Every College Football Power 5 Team's Worst Offseason Nightmare
College football's offseason is meant for reviewing, recharging and preparing. It's unfortunately also when teams end up having to react to bad news.
With eight months between the end of one season and the beginning of the next, there's just too much idle time where things can go wrong. Injuries, off-the-field incidents and other unhappy news pop up—things that could threaten to derail any hope of success in the following season.
We've identified a possible scenario for every team in the five power conferences (as well as BYU and Notre Dame) that would lead to offseason nightmares. Check them out, and hope these never come to fruition.
Alabama Crimson Tide
1 of 66
Lane Kiffin leaves for the NFL
Alabama will not be rebuilding after winning the national championship; it will simply reload. The breadth of talent the Crimson Tide have amassed through numerous No. 1 recruiting classes has made it so the annual losses to graduation and early NFL entry have had little effect from year to year.
Except for at the quarterback position, where Alabama heads into the offseason for the third year in a row unsure of who will be running the offense.
Blake Sims was a career backup before winning the job as a senior, and this past season, Jake Coker completed his long journey with a ring after taking command down the stretch. Both players deserve kudos for their effort and dedication but not as much as Kiffin does in developing them into stars.
Alabama's offensive coordinator reportedly was asked to interview for UCLA's offensive coordinator position, per ESPN's Brett McMurphy, and Niners Nation reported that he was contacted by the San Francisco 49ers. He's in high demand, and sooner or later, he'll leave Alabama.
If that happens this offseason, particularly before a quarterback is identified, it could make for an actual question mark on an otherwise loading defending national champion.
Arizona Wildcats
2 of 66
New defensive staff doesn't click
Losing star linebacker Scooby Wright for nearly the entire 2015 season had a major impact on Arizona's defense, but the absence of one player wasn't the sole reason it ranked 115th in yards allowed and tied for 106th in points allowed. Head coach Rich Rodriguez put plenty of blame on his defensive coaching staff, which will be all new following firings and departures.
The Wildcats bring in Marcel Yates from Boise State to be defensive coordinator and Donte Williams from San Jose State to handle cornerbacks, while Jahmile Addae was promoted from an analyst to safeties coach. Further hires are expected to coach linebackers and the defensive line.
These moves make Arizona much younger on defense in terms of its staff, Zack Rosenblatt of the Arizona Daily Star noted. The three new coaches are all in their 30s, while outgoing defensive coordinator Jeff Casteel has been in the business for 32 years and defensive line coach Bill Kirelawich for 46 years.
This might make the Wildcats more enticing to future recruits, but for those who are still on the team, it has the danger of leading to dissent. The spring will be integral for the new coaches to develop relationships with returners.
Arizona State Sun Devils
3 of 66
Chip Lindsey heads home
It was like saying goodbye to family for Arizona State's Todd Graham when offensive coordinator Mike Norvell left to become head coach at Memphis. The pair had worked together since 2007, during Graham's stops running Tulsa, Pittsburgh and ASU.
Graham made a solid hire to replace Norvell in Chip Lindsey, who had been offensive coordinator at Southern Mississippi last season. The Golden Eagles won Conference USA's West Division title behind an offense that set numerous school records.
Yet now Lindsey is among the names that Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman listed as candidates to be head coach at Southern Miss with the surprise departure of Todd Monken. Sunday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers announced they had named Monken their offensive coordinator.
It would be a great opportunity for Lindsey to go back and work with players he's familiar with, but such a move would be a disaster for ASU.
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Arkansas Razorbacks
4 of 66
Running back injury issues continue
Arkansas says goodbye to a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, its outstanding tight end and three-fifths of the offensive line, as well as three-year starting quarterback Brandon Allen. To say the Razorbacks are going to be rebuilding on offense is an understatement.
The work will go more smoothly if Kody Walker and Rawleigh Williams are able to play without further injuries, though that's not a given. Walker will be playing for a sixth season, having been limited to 33 games in five years, including nine in 2015. Williams, who will be a sophomore next fall, played the first seven games before suffering a neck injury that required surgery.
That duo combined for 648 yards and seven touchdowns last year, and with both Jonathan Williams (who missed 2015 because of injury) and 1,500-yard rusher Alex Collins going to the NFL, the Razorbacks need their remaining backs to stay healthy.
Auburn Tigers
5 of 66
The quarterback situation remains a mess
Auburn went into 2015 thinking it had a superstar at quarterback in Jeremy Johnson, who excelled for two years as Nick Marshall's backup and now would get the chance to be the leader of the offense. Instead, he was a major disappointment, throwing six interceptions in his first three starts.
Neither Johnson nor Sean White, who started six games, did enough to instill confidence for the 2016 season. That means the spring will be huge for determining what the Tigers do at the position, with those candidates battling alongside former Florida State passer John Franklin III and redshirt freshman Tyler Queen.
Johnson's style didn't fit with what Auburn ran under Marshall, but the Tigers tried to change to fit his talents, and it didn't work. A clear offensive identity has to be established, but so too does someone need to emerge as the leader. If not, another rough offensive performance—Auburn was 10th in the SEC—is on tap.
Baylor Bears
6 of 66
No development in the trenches
Baylor will have no shortage of offensive weapons in 2016, even with top receiver Corey Coleman and his 20 touchdown catches headed to the NFL. The Bears have two star quarterbacks to choose from, a laundry list of running backs (who set a bowl record with 645 rushing yards last month) and plenty of other receivers who are capable of replacing Coleman's production.
But little of that will matter if Baylor can't protect the passer or open holes for the ball-carrier.
The Bears lost four starters from their offensive line, including one who was at the center of the nation's top-ranked offense and responsible for a run attack that averaged 326.7 yards per game. Only center Kyle Fuller returns.
Baylor also has to replace three of four defensive line starters, though Brian Nance and K.J. Smith showed promise in reserve roles.
Getting the right group up front is essential to keeping the Baylor offense running smoothly. And struggles with finding capable replacements will impact the overall performance.
Boston College Eagles
7 of 66
Lack of offensive progress
Boston College had the worst offense of any power-conference team in the country in 2015, gaining 275.6 yards per game and scoring just 106 points against 10 FBS opponents. This overshadowed a stout defense that ranked first in the nation. As a result, the Eagles were 3-9 and lost all eight ACC games.
It was BC's worst season since 2012, when it went 2-10 and replaced Frank Spaziani with current coach Steve Addazio.
Most of the Eagles' offensive starters are back, but they can't just do more of the same. They must make progress, starting with identifying a quarterback after a sophomore and three freshmen combined for 110.9 passing yards per game and eight touchdowns. Former Kentucky starter Patrick Towles has transferred in for his final season, which should help, but BC must also get consistent production from the run game.
BYU Cougars
8 of 66
Big 12 opts to expand but looks elsewhere
BYU has been an independent program since 2011, and though it has averaged 8.6 wins in those five seasons, the road is becoming increasingly tougher to succeed outside of a conference. Former coach Bronco Mendenhall had been vocal about wanting to get the Cougars into a power league in the next three years, according to KSL.com's Greg Wrubell (via CBS.com's Tom Fornelli).
The best opportunity for that might be with the Big 12, which at 10 teams has the fewest of the five power conferences. That had prevented it from being able to host a championship game, but a recent change to NCAA rules no longer requires a league to have 12 schools and be split into divisions in order to hold a title contest.
The Big 12 hasn't decided what it's doing for the future, though now with options, there isn't as much a need to expand. If it were to do so, though, it would want to find the right schools to join.
BYU thinks it checks all of the boxes, but if it were to be passed over, that would mean having to settle for continued rigorous schedules such as the 2016 slate that features six games against power opponents (with only two at home) in the first seven weeks.
California Golden Bears
9 of 66
More assistants skip town
California has a late-in-the-game opening on its coaching staff after offensive coordinator Tony Franklin left last week to take the same job at Middle Tennessee. The move means the Golden Bears not only have to find a replacement for likely first-round pick Jared Goff at quarterback but also the person calling plays for that new starter.
"We have a terrific foundation in place now, and we will embrace the opportunity to hire an outstanding offensive coordinator that will help us continue to have success as a team and be one of the top offenses in college football," head coach Sonny Dykes said, via the school's website.
This departure comes just before national signing day, which often is the date after which assistants tend to jump around for other jobs. If Cal has further exits, a season that's already looking like one where it could be in rebuilding mode will get that much tougher.
Clemson Tigers
10 of 66
An injury on defense
Another year, another retooling of one of the top defenses in the country. It's why Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables is paid big bucks, and why the loss of eight starters isn't getting the doom-and-gloom treatment right now.
The Tigers have depth on defense, with the likes of Adrian Baker and Van Smith able to move into the starting lineup in the secondary, while Austin Bryant and Christian Wilkins can join Carlos Watkins on the defensive line. Dorian O'Daniel and Jalen Williams can help Ben Boulware at linebacker.
But beyond that, there's not much experience—at least now. An injury to a returning or projected starter during the offseason will thrust an untested player into a more prominent role, which could produce results or lead to a defensive backslide.
Colorado Buffaloes
11 of 66
Sefo Liufau has a setback
A Lisfranc foot injury ended Sefo Liufau's junior year in mid-November, leaving him just 351 yards shy of Colorado's career passing record. That mark should fall early in the 2016 season, assuming his recovery goes as planned.
"Everything that we've heard from the doctors is that everything is progressing as planned and he's on track to recover in the timeline that they gave us," co-offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said, per Brian Howell of BuffZone.com. “We're expecting him to be fully recovered and ready to go for the season.”
Liufau's injury typically takes six to eight months to heal from, which would put him in line to be ready for preseason practice. Foot injuries can be tricky, though, and any delays in his rehab would likely mean starting 2016 with Cade Apsay at quarterback. As a freshman last year, he threw for 582 yards with three touchdowns and five interceptions in five games.
Duke Blue Devils
12 of 66
Stadium renovation delays
Duke heads into the offseason having won its first bowl game since 1961, a thrilling overtime triumph against Indiana in the Pinstripe Bowl. That came at the end of a fourth straight season of bowl eligibility, the longest in school history, putting the Blue Devils' program at its highest point ever.
This rise is coming as the school is spending $250 million on renovations to 87-year-old Wallace Wade Stadium. Work included expanding the capacity to 40,000 fans as well as the addition of luxury suites and a new video board.
Most of the work was completed before the 2015 season, but construction continues. It is on track to be done before the 2016 season begins in September—Duke hosts North Carolina Central on Sept. 3—but any delays could make for some inhospitable experiences for fans early on in the fall.
This wouldn't have an impact on the team itself, but with the Blue Devils trying to establish themselves as a legitimate football program, it wouldn't help their reputation.
Florida Gators
13 of 66
Continued quarterback concerns
Florida entered Jim McElwain's first season with quarterback uncertainty. Then, redshirt freshman Will Grier took over, and all the doubt went away—but only for a little bit. Once he was suspended for a year for a failed drug test, it was back to the drawing board for the Gators.
Grier is gone, leaving Treon Harris—who only completed 50.6 percent of his passes—to fight with a trio of program newcomers for the starting job. Austin Appleby transferred from Purdue, Luke Del Rio came from Oregon (after starting his career at Alabama), and Feleipe Franks is an early enrollee.
That gives Florida four options for the position, and the hope is at least one of those guys will do enough to be deserving of the spot. But what if none of the candidates impresses and McElwain just has to pick a winner by default? That could lead to another season of uneven offensive production, which led to the Gators losing their last three games in 2015 while scoring only a combined 24 points.
Florida State Seminoles
14 of 66
No answer at quarterback
Florida State heads into its second offseason without Jameis Winston still searching for someone who can come close to performing at the former Heisman winner's level. That's a lofty goal—one that prompted the Seminoles to look outside the program for his replacement in 2015.
The Everett Golson experiment wasn't a disaster, but the transfer from Notre Dame also didn't excel in Jimbo Fisher's pro-style offense. He eventually lost the starting job to Sean Maguire, who has more experience in the system but also struggled at times.
And now Maguire is likely out for the spring, recovering from surgery to repair an ankle injury.
That leaves the quarterback competition for the time being between a little-used backup and two freshmen. J.J. Cosentino appeared in three games in 2015 as a redshirt freshman, while Deondre Francois sat out. Malik Henry, part of FSU's 2016 recruiting class, is an early enrollee.
Maguire's injury almost ensures that FSU won't have its QB issue solved during the spring, but progress could still be made with the other candidates. If that doesn't happen, FSU might be tempted to again seek out a quick fix on the transfer wire.
Georgia Bulldogs
15 of 66
Nick Chubb's recovery slows
Georgia's 2015 season was already starting to unravel when Nick Chubb tore knee ligaments on the first play of the Oct. 10 game at Tennessee. After he was lost for the season, though, the Bulldogs were a shell of their previous self.
Not having Chubb available wasn't the only reason for this, but it contributed to the sluggish offense that averaged 17 points per game over the final seven contests (compared to 37.2 in the first six).
Chubb was walking without crutches or a brace during Georgia's bowl preparations in December, a sign that his recovery is going well. But a lot still has to happen before he can be cleared to return to action, and that doesn't guarantee he'll be his old self.
Sony Michel ran for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns last season, averaging 126.4 yards per game in place of Chubb. Chubb had run for 100 or more yards in 13 straight games before his injury.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
16 of 66
Defensive line keeps regressing
For a team that relies so much on an effective run game, only rushing for 256.2 yards per game last season was a big deal. That still ranked eighth in the country but was way down from the 342.1 yards per game Georgia Tech averaged in 2014.
It still should have been enough to produce more than three wins, the fewest by the Yellow Jackets since 1994. And it would have if the Tech defense hadn't struggled so much last season.
The 47 tackles for loss Tech registered were the fewest in the country, down from 61 in 2014, and it managed only 14 sacks. Making matters worse, the Yellow Jackets lose their entire starting secondary and thus will be in great need of improved play from their defensive line. Without that, any hope of a bounce-back season will be in jeopardy.
Illinois Fighting Illini
17 of 66
Mike Dudek can't return to form
Illinois had to go the entire 2015 season without one of its best offensive weapons in receiver Mike Dudek, who as a freshman the year before had 76 catches for 1,038 yards and six touchdowns. A knee injury suffered during spring ball put him on the shelf, though he's in line to return for 2016.
That's going to be very helpful for the Fighting Illini, since they graduate senior Geronimo Allison (65 catches, 882 yards in 2015). Dudek could slide right back into his role as the top receiving target, assuming the year off doesn't change his style of play.
"I actually feel faster, but my leg does fatigue a little bit," Dudek told the Big Ten Network (h/t SB Nation) in October.
Though Illinois has some promising young receivers in Desmond Cain and Malik Turner, who combined for 92 catches and 1,002 yards in 2015, it will also need a healthy and full-speed Dudek in order to avoid another sub-.500 season.
Indiana Hoosiers
18 of 66
A muddy quarterback situation
There was a noticeable difference in the way the Indiana offense performed in 2015 when Nate Sudfeld was healthy and when the Hoosiers had to turn to backup Zander Diamont. Indiana averaged more than 40 points per game in the 11 contests that Sudfeld was able to start and finish, and in Diamont's lone outing as starter, it scored a season-low seven points.
Sudfeld has graduated, but Diamont isn't automatically taking his place. Indiana landed two quarterbacks in the 2016 class, including junior college signee Richard Lagow, who is already on campus. The 6'6", 240-pound Lagow is the same build as Sudfeld, while Diamont played last year at 6'1" and 180 pounds.
Diamont's best attribute is his mobility, but in order to win the starting job, he'll need to become a more accurate passer. If that doesn't happen, and Lagow struggles with the transition from junior college, Indiana will be hard-pressed to match last season's offensive production that led to its first bowl bid since 2007.
Iowa Hawkeyes
19 of 66
C.J. Beathard's surgery isn't successful
Iowa's quarterback play in 2015 was tremendous, even though Beathard didn't put up the kind of mind-blowing numbers we're used to seeing in college. The Hawkeyes didn't need that; they just needed the junior to be effective and efficient and to not make mistakes.
That's the same thing they'll want from him this fall, though first they want Beathard to heal from his reported sports-hernia surgery. According to Blair Sanderson of HawkeyeReport.com, Beathard had the surgery in Philadelphia last week.
The normal recovery time for such a procedure is six to eight weeks. Iowa has not announced its dates for spring practice, so it's unclear if Beathard would miss any workouts before being able to return.
Iowa State Cyclones
20 of 66
Top commit changes his mind
Iowa State doesn't land many 4-star prospects, but new coach Matt Campbell and his staff are trying to change that. The Cyclones landed a commitment on Jan. 19 from offensive lineman Sean Foster, rated by 247Sports as the No. 342 overall player in the 2016 class.
The 6'8", 285-pound offensive tackle is ISU's highest-rated prep commit since receiver Allen Lazard in 2014.
"I’m happy that my recruiting is officially over," Foster told Ryan Wright of RecruitingNewsGuru.com. "All I have to do is sign and prepare to report in June."
Easier said than done. Though Foster doesn't have any other visits scheduled, that doesn't mean the others schools that offered him—a list that includes Boston College, Illinois, Indiana and Iowa—won't keep trying to sway him.
Kansas Jayhawks
21 of 66
Another round of attrition
Injuries, dismissals and other departures caused Kansas to dip to as low as 64 scholarship players in 2015— one more than what schools from the FCS level are allotted. With this lack of depth, it wasn't surprising the team went 0-12 and carries a 15-game losing streak into the upcoming season.
First-year coach David Beaty had little chance to develop depth, needing walk-ons just to help fill out the roster, and he can only add 25 scholarship players from 2016 recruiting class. That will basically help replace the seniors who have departed, including his leading receiver, two of the top three running backs and two starters on the defensive line.
Another offseason full of unexpected exits will only make the already-difficult rebuilding process that much harder.
Kansas State Wildcats
22 of 66
Bill Snyder changes his mind
Snyder made it official earlier this month when he announced he would be coming back for the 2016 season— his 25th overall at Kansas State and eighth since coming out of retirement in 2009. The 76-year-old has 193 wins with the Wildcats—the most of any active FBS coach at one school.
Already inducted into the college football Hall of Fame, Snyder waited until after the Wildcats' bowl game on Jan. 2 to make a decision. Had he opted to retire, it would have put the program a bit behind in a search for a replacement, since the offseason coaching carousel was nearly over.
K-State would be in an even more dire situation if Snyder were to suddenly reverse course and decide he didn't have the energy for it anymore. That would probably prompt the school to name an interim coach from the staff, possibly special teams coordinator (and the head coach's son) Sean Snyder.
Kentucky Wildcats
23 of 66
More decommitments
Kentucky already has two of its top prospects for 2016 on campus, thanks to early enrollment, but a third one got away at the last minute when defensive tackle Kobe Smith flipped to South Carolina in December and signed with the Gamecocks.
The Wildcats have to hope their remaining unsigned commits, of which they have 17 as of Friday, don't make any more last-minute decisions.
That includes Landon Young, a 4-star offensive tackle who is the No. 79 player in the 2016 class and the top prospect from Kentucky. His pledge seems pretty safe, since it's been in place since June 2013, but stranger things have happened.
The Wildcats lost several commitments just before signing day last February.
Louisville Cardinals
24 of 66
Lamar Jackson doesn't progress
Louisville has a rising star in Jackson, who as a freshman alternated between dazzling and frustrating when in at quarterback. Five 100-yard rushing games, 960 total yards on the ground and 11 rushing scores were countered by a 54.7 percent completion rate and some puzzling throws that led to interceptions early in the season.
Once he is able to throw at the same level as he can run, Jackson could be among the best in the country. The key is being able to make that happen.
Jackson threw for 227 yards and two TDs (while also rushing for 226 yards and two TDs) in the Music City Bowl, yet he was just 12-of-26. This offseason he must improve the accuracy and decision-making when he's throwing, as well as when he needs to avoid the rush and scramble on non-designed run plays. He took 26 sacks in 2015.
LSU Tigers
25 of 66
Leonard Fournette sits out
As Fournette was running over defenders en route to becoming the FBS rushing leader (in yards per game, per cfbstats.com) last season, speculation, which Robby Kalland of CBS Sports touched on, began to surface over whether LSU's star player might consider sitting out the 2016 campaign in order to prevent injury ahead of an expected jump to the NFL.
The same debate raged after Ohio State's Ezekiel Elliott dominated the 2014 postseason, though he still played in 2015 and should be one of the first rushers drafted this spring.
There's nothing to indicate Fournette plans to sit out the upcoming season or that he's even given it serious consideration. But what if that changes?
Until LSU gets its passing game figured out, Fournette and the run attack are the primary focus of the offense. Freshman Derrius Guice averaged 8.55 yards per carry as Fournette's backup, so the backfield cupboard wouldn't be bare. But it wouldn't be as bountiful, either.
Maryland Terrapins
26 of 66
Too many cooks
D.J. Durkin will be making his debut as a head coach this season, but Maryland's staff won't be lacking in terms of coaching experience. If anything, the Terrapins might be too experienced, as Durkin's staff includes three assistants who were head coaches at the FBS level in 2015.
Defensive coordinator Scott Shafer was at Syracuse last season, while Mike London ran Virginia and Pete Lembo was in charge at Ball State. Lembo quit to join Maryland, while London and Shafer were fired after losing seasons.
Having that kind of practical knowledge at his disposal should make Durkin's first season different from that of other first-time head coaches. Or it could make for a hectic scenario for Maryland's players, who might be unsure of who's really in charge.
Miami (Florida) Hurricanes
27 of 66
An unfriendly schedule
The ACC is the only power conference that has not released its league schedule for 2016, though every team knows which opponents it will face and where. All that's to be announced is the order of those games, which means we don't know yet what Miami has in store during Mark Richt's first season as coach.
The Hurricanes may be in line to open the year with a league game, something that's happened three times since 2009, or the ACC opener could come Sept. 24—a week after Miami plays at Appalachian State. There's also the Oct. 29 trip to Notre Dame, which if combined with a tough opponent before or afterward would make for a rigorous stretch.
Miami will host Duke, Florida State, North Carolina and Pittsburgh in 2016 and will play at Georgia Tech, North Carolina State, Virginia and Virginia Tech. The order of those games this fall could make for either a favorable or unfriendly schedule.
UPDATE: The ACC released its schedule on Tuesday, and Miami's slate has both good and bad to it. The 'Canes host North Carolina and Florida State on back-to-back Saturdays in October, but then five days later start a two-game road trip with a visit to Virginia Tech followed by a game at Notre Dame.
Miami has two two-game road swings, the other in November at Virginia and North Carolina State.
Michigan Wolverines
28 of 66
Jim Harbaugh's celebrity status backfires
It might feel like Harbaugh can do no wrong the way he's quickly returned Michigan to national prominence in just over a year on the job. He's done this not just with a masterful approach to getting the most out of his players but also innovative recruiting tactics and a seemingly nonstop run of things that will keep the Wolverines in the national news.
But not every bit of news is of the positive nature, such as the revelation (via Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com) that Michigan had withdrawn a scholarship offer to Erik Swenson—an offensive tackle prospect who had been committed to the program since 2013. Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod wrote that such a move is not only common but something that has come to be expected from the top programs.
"Don't expect this to be the last time controversial recruiting tactics are associated with the Michigan program as long as the Wolverines are competing with the Alabamas and Ohio States of the world," Axelrod wrote.
Michigan currently sits third in 247Sports' recruiting rankings, so this tactic isn't hurting it yet. But Harbaugh's reputation could get tarnished if other less-than-flattering situations arise.
Michigan State Spartans
29 of 66
No big-play receiver emerges
Michigan State's offense will look quite different in 2016 with a new quarterback replacing three-year starter Connor Cook, though it's not the most notable change the Spartans expect to have. That would be how they operate in the passing game, either with Tyler O'Connor or Damion Terry, with an increased effort to get big plays that didn't exist last season.
The three receptions of 40 or more yards was tied for fifth-worst in FBS last season, and Mike Griffith of MLive.com noted that one of those was fullback Trevon Pendleton's 74-yard catch on a busted play. Aaron Burbridge and Macgarrett Kings Jr., the team's leading receivers who have graduated, made the other two.
MSU needs a big-play receiver, but who will that be? R.J. Shelton is the top receiver based on production. He only averaged 11.7 yards per catch, while the other returners who had 10 or more catches are running backs or tight ends.
The Spartans signed two receivers who are already on campus, freshmen Cam Chambers and Donnie Corley, who may need to take on a key role right away.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
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Dredrick Snelson opts for warmer temps
A quick scan of the players who have either committed to or signed with Minnesota for 2016 run the gamut of cold-weather states, which is to be expected. Yet, the Golden Gophers have also managed to draw in players from further south, including early enrollee quarterback Seth Green from Texas.
They also have a commitment from Snelson, a 3-star receiver from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who pledged to the Gophers in August. Since then the temperatures in Minneapolis have plummeted, while other schools' interest in Snelson has heated up.
The 6'0”, 198-pound Snelson has visited UCF and is set to check out Penn State on Jan. 29. He has offers from 16 schools, and despite the commitment, he's projected to end up at Maryland based on 247Sports' Crystal Ball predictor.
Minnesota desperately needs an impact receiver to spark its offense and can ill afford to lose Snelson. In 2015 senior KJ Maye was the only player with more than 39 receptions or three touchdown catches.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
31 of 66
Nick Fitzgerald isn't ready
Mississippi State won't be the only SEC team looking for a new quarterback in 2016, but it might be the one who's most in need of hitting a home run at the position. Dak Prescott was so indispensable the previous three seasons, helping the Bulldogs win 26 games along the way, that he set the bar very high in Starkville.
Likely successor Nick Fitzgerald has received praise for how he performed in a backup role in 2015, but rarely was he playing in tense situations. The real tests are still to come.
Fitzgerald will compete with Elijah Staley, Damian Williams and Nick Tiano for the starting job, though it's his to lose. MSU would prefer he win the gig rather than just have it handed to him by default, however.
Missouri Tigers
32 of 66
Harold Brantley can't return to form
A car wreck robbed Brantley of his 2015 season, unable to play after suffering numerous injuries including a broken leg, damaged knee ligaments and a cracked shoulder. He would have been Missouri's most-experienced defensive lineman last year, but his absence enabled the Tigers to build depth up front thanks to the emergence of Terry Beckner, Walter Brady and Charles Harris.
Brantley is pegged to return in 2016 for his redshirt junior year, assuming he has no setbacks in his rehabilitation. It remains to be seen if the time away will impact his play.
Missouri managed to get by without Brantley last season, but his return can help take pressure off a linebacker corps that lost FBS tackle leader Kentrell Brothers to graduation.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
33 of 66
De'Mornay Pierson-El remains out
A lot of things went wrong during Mike Riley's first season at Nebraska, resulting in the program's first losing record since 2007. Not all of the problems were avoidable, such as a pair of significant injuries to the team's most explosive playmaker.
Pierson-El suffered a foot injury in the preseason, causing him to miss the Cornhuskers' first four games. Then on Halloween he tore knee ligaments and fractured his leg against Purdue, costing him the rest of the season.
In between, the sophomore had 12 catches and one touchdown. The year before, he caught four TDs, returned three punts for scores and threw a TD pass.
Pierson-El isn't likely to participate in the spring, per Steven Sipple of the Lincoln Journal-Star. Though Nebraska has other talented receivers and return men, none rise to Pierson-El's level in terms of big plays.
North Carolina Tar Heels
34 of 66
Gene Chizik gets lured away
The overall numbers don't tell the full story of how much Chizik did in his first season as North Carolina's defensive coordinator. A year after the Tar Heels were one of the country's worst teams on defense, they held seven of their first eight opponents in 2015 to under 20 points.
In 2014 they didn't do that one, allowing 6.53 yards per play compared to 5.5 this past season. That helped UNC win its final 11 regular-season games en route to the ACC's Coastal Division title and a spot in the conference title game.
UNC returns most of its starters on defense, so further improvement is expected. That's assuming Chizik isn't snapped up by another school—one that's still looking for a defensive coordinator or (like Southern Mississippi) suddenly has a head coaching opening. Previously, Chizik was head coach at Iowa State and Auburn, leading the latter to a national title after the 2010 season.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
35 of 66
Jacoby Brissett's successor struggles
After two mostly strong seasons from Brissett, North Carolina State will be in a new person's hands at quarterback. Backup Jalan McClendon will get every opportunity to win the starting job, but he'll have to play better than he did during his limited opportunities in 2015.
As a redshirt freshman, the 6'5", 212-pound McClendon appeared in seven games but attempted just 14 passes, completing eight for 69 yards. He also ran five times for 11 yards, losing a fumble in a November win over Syracuse.
That came in one of just three appearances in ACC play, with the rest coming in mop-up duty during an easy non-league schedule. McClendon still has a lot to prove, and without another strong option, the Wolfpack could struggle offensively.
Northwestern Wildcats
36 of 66
Clayton Thorson can't improve
Northwestern's second 10-win season in the last four came in spite of a sluggish offense that didn't have much going for it beyond running back Justin Jackson. The Wildcats averaged only 138.5 passing yards per game, with eight touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Thorson started all 13 games at quarterback, but he topped 200 passing yards just once (while throwing for fewer than 100 on five occasions) and had one multi-TD game.
There isn't another option beyond Thorson, so it's on him to get better. Jackson is a workhorse in the backfield, with 557 carries the past two seasons, but he can't do it all alone.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
37 of 66
A distracting quarterback battle
Notre Dame will have a quarterback competition for the second year in a row, with Malik Zaire expected to be fully healed from the broken ankle suffered in September and thus able to battle DeShone Kizer for the starting spot. How the Fighting Irish handle that competition will be key to their chances for a strong 2016 season.
The goal is to avoid having the competition take on a life of its own and overshadow everything else going on during the offseason. Ohio State had a very similar battle with Cardale Jones, Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett last spring, and the headaches that came with such a public event were noticeable.
Notre Dame can't afford to have that happen, especially when there are so many other areas to address this offseason. Brian Kelly and his staff have to come up with a system to determine the starter and just go with it.
"The best thing to do is constant communication with those guys and constant evaluation so they know where they’re at," Ohio State offensive coordinator Ed Warriner said, per JJ Stankevitz of CSNChicago.com. "Here’s the things that you’re behind in; here’s the things that you’re ahead in."
Ohio State Buckeyes
38 of 66
The run game doesn't develop
Nine underclassmen turned pro and another eight senior starters have graduated, which should make for a very different-looking Ohio State team in 2016. However, backups who either saw key snaps last season or have been prepping for this opportunity since coming to Columbus will fill most of the holes.
Spring practice will be the first chance for many potential new starters to stand out, including in the backfield, where the loss of running back Ezekiel Elliott stands out more than anyone else. Elliott handled more than half of the Buckeyes' 567 carries in 2015, with another 108 going to other departed players.
Not including quarterback J.T. Barrett, Curtis Samuel, who as a sophomore had 17 carries, is the most productive returning rusher. He underwent foot surgery earlier this month, according to Eleven Warriors, but should be back for spring practice.
Samuel, Bri'onte Dunn and freshman Mike Weber—who injured his knee during training camp—will all compete to be Elliott's successor. Though it could be a workload by committee, having someone be the primary ball-carrier is preferred.
Oklahoma Sooners
39 of 66
An injury to Baker Mayfield
Oklahoma heads into the offseason perilously thin at a critical position, with Mayfield the only scholarship quarterback on the roster after the departure of both of his backups.
Trevor Knight graduated and transferred to Texas A&M to complete his career, and on Sunday the school announced Cody Thomas was leaving the program to focus on the Sooners' baseball team (h/t ESPN's Joe Schad).
Mayfield proved to be both durable and susceptible to injury in 2015, starting all 13 games but taking some nasty blows to the head along the way. He pulled himself from a November win over TCU after complaining of a headache.
If something were to happen to Mayfield during the spring, Oklahoma would have to turn to walk-ons to take snaps in practice. It has a commitment from 4-star passer Austin Kendall, but he isn't set to arrive until the summer.
Oklahoma State Cowboys
40 of 66
Nobody steps up in the backfield
Oklahoma State needs an impact running back—plain and simple. It's the one thing the Cowboys were missing in 2015 and what they require in order to build off that 10-3 season.
"If we don't improve in the running game, we won't win 10 games next year," head coach Mike Gundy told the Oklahoman (h/t FoxSports.com).
Oklahoma State ranked 114th in rushing last season, gaining 126.9 yards per game. Senior quarterback J.W. Walsh had 13 of the team's 27 rushing touchdowns, with leading rusher Chris Carson averaging fewer than four yards per carry.
The combo of Walsh and Mason Rudolph at quarterback helped make up for the lack of a run game most weeks, but Rudolph doesn't have the mobility. That has to come from somewhere else.
Ole Miss Rebels
41 of 66
Chad Kelly gets in trouble again
The Ole Miss record book will have Chad Kelly's name all over it after his tremendous 2015 season, during which he helped the Rebels reach 10 wins for the first time in 13 years while setting school marks for passing yards (4,042), total offense (4,542) and total touchdowns (41).
This is what the school hoped for when it signed Kelly out of East Mississippi Community College last winter, though his off-the-field incidents clouded Kelly's future.
Originally at Clemson, the Tigers booted Kelly in 2014 after clashing with coaches during spring practice. Then, shortly after signing with Ole Miss, he was arrested in Buffalo after an altercation outside a bar.
Since arriving in Oxford, though, Kelly has been a model citizen and a team player, with no reported escapades. Returning to college for his senior year was lauded by Bleacher Report NFL draft expert Matt Miller, who noted that the longer Kelly goes between his incidents and his pro career will help his draft stock.
Oregon Ducks
42 of 66Dakota Prukop isn't the answer
Another year, another graduate transfer quarterback from the FCS ranks for Oregon. It's hard to imagine a program that was in the national title game after the 2014 season (and had a Heisman-winning passer in Marcus Mariota) has needed to dip into the lower division for someone to run the offense, but this speaks to its poor recruiting at the position.
Vernon Adams Jr. did great for Oregon last year when he was healthy, but when he was hurt, the offense suffered under Jeff Lockie's guidance. Now comes Dakota Prukop, who transferred from Montana State.
"Prukop is already on campus and will participate in spring practice, giving him an advantage Adams never had," ESPN.com's Andrea Adelson wrote.
Adams didn't show up until August, while Prukop gets plenty of time to adapt to Oregon's offense. But if he's not as good as hoped, turning back to Lockie again isn't any better.
Oregon State Beavers
43 of 66
No improvement from young roster
Oregon State's roster included 54 freshmen last season, making for one of the youngest teams at the FBS level. Only five starters were seniors, and all three quarterbacks the Beavers used were in their first seasons of action, leading to a 2-10 record and a winless Pac-12 mark.
This should make for a promising future, with the hope being the experienced gained will turn a young team in 2015 into one that's better prepared to handle what comes in 2016. But not every player gets better, and some of OSU's top players have moved on.
That includes the surprising news on Friday that Seth Collins, who started six games at quarterback as a true freshman, was transferring. Before suffering a knee injury, Collins threw for 935 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for a team-high 575 yards and eight scores.
Penn State Nittany Lions
44 of 66
Even more transfers
Penn State's 2015 season ended on Jan. 2, and since then, the line out the door has been almost nonstop.
The exodus from Happy Valley began with the completely unsurprising departure of quarterback Christian Hackenberg, one of two early NFL entrants from the Nittany Lions along with defensive lineman Austin Johnson. Then came the staff changes, prompted by defensive coordinator Bob Shoop taking the same job at Tennessee and offensive line coach Herb Hand going to Auburn.
The Lions have also lost five players to transfer: running back Akeel Lynch, wide receiver Geno Lewis, cornerback Daquan Worley and linebackers Troy Reeder and Gary Wooten.
Could more transfers be on the way, possibly after spring practice? If so, the progress James Franklin has made in his two seasons will disappear.
Pittsburgh Panthers
45 of 66
Tyler Boyd's departure continues to linger
Pittsburgh had to be expecting the 2015 season was going to be Tyler Boyd's last in Pittsburgh, so when the wide receiver turned pro as a junior, the Panthers should have set up plans to replace his production both as a pass-catcher and rusher. If that's the case, they didn't really show this during the year.
Boyd had 91 receptions for 926 yards and six touchdowns, adding 349 rushing yards on 40 carries. No other Pitt receiver had more than 26 catches, and players expected to return in 2016 caught only 97 passes. Only freshman Quadree Henderson got the ball as a rusher.
Without a viable target for Nate Peterman, Pitt's offense risks being one-dimensional in 2016.
Purdue Boilermakers
46 of 66
Darrell Hazell's uncertain future impacts recruiting
Some schools fire coaches after winning nine or 10 games in a season, and then there's Purdue, which is sticking with Darrell Hazell despite a 6-30 overall mark and a 2-22 record in Big Ten play. Hazell probably has the coaching turnover within the conference for saving his job, since schools like Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota and Rutgers would likely have been the Boilermakers' competition for a new hire.
"We think Darrell Hazell is the right guy to lead the program," athletic director Morgan Burke said in November, per Mike Carmin of the Indianapolis Star. "We’re not in this for the short term; we want to build a plan."
That's all well and good, but such a plan for success requires having the right players. Purdue sits 80th in 247Sports' composite rankings for 2016—worst of any power program—with none of its 16 signees or commitments rated better than the low end of the 3-star category.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
47 of 66
More off-field incidents
Chris Ash's hiring provides the opportunity for Rutgers to start fresh as it heads into its third season in the Big Ten. That can happen with improved performance but also with a drop in non-football activity that gets the program in the headlines.
Rutgers' 2015 season was doomed before it started, with then-coach Kyle Flood investigated by the school for inappropriate contact with a professor over a player's grades (for which he was suspended three games) and several players implicated in various crimes or domestic disputes. When the Scarlet Knights went 4-8 overall and 1-7 in the Big Ten, it was easy to let Flood go in an effort to move past the bad times.
Any such off-the-field skirmishes will make it harder for Ash to get off to a good start.
South Carolina Gamecocks
48 of 66
Continued struggles at quarterback
Will Muschamp has built his career on defense, but no matter where he goes, he finds himself feeling the effects of poor quarterback play. That position's ineptitude at Florida spelled his doom as a head coach in 2013, and in his one year as Auburn's defensive coordinator, he saw the Tigers struggle mightily at QB.
And now he's inheriting another shaky situation at South Carolina, where none of the passers who return from 2015 are promising. Connor Mitch, Lorenzo Nunez and Perry Orth combined to throw for 2,470 yards and 16 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, completing 54.5 percent of their passes.
All three will be in the mix for the starting job, as should early enrollee Brandon McIlwain, whom Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote is “a perfect player to run the offense Muschamp intends to run.”
Stanford Cardinal
49 of 66
The quarterback situation stays murky
Stanford can only hope that the transition from Kevin Hogan to its next quarterback works out like when going from Andrew Luck to Hogan in 2012. Looking back on that previous transition, Hogan didn't secure the job until Josh Nunes suffered an injury midway through the season.
Hogan took almost all of the snaps the last three years, with Ryan Burns and Keller Chryst each appearing in four games.
"Burns, a redshirt sophomore, has thrown one career pass," Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News wrote. "Chryst, a redshirt freshman, has thrown nine."
Stanford also has a commitment from 4-star quarterback K.J. Costello, but he won't be around until the summer. Someone from that trio will start against Kansas State on Sept. 2, and between now and then, the competition must produce results for the Cardinal to keep their success going.
Syracuse Orange
50 of 66
Dino Babers doesn't have the right players
Dino Babers' uptempo offense produced big numbers at both Eastern Illinois and Bowling Green, doing so at each stop with mostly his predecessor's players. Syracuse is hoping he'll be able to achieve a similar level of success with what previous coach Scott Shafer left behind.
"He brings an enticing offensive pedigree to a group that’s averaged only 22.25 points per game since 2013, almost 15 less than what Babers’ teams averaged during that span," Matt Schneidman of the Daily Orange wrote.
And therein lies the potential problem: Syracuse's returning players might not be able to produce like the ones Babers inherited at Bowling Green and Eastern Illinois.
TCU Horned Frogs
51 of 66
Kenny Hill doesn't click
Trevone Boykin's rise from unconfident athlete to star quarterback was key to TCU becoming a power in the Big 12 and on the national landscape. His performance in 2014-15 has helped the Horned Frogs raise the bar for their performances, which means whoever follows him has a lot to live up to.
That looks to be Kenny Hill, the former Texas A&M quarterback who transferred from College Station to Fort Worth and sat out last season. As a sophomore, Hill threw for 2,649 yards and 23 touchdowns in eight games, with his 511-yard debut to open the 2014 season making him an early Heisman candidate.
By late October, though, the team benched and suspended him, and he opted to head elsewhere after 2014.
Co-offensive coordinators Sonny Cumbie and Doug Meacham worked wonders with Boykin and should be able to do the same with Hill, unless he's not the right fit.
Tennessee Volunteers
52 of 66
Offseason hype becomes a distraction
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. This old adage applies to what Tennessee will be going through again this offseason, which, like after the 2014 season, finds itself facing raised expectations thanks to a strong finish.
The Volunteers received plenty of hype after going 7-6 a year ago, and that attention led to overconfidence and cockiness. This could have contributed to a 2-3 start, with each loss coming after they held a double-digit lead.
Tennessee rebounded to win its final six games in 2015, going 9-4 for its best record since 2007. And again, the hype has arrived in Knoxville.
"Another year into coach Butch Jones' restocking of Tennessee's talent pantry, this year's offseason should dwarf last year's in terms of the scrutiny the college football world places the Vols under," Matt Slovin of the Tennessean wrote.
Texas Longhorns
53 of 66
Charlie Strong can't close
Feb. 3 will be the third national signing day Strong has had at Texas, and he needs this one to go as well as the last two.
Four of the Longhorns' 2016 recruits have signed and enrolled, but they only rank 37th overall in the 247Sports composite rankings. They'll need to make up some big ground over the next week, which is something Strong and his staff achieved en route to the No. 10 class in 2015.
"The third-year head coach picked up six commitments within a week of last season's signing day, and this year could be even bigger," Bleacher Report's Zach Shelton wrote.
The players Texas gets this recruiting class might not be able to impact how it performs this fall, but failing to land some big recruits down the stretch will have a negative effect on the program's future under Strong.
Texas A&M Aggies
54 of 66
New coordinator, old players don't mesh on offense
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin parted ways with offensive coordinator Jake Spavital after another sluggish finish. The Aggies averaged 20.8 points during a 3-5 finish after they scored 39.2 points per game while starting 5-0. Noel Mazzone, whose UCLA teams each averaged at least 32 points per game from 2012-15, replaced Spavital.
Mazzone's track record with the Bruins, among other teams at the college and pro level, is what prompted Sumlin to bring him in to fix a foundering ship. Now it's up to the Aggies' players and their new coach to be able to work together.
Before Spavital departed, A&M lost quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray to transfer, but receivers Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones both passed up the chance to turn pro. A&M will have to hope those who are coming back get on the same page with Mazzone.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
55 of 66
Devin Lauderdale doesn't return
It wouldn't have helped Texas Tech in its fruitless attempt to slow down LSU's Leonard Fournette, but had the Red Raiders been at full strength on offense, they might have kept the margin closer in the Texas Bowl. Instead, they lost by 29 points.
Not having Devin Lauderdale available in the receiving corps had an impact, since it left Jakeem Grant as the only reliable target. Grant had 10 catches and scored three touchdowns, and other than running back DeAndre Washington, no other player had more than three receptions.
Lauderdale had been suspended indefinitely prior to the game, and his return for 2016 is up in the air. The junior was second on the team with 43 catches and 639 yards, and with Grant graduating, he's in line to take over the No. 1 spot.
UCLA Bruins
56 of 66
No one for Josh Rosen to throw to
Josh Rosen had an amazing true freshman season, throwing for 3,669 yards and 23 touchdowns. Though the highly regarded prospect showed off a great skill set, he also benefited from a veteran receiving corps that helped make him look good.
Now it's going to be all on him. The Bruins lose four of their top five pass-catchers from 2015, including NFL early entrants Thomas Duarte and running back Paul Perkins. Darren Andrews, who had 42 receptions but just one touchdown as a sophomore, is UCLA's most experienced returning target.
Spring practice is when UCLA must identify its next batch of receivers, giving them the opportunity to work with Rosen and establish a strong relationship. The more time they spend together, the better things will go in the fall.
USC Trojans
57 of 66
Steve Sarkisian's lawsuit causes distractions
USC fired Steve Sarkisian midway through the 2015 season, a day after he took an indefinite leave of absence after reportedly showing up intoxicated to a team practice. The former coach responded in December with a wrongful termination lawsuit that alleges he was discriminated against because of alcoholism.
Within that document were details of the events that led to the firing, but from Sarkisian's standpoint. USC officials denied most of what was written in the lawsuit, with school general counsel Carol Mauch Amir saying USC would "vigorously" defend itself, per Nathan Fenno of the Los Angeles Times.
The Trojans named Clay Helton their interim coach in the wake of Sarkisian's firing, and he eventually got the full-time job in December. Sarkisian hired him as an assistant, and Helton figures to end up being deposed at some point as the lawsuit progresses. USC could depose players and other members of the program, too, all of which could lead to unnecessary distractions as Helton tries to prepare for his first full season as head coach.
Utah Utes
58 of 66
An uncertain quarterback situation
Travis Wilson has been the starting quarterback since the 2012 season, and he's the third four-year starter in school history. He started 39 games during that span, including 12 in 2015.
Both he and backup Kendal Thompson have graduated, leaving Utah without any real experience at the position. Chase Hansen appeared in 10 games last year as a redshirt freshman while also starting a game at strong safety. Brandon Cox, who will be a junior in 2016, made one appearance in 2014 but not last year.
There's also Troy Williams, the former Washington quarterback who played at a junior college in 2015, who will battle for the starting job. He played in five games for the Huskies in 2014, completing 23 of 36 passes with two interceptions.
It's a wide-open competition and needs some clarity sooner rather than later.
Vanderbilt Commodores
59 of 66
No progress on the recruiting trail
Vanderbilt has to work much harder than every other SEC school to grab quality players, both because of the school's rigorous academic standards and the football program's lack of traditional success. Going a combined 7-17 in Derek Mason's first two seasons hasn't helped.
The Commodores sit 48th overall in the 247Sports composite rankings for 2016, which is second-worst in the conference behind Missouri. They have only one commitment from a 4-star player, cornerback Joejuan Williams, but they're still given just a 40 percent chance in the Crystal Ball predictor to hold on to that pledge before signing day.
Vandy lost a quality prospect last month in 3-star running back/linebacker Sam Brodner, who has visited Illinois and Wisconsin and picked up an offer from Iowa since decommitting.
Virginia Cavaliers
60 of 66
Players don't fit Bronco Mendenhall's system
Virginia won the award for biggest “wow” hire of the offseason, reaching out west to pluck Bronco Mendenhall away from BYU. It was a move that few saw coming, and if Mendenhall can do with the Cavaliers what he accomplished with the Cougars over 11 seasons, it will make Virginia athletic director Craig Littlepage look like a genius.
That will require the scheme Mendenhall employed in Provo to be effective in Charlottesville. The first season is always the toughest in such situations, with half of last year's starters projected to return. Only a handful of spots are likely to go to players Mendenhall has brought in from his first recruiting class, while the rest will be others recruited by previous coach Mike London.
Matt Johns threw 17 interceptions last season as a junior—the most of any FBS quarterback.
Virginia Tech Hokies
61 of 66
No clear leader in quarterback race
Justin Fuente turned Memphis from a doormat into a mid-major power in four seasons, which helped land him the Virginia Tech job. This turnaround wouldn't have happened so quickly had he not realized that Paxton Lynch was the answer at quarterback.
The fix-up job at Virginia Tech won't be as drastic, since the Hokies have had 23 consecutive winning seasons, but Fuente still has work to do in order to return this program to a more respectable level. And it will again come down to the quarterback position, which is wide open following Michael Brewer's graduation.
Brenden Motley started six games in place of an injured Brewer in 2015 and had some flashes of strong play, but he isn't assured the starting job. There's also Dwayne Lawson and a pair of new signees, including junior college transfer Jerod Evans, who will compete.
“Fuente clearly expects all four to compete for the job this spring, and the best man will win,” Bleacher Report's Bryan Manning wrote.
There's no requirement to name a starter in the spring, but the earlier this can be done, the easier it will be to get Fuente's offense installed and the groundwork laid for a successful 2016.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
62 of 66
Quarterback competition leads to a key transfer
Wake Forest's offense has been among the worst in the country the past two seasons, finishing dead last in yards per game in 2014 before moving to 114th out of 128 schools last year. Baby steps, but for the Demon Deacons to compete in the ACC, they need to take larger leaps.
Having consistency at the quarterback spot will help with this, but that requires figuring out who will handle that position. John Wolford has started most of the games the last two years, but he has 25 interceptions against 21 touchdowns, while Kendall Hinton didn't do much better with four TDs and five picks (along with seven rushing scores).
Both will compete this spring along with some new options, such as 2015 signee Kyle Kearns. He redshirted this past year, but the 6'2”, 190-pound passer from California could end up winning the battle.
The Demon Deacons will want to go with the best candidate for 2016, but such competitions often lead to someone transferring. Losing a quarterback could become a major issue if an injury pops up during the season.
Washington Huskies
63 of 66
The hype train derails
A three-game win streak to end 2015 has Washington poised for big things in the upcoming season, which also means expectations will be much higher than in Chris Petersen's first two years. The Huskies are 15-12 under Petersen and haven't won more than nine games since 2000, but that hasn't stopped them from getting the kind of hype that conference and national title contenders garner this early in the offseason.
"Every year, there's an offseason Power Five team du jour that pundits/hacks think will make big strides the following season," Bleacher Report's Ben Kercheval wrote of Washington, going on to apologize for possibly jinxing the Huskies.
Washington is going to get a lot of attention this offseason, more than it has in over a decade. How Petersen and his players handle this will impact what happens on the field in 2016, whether they'll be able to ignore the talk and just play football or get too caught up in the hype.
Washington State Cougars
64 of 66
Defensive line departures can't be replaced
Washington State will first and foremost be known for its potent offense, which has led the nation in passing yards per game the last two seasons, and another big year is in store with quarterback Luke Falk and most of his cast of skill weapons coming back. But matching the nine wins recorded in 2015 will come down to what happens on defense.
Though the Cougars allowed nearly 28 points per game last year, they were one of the most dominant teams in the country up front. They ranked 10th in FBS with 102 tackles for loss, getting at least nine from six different players.
Four of those six players were seniors, including linemen Darryl Paulo and Destiny Vaeao, who combined for 25.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. WSU does return sack leader Hercules Mata'afa, who had seven as a freshman, but it will take more than one person to match last year's effort up front.
West Virginia Mountaineers
65 of 66
Skyler Howard can't take the next step
West Virginia turned to Skyler Howard late in the 2014 season after concussions ended standout quarterback Clint Trickett's career. Howard threw eight touchdown passes in the final three games of that year, but he also struggled with accuracy.
Not much changed this past season, when he started all 13 games as a junior and had 3,145 yards and 26 TDs. He also threw 14 interceptions and completed only 54.8 percent of his throws, the worst rate of any QB in FBS who had at least 400 pass attempts in 2015.
Howard heads into the offseason following a career game in the Cactus Bowl, throwing for 532 yards and five TDs but also two picks. With West Virginia losing 1,500-yard rusher Wendell Smallwood to the NFL draft, getting improvement from Howard is a key piece of the 2016 puzzle.
Wisconsin Badgers
66 of 66
Corey Clement's injuries resurface
Wisconsin won 10 games in 2015 despite having its least productive rushing offense in more than a decade. The Badgers averaged 150.3 yards per game, a major drop from the 320.1 gained in 2014 when Melvin Gordon ran for 2,587 yards.
Gordon's departure wasn't supposed to have that much of an impact because of the return of Corey Clement, who managed 949 yards and nine touchdowns as Gordon's 2014 backup. People pegged Clement as the next great Wisconsin running back for his junior season, but injuries hampered him, including a sports hernia that took him to Europe for surgery.
Clement only played in four games, rushing for 221 yards and five TDs.
A fully healthy Clement, along with the return of Dare Ogunbowale (819 yards, seven TDs) and Taiwan Deal (503 yards, six scores), should make the Badgers more potent on the ground in 2016. If Clement gets hurt again, though, all bets are off.
All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. Stats are courtesy of CFBStats.com unless noted otherwise.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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