Top College Football Offenses with Biggest Holes to Fill in Spring Practice
In college football, the only constant is change. Spring football might be dull to some, but it’s a vital piece of the game’s life cycle. Renewal and rebirth define spring, and that holds true on the college gridiron as well.
It’s time for coaches to evaluate what they have, develop underdeveloped talent and fill holes left behind by graduation and NFL draft departures. That is a consistent theme across college football, but some programs have a more difficult task this spring than others.
A number of potent offenses were hit hard by departures following the 2015 season, and they have serious work ahead of them this spring. Here’s a look at some talented, formidable offenses that have the biggest holes to fill, beginning in spring football. We examined depth charts, and these high-profile teams have the most serious spots to spackle in their 2016 starting lineups.
Baylor
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Under head coach Art Briles’ watch, Baylor has earned a reputation as one of the nation’s most potent offenses year in and year out. In 2015, the Bears rolled up 48.1 points per game—best in the FBS. However, matching those numbers in 2016 could be a challenge.
Only five starters return from that group, and only one starting offensive lineman (junior center Kyle Fuller) comes back to protect prolific quarterback Seth Russell, who showed promise in 2015 before season-ending neck surgery sidelined him. Baylor must replace 132 career offensive line starts, including Spencer Drango’s 48 career starts at left tackle.
While 1,300-yard rusher Shock Linwood and 1,000-yard rusher Johnny Jefferson return for an offense that averaged 326.7 rushing yards per game (No. 2 nationally), opening holes for them could be a concern.
Tackle-guard prospect Patrick Hudson, the nation’s No. 50 overall recruit, could find immediate playing time on the line, and the Bears will likely count on J.P. Urquidez as well.
Baylor also must find a way to replace Corey Coleman’s 20 receiving touchdowns, although KD Cannon (868 yards, six touchdowns) is plenty capable of being the No. 1 receiver. This signing class is full of young receivers who fit the Bears’ mold of speed and deep-threat ability, most notably Tren’Davian Dickson (who has already enrolled) and Devin Duvernay. But there could be some growing pains early on in this offense, especially up front.
Notre Dame
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Notre Dame fought through multiple serious offensive injuries in 2015 and still managed to thrive. The Fighting Irish finished 10-3 (losing to Clemson and Stanford by a combined four points) and landed in the Fiesta Bowl. Enduring such adversity could prove a positive this fall. Head coach Brian Kelly’s offense returns just five starters.
The Fighting Irish must replace one of the game’s top receivers in Will Fuller (62 receptions, 1,258 yards, 14 touchdowns) as well as Amir Carlisle (32 receptions, 355 yards, one score). Standout left tackle Ronnie Stanley leaves a big hole protecting either Malik Zaire or DeShone Kizer’s blind side at quarterback. Freshman Tommy Kraemer has a legit shot at a starting role in his first season in South Bend.
Versatile back C.J. Prosise is gone, but Tarean Folston is on the mend from a torn MCL that ended his 2015 season in September. He is capable of carrying a big load; he had 889 yards and six touchdowns as a sophomore in 2014.
At wide receiver, famous scions Torii Hunter Jr. and Corey Robinson must show they’re capable of playing bigger roles, no matter who's at quarterback.
Ohio State
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For Ohio State, 2016 will be about reloading on both sides of the ball. Head coach Urban Meyer lost nine underclassmen to the NFL draft, and neither offense nor defense was immune to the draft’s ravages. The Buckeyes will return just three offensive starters while losing multiple impact players from a team that went 12-1 with a Fiesta Bowl title.
Tailback Ezekiel Elliott, who rushed for 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns, is gone. So are the top three receivers in Michael Thomas, Jalin Marshall and athletic converted quarterback Braxton Miller. The top returning receiver is versatile Curtis Samuel, who had 22 receptions for 289 yards and two scores as a sophomore.
He or incoming recruit Demario McCall, a versatile, speedy back, could fit in as Elliott’s replacement. Dual-threat quarterback J.T. Barrett returns, but Ohio State must replace three starting offensive linemen, including left tackle Taylor Decker and center Jacoby Boren. Questions and youth will likely abound on offense in Columbus.
Meyer expects youth this fall. He told reporters, including Tim May of the Columbus Dispatch, that he wants to see 18 freshmen from his 25-member signing class on the field in 2016:
"I hope 18 of them play. I'm going to force that issue with our position coaches. Sometimes position coaches, they protect themselves by saying the kid doesn't know what he's doing so I'm not going to give him those reps. I'm not going to allow that this year. … I'm going to make sure we're pushing our guys out there, let them go play.
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Ole Miss
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With Chad Kelly settling in as the starting quarterback, Ole Miss had a tremendous 2015 season. The Rebels beat eventual national champion Alabama in Tuscaloosa and finished 10-3 with a Sugar Bowl thumping of Oklahoma State.
If Kelly and Co. are to repeat that success, the QB will do so with a different supporting cast. Ole Miss returns just four offensive starters after losing several key pieces to the NFL. Left tackle Laremy Tunsil could be the top overall NFL draft pick, and receiver Laquon Treadwell (82 receptions, 1,153 yards, 11 scores) is also highly sought-after.
However, the Rebels do have potentially strong replacements. No. 2 receiver Cody Core is gone, but there’s solid receiver depth with Quincy Adeboyejo and Damore’ea Stringfellow, both of whom had over 500 yards receiving as secondary options to Treadwell. Incoming recruit A.J. Brown is also a potential impact player.
Five-star offensive tackle Greg Little could step in immediately as Tunsil’s replacement. There are questions at tailback, where Jaylen Walton’s departure leaves Kelly as the leading returning rusher. But Ole Miss will give Akeem Judd and Jordan Wilkins chances to step forward as the main men in the backfield.
Oregon
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In the second season of the post-Marcus Mariota era, Oregon is digging into the same bag of tricks. A year ago, the Ducks found success with an FCS graduate-transfer quarterback in Vernon Adams, who helped Oregon to a 9-4 record that could have been better if a broken finger hadn't hampered him.
The Ducks return six starters, but they hope another graduate transfer, Montana State’s Dakota Prukop, can duplicate Adams’ magic and then some. Oregon must replace the entire left side of its line as well as center Matt Hegarty, and it needs backups like Elijah George, Evan Voeller and Doug Brenner to step forward.
Prukop certainly has a key offensive weapon in tailback Royce Freeman (1,836 yards, 17 touchdowns). But receiver Bralon Addison's decision to leave for the NFL draft hurts. Darren Carrington (32 receptions, 609 yards, six scores) needs to prove he can mesh quickly with Prukop. In addition, the line must come together to protect the new QB and give him time to find surrounding offensive talent.
TCU
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For head coach Gary Patterson, life after quarterback Trevone Boykin has finally begun. Boykin and the Air Raid offense gave TCU life, and the Horned Frogs were one of the nation’s top teams over the last two seasons, putting together a 23-3 record. TCU averaged 42.1 points per game (No. 7 nationally) in 2015, but can the fun keep rolling now that Boykin has graduated?
TCU returns just three offensive starters. Boykin is gone, and so are talented receiver Josh Doctson (79 receptions, 1,327 yards, 14 touchdowns) and lead back Aaron Green (1,272 yards, 11 touchdowns).
The Horned Frogs also return just one offensive line starter in sophomore right tackle Joseph Noteboom. That’s a concern, without question.
Texas A&M transfer Kenny Hill, who showed flashes of brilliance with the Aggies, is the favorite to claim the starting quarterback role. He’ll throw to developing star KaVontae Turpin as well as junior college transfers Taj Williams and Ryan Parker, but the question of who’ll block for him has to be creating heartburn in Fort Worth.
UCLA
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Following consecutive 10-win seasons, 2015 was a step back for UCLA. The Bruins slipped to 8-5 and finished the year with a Foster Farms Bowl loss to a 5-7 Nebraska team. Not ideal for head coach Jim Mora Jr. UCLA boasts one of the nation’s top young quarterbacks in Josh Rosen, but it returns just five offensive starters.
Receiver Jordan Payton (78 receptions, 1,106 yards, five touchdowns) is gone, as is No. 2 receiver Thomas Duarte. Darren Andrews (43 receptions, 443 yards, one touchdown) must take on a bigger role.
In the backfield, Paul Perkins (1,343 yards, 14 touchdowns) is off to the NFL draft. It’s time for Soso Jamabo to mature as well. He had just 403 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman, but he averaged 6.1 yards per carry. If he can do that with an increased workload, the Bruins will be quite happy. Rosen must also develop in his second season while those around him improve, too.
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