Central Michigan has one of the better quarterbacks in the Mid-American Conference: Cooper Rush. Who the Chips place around him is still a work in progress. Thomas Rawls (the team's leading rusher), Titus Davis (the team's leading receiver) and Deon Butler (the top tight end) are all gone.
There are some familiar faces who can assume No. 1 roles. Jesse Kroll was the team's second-leading receiver, and sophomore Devon Spalding looks like he's a star in the making at running back.
Head coach John Bonamego certainly didn't inherit a terrible situation. Learning a new scheme is always tough, but if Rush develops chemistry with the pre-existing players stepping into larger roles, the Chips offense can be potent this year.
Colorado State: Will QB Nick Stevens Transition over the Summer?
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Garrett Grayson's backup last year is now the front-runner to be Colorado State's starting quarterback in 2015.
Nick Stevens manages head coach Mike Bobo's offense better than anyone at the moment, but he's not a lock for the No. 1 job yet. Coleman Key could also make a late push in preseason practice. The important task for Stevens is that he takes the summer to build upon what he learned during spring. He may not be the most physically gifted quarterback, but mentally, he's the furthest along.
Whoever starts will have the luxury of throwing to All-American receiver Rashard Higgins, so there's that to look forward to.
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Florida: How Will the Offensive Line Shape Up?
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You could expand on this. Developing the entire offense in the first year will certainly be a storyline for Florida head coach Jim McElwain. However, the running back situation is solid, redshirt freshman Will Grier is likely the starting quarterback, and there's at least one legitimate receiving weapon with Demarcus Robinson.
The offensive line, however, is a major question mark. There was practically no depth this spring with just six healthy linemen on scholarship. One presumed starter, Rod Johnson, had to retire for medical reasons. Landon Watnik of InsideTheGators.com explains the numerous reasons for the depth concerns:
"The hand Florida head coach Jim McElwain has been dealt in his first year on the job is the result of mismanaged recruiting, misfortune on the injury front and key early departures during the Will Muschamp era of the past four years. The blows the offensive line absorbed during those seasons resulted in McElwain playing a "pizza delivery guy, a bartender and one heck of an engineering student" during 2015 spring practices.
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Numbers-wise, depth will get a little better in preseason camp if Trip Thurman is fully recovered from a shoulder injury. Additionally, a handful of freshmen will arrive, the most notable of which is Martez Ivey. Still, experience will be an issue, and there's no room to hold anyone's hand.
Everything about an offense starts up front. There will be a lot of growing pains before the Gators offense starts to improve.
Houston: Can Tom Herman Carry Momentum into the Season?
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Head coach Tom Herman inherited a Houston program in decent shape and has been lights-out on the recruiting trail. Last week, Herman received the verbal pledges from two top in-state players: Ed Oliver and Jordan Elliott, according to 247Sports.
Can Herman carry that over into the 2015 season and win an American Athletic Conference championship in his first year?
The defense should pick up where it left off last season. It's a veteran group that statistically ranked near the top of the AAC last year, and cornerback William Jackson is a stud. There are bigger concerns along the offensive line. The Cougars gave up more than 2.5 sacks per game last season; only lowly SMU was worse in the AAC.
The top of the AAC should be deep with the likes of Central Florida, Temple and Cincinnati. What kind of run can Herman create right away?
Kansas: Who's the New Quarterback?
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Where do you even begin with Kansas? First-year coach David Beaty has a lot of work to do with the Jayhawks. You could pick a lot of issues out of a hat, and it'd be the correct answer here.
But, because presumed starter Michael Cummings went down in the spring game with a knee injury, we'll go with quarterback. Montell Cozart had a couple of nice games in 2013 but never materialized into a consistent starter. Still, he is the likely front-runner for the time being with UCLA transfer T.J. Millweard in the mix.
That is unless incoming freshman Carter Stanley takes over. Max Olson of ESPN.com notes that Stanley was Beaty's recruit, which could be worth something if the Jayhawks are starting from scratch anyway. Stanley would have to show he can move the offense in a short amount of time, but at this point, don't rule anything out.
Michigan: Who Starts at Quarterback?
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This is basically a no-brainer. Easily, Michigan's biggest question—or, at least, its most fascinating question—is at quarterback.
Junior Shane Morris exited spring as the No. 1 guy, but whether he stays there remains to be seen. Jake Rudock, the grad transfer from Iowa, is already enrolled in school. Presumably, Rudock and Morris will be the front-runners to win the job, but Wilton Speight and Alex Malzone could make a late run as well.
The Wolverines have a ton of questions on offense, from the O-line to the running back corps. This will likely be a team that relies on defense to get to a bowl game. However, quarterback play was a huge problem under former head coach Brady Hoke, and Harbaugh has coached up some good signal-callers in his day.
Nebraska: Can Mike Riley Get That Signature Win?
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Yes, new Nebraska head coach Mike Riley is the polar opposite of Bo Pelini personality-wise. In some ways, that should help him at Nebraska; part of Pelini's issue (if you want to call it an issue) was that he cared deeply about his players—and little to nothing for anyone else. That didn't fly with the Husker faithful and administration.
But all of that could have been forgiven if Pelini had some signature wins, which he didn't. Pelini's era was defined by wins in numbers but few of any real meaning and several blowout losses. If Riley is going to succeed in Lincoln, he has to get those signature wins.
He has a few opportunities to do that right away. The road trip to Miami would make for a nice confidence builder, but the two biggest games of the season are at home against Wisconsin (Oct. 10) and Michigan State (Nov. 7).
The Nebraska crowd would feel good if neither is a double-digit loss, but splitting those games would be huge. Defeating Michigan State at home? Riley might get an extension on the spot.
Oregon State: Can the Defense Be Overhauled?
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The loss of Oregon State quarterback Sean Mannion will get a lot of attention, but it appears new coach Gary Andersen has an answer in freshman Seth Collins.
Whether Andersen has an answer for an overhauled defense remains to be seen. As Chantel Jennings of ESPN.com notes, the Beavers are breaking in nine new starters on that side of the ball. Remember: This was a veteran defense last year that ranked near the bottom of the Pac-12 in points allowed per game. Throwing in a bunch of new starters with the added pressure of a new scheme can mean a big learning curve.
Pitt: Will Narduzzi's Acumen Rub Off on the Defense?
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Pitt's offense has the potential to be on the ACC's best. The combination of running back James Conner and receiver Tyler Boyd is as good as any you'll find in the conference—or perhaps nationally.
The defense, however, needs a reboot. This is a unit that ranked in the lower half of the ACC—sometimes near the bottom—in major categories such as rushing defense, passing defense and scoring defense.
A good portion of the starting lineup from last year's defense returns, so there's experience there. New coach Pat Narduzzi is a longtime defensive assistant under Mark Dantonio, so there's no better person for the job than him.
If the Panthers D can shore up even a little, the schedule sets up so that eight, maybe nine wins are possible.
SMU: Can Chad Morris Bring the Offense Together?
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Chad Morris was brought in to resurrect SMU. Rightfully so, the program still feels the way to do that is through offensive ingenuity; give the school credit for not oversteering because former coach June Jones tanked quickly.
The Mustangs averaged 11 points per game last year. That was the worst in the country by nearly four points. There's not much hope at the moment, but Morris needs to get something on the field that, even if inconsistently, resembles the offenses he led at Clemson.
“We want to mirror what we did at Clemson in terms of formations and pace,” Morris said, via Gus Elvin of ESPN.com.
Putting a win total on the 2015 season might not be a smart move. The rebuilding project is underway. Morris' first victory would be to show that he can produce some results with the team he inherited.
Troy: Can the Run D Be Fixed at All?
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Neal Brown's Air Raid offense should up the explosiveness of the Trojans' attack. Last season, Troy ranked near the bottom of the Sun Belt in explosive plays.
Still, that re-tooling doesn't hold a candle to the job that's needed on defense. The Trojans gave up well beyond five yards per attempt on the ground, which would have been last in most conferences if New Mexico State and Georgia State weren't so awful in run D, too. The Trojans also gave up 36 points per game.
With a front seven that will be mostly new starters this year, things could get worse before they get better.
Tulsa: Can the Coaching Staff Do Anything About the Pass D?
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New coach Philip Montgomery is an offensive guru from Baylor, but his most pressing issue is on defense. Specifically, Tulsa's pass defense was atrocious. The Golden Hurricane ranked last in the AAC with 29 passing touchdowns allowed—not even SMU gave up that many—and 8.7 yards per pass attempt allowed.
Furthering the problem are depth concerns. The secondary will be a new-look group, and there were only four scholarship cornerbacks available during spring. Those aren't great numbers, but Kerwin Thomas looks like he will be a future anchor of the secondary.
UNLV: Who Steps Up on Offense?
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Say this for new UNLV coach Tony Sanchez: He doesn't take over a high-powered offensive group—or an experienced one, for that matter.
The best player Sanchez has at his disposal is wide receiver Devonte Boyd. As a freshman, Boyd led the Rebels with 973 yards receiving and four touchdowns. Boyd and senior quarterback Blake Decker could make for a nice combination, but there are a lot of holes that have to be filled before this becomes a complete offense.
Junior Keith Whitely is the leading returning running back, but some incoming freshmen could contribute as well. Alabama transfer Altee Tenpenny won't be eligible until 2016.
Wisconsin: Will the Offensive Line Develop?
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You'd never think in a million years that Wisconsin would have concerns along the offensive line, yet here we are.
First-year coach Paul Chryst inherits a good situation in Madison. From top to bottom, this is a team capable of capturing another Big Ten West title. Corey Clement is primed to succeed Melvin Gordon at running back, and the defense remains under the guidance of coordinator Dave Aranda. However, Clement could struggle to break free if he doesn't have holes through which to run.
Tackle Tyler Marz is the veteran leader in the trenches, but that's mostly it. The two-deep is filled with a lot of freshmen after the departures of Rob Havenstein, Dallas Lewallen and Kyle Costigan.
“You can definitely feel the void there,” Marz said, via Zach Heilprin of ESPN.com. “You can definitely feel that those other three guys are gone. We miss them.”
A mixture of inexperience and injuries—center Dan Voltz has been battling the latter all offseason—made for an inconsistent group.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
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