Ranking the 25 Must-Watch Spring Games of 2016
"It's not the real thing, but it's better than nothing!"
This could be the slogan TV networks use to get people to watch college football spring games if fans weren't so hungry to watch that they're already planning on tuning in. Spring games vary in importance and format depending on the school, but no matter how they look, they still tend to be must-see affairs for their supporters.
For the casual fan, though, there needs to be something more than just a chance to watch a glorified scrimmage as many as five months before the 2016 season begins.
With spring games set to begin this week—first up are Vanderbilt on Friday and BYU on Saturday—we've picked out the 25 games you'd be most inclined to check out. They're ranked based on their expected importance, either because of ongoing position battles or the presence of new head coaches or coordinators.
25. Illinois
1 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 2 p.m. ET
TV: BTN Plus (online)
What to watch for
The shocking move by Illinois to fire coach Bill Cubit was somehow trumped by the hiring of his replacement, former Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers coach Lovie Smith. This came just a few days before the Fighting Illini were to begin spring practice on March 11, so it was no surprise that camp was postponed a few weeks.
It's also not surprising the school won't be holding a formal spring game this year, since there's so much newness to the program. Instead, an open practice midway through workouts—which run April 1-26—will serve as the de facto scrimmage.
Had Cubit still been at the helm, Illinois' spring workouts would have drawn some attention. Now that Smith is running the program, it's become far more interesting.
24. Louisville
2 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 1 p.m. ET
TV: TBD
What to watch for
Louisville began spring practice this week, hoping to build off the momentum it gained during the second half of the 2015 season. The late start enabled the Cardinals to weather the recent loss of offensive coordinator Garrick McGee to Illinois, with Bobby Petrino tabbing offensive line coach Chris Klenakis and former West Virginia receivers coach Lonnie Galloway as co-coordinators.
The spring game will offer a glimpse at what these coaches are able to do with the tremendous yet still-raw talent of quarterback Lamar Jackson, who made great strides last year as a freshman but still has plenty of room to improve. How he develops will be a critical barometer for the upcoming season.
23. TCU
3 of 25
When: Friday, April 1; time TBD
TV: TBD
What to watch for
TCU is coming off arguably the best two-year run in program history. During that time, it was able to rise to the top tier of the Big 12. Maintaining that level is a major goal for the Horned Frogs, though they'll be doing it with quite a few new contributors.
Former Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill could be running the offense in 2016, with the spring game a great opportunity to show what he's learned in his time with the program. KaVontae Turpin is the heir apparent at wide receiver or running back, or both, depending on how TCU uses him. And a defense held together last season by duct tape still has plenty of bumps and bruises but also much more depth and experience thanks to the playing time earned a year ago.
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22. Arkansas
4 of 25
When: Saturday, April 23; 1 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
What to watch for
Any chance to potentially mic up Bret Bielema should make for good television, so expect the Arkansas coach to take center stage during the fourth spring game in his tenure in Fayetteville. What his Razorbacks do on the field will be just as worth witnessing.
Likely starting quarterback Austin Allen can solidify his spot succeeding older brother Brandon Allen, while we'll get a chance to see how running back Rawleigh Williams looks after coming back from neck surgery. New Hogs such as true freshman defensive lineman McTelvin Agim will also be on display.
Arkansas, which has yet to begin spring ball, will be the last of the SEC schools to hold its exhibition.
21. Penn State
5 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 2 p.m. ET
TV: BigTen2Go (online)
What to watch for
After two years of middle-of-the-road results, Penn State is in the middle of a critical offseason where coach James Franklin has the opportunity to show what kind of progress he's made. The spring game will be an early showcase of this, when the Nittany Lions' quarterback of the future will make his debut.
But will that end up being sophomore Trace McSorley, redshirt freshman Tommy Stevens or true freshman Jake Zembiec? That's among the many questions that PSU fans could start to get answers to, depending on how Franklin and his staff split up the reps during the spring game.
20. Tennessee
6 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 2 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
What to watch for
Two things could make this year's Tennessee spring game unlike any before—one that's a strong possibility and the other a certainty.
Volunteers coach Butch Jones said Tuesday that a rash of injuries might force him to turn the spring game into just another practice, according to Patrick Brown of the Times Free Press. Among those hurt is senior linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, one of the team's defensive leaders, who suffered a shoulder injury that could knock him out until June.
Regardless of the format of the Orange and White Game, it will be a memorable one if only because it will include nemesis Steve Spurrier receiving the Robert Neyland Award from the Knoxville Quarterback Club.
19. South Carolina
7 of 25
When: Saturday, April 9; noon ET
TV: SEC Network
What to watch for
It wasn't the sexiest hire, but the bottom line is South Carolina has put its program's future in the hands of Will Muschamp. It's his second go-around as a head coach in the SEC, and the way his time in Florida went (as well as his experience as Auburn's defensive coordinator in 2015) should shape how he handles the Gamecocks.
Spring workouts have been intense in Columbia, which should carry over to the Garnet and Black spring game. Whether that will allow for celebrity cameos such as Gamecocks superfan Darius Rucker remains to be seen.
The more important sights will be the progress of players in various position battles, first and foremost the quarterback competition where true freshman Brandon McIlwain is trying to beat out several more experienced players.
18. Florida
8 of 25
When: Friday, April 8; 7 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
What to watch for
Jim McElwain's second spring camp is far more important than the first one, when he was coming into a program that was treading water. But after a surprising run to the SEC East Division title, the Gators now have much greater expectations. Thus, every move they make during the offseason could push them toward those goals or create a stumbling block.
Florida's quarterback situation is in flux with Treon Harris moved to receiver—and getting suspended, along with top wideout Antonio Callaway—and the ongoing competition among true freshman Feleipe Franks and transfers Luke Del Rio and Austin Appleby. The spring game will give each a chance to perform before a sizable crowd.
How the Gators look at running back and various positions on defense will give us a sense of how this year's team will look when the real games start in September.
17. Michigan State
9 of 25
When: Saturday, April 23; 3 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
What to watch for
While the coach in charge of its in-state rival seemingly does everything possible to keep his team in the news, Mark Dantonio seems perfectly fine with operating out of the limelight. Michigan State will still do the whole spring game thing, though don't expect any crazy bells and whistles.
Just expect strong efforts across the board, as the Spartans have to replace more than half of the starters that helped them get into the playoffs and win the Big Ten title in 2015. That includes quarterback, where Tyler O'Connor and Damion Terry are competing to replace three-year starter Connor Cook.
A pair of early enrollees at wide receiver, Cameron Chambers and Donnie Corley, could be in line for major contributions this fall if they can put together a strong performance in the spring game.
16. Stanford
10 of 25
When: Saturday, April 9; 4 p.m. ET
TV: Pac-12 Network
What to watch for
Spring games out West don't tend to draw the kind of crowds you see in SEC or Big Ten territory, one of the many reasons why Stanford opts to hold its final scrimmage at the school's soccer complex (Cagan Stadium) rather than in the football stadium. This smaller venue fits with the low-key tone of the Cardinal's spring camp, where there are position battles but no major schematic changes underway.
Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns are competing to replace quarterback Kevin Hogan, and numerous starting spots on the defensive side are open. Those are a few of the areas where Christian McCaffrey can't carry the load, but don't be surprised to see him throw a pass or two during the spring game.
Worth watching is the progress of a handful of players switching from offense to defense or vice versa, including converted defensive linemen Eric Cotton and Luke Kaumatule and former cornerback Taijuan Thomas moving to wide receiver.
15. Oklahoma
11 of 25
When: Saturday, April 9; 3 p.m. ET
TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma
What to watch for
Coming off a Big 12 title and a playoff appearance, Oklahoma wants to keep that momentum going through an offseason where its offense can continue to grow while the defense is trying to reload. The spring game will be the best chance to see what progress has been made in these areas between now and the Sooners' 2016 opener against Houston in September.
"We're all about, in the spring, developing depth, developing every player...getting them ready to play," Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said when camp began in early March.
Numerous starting spots are open on the defensive side, while the most notable offensive competition will be at wide receiver. The graduation of Sterling Shepard and Durron Neal puts Oklahoma in need of a new No. 1 target, with Dede Westbrook and Penn State transfer Geno Lewis the top options.
14. LSU
12 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 4 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
What to watch for
Having spent his spring break in Cuba, LSU coach Les Miles figures to be in a great mood when his team wraps up practice in a few weeks. Might the man who nearly lost his job last November—until getting a reprieve during the third quarter of the regular-season finale—grace us with a new trick play he learned on vacation?
It will be a lot of the same for the Tigers in their spring game, with a major focus being on how quarterback Brandon Harris looks after having sports hernia surgery. His main competition from a year ago, Anthony Jennings, is transferring from the program, but Purdue transfer Danny Etling is there to challenge him this time around.
Fans will also get their first glimpse of how the defense will operate under new coordinator Dave Aranda, who in 2015 with Wisconsin helmed the nation's No. 2 unit.
13. USC
13 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 6 p.m. ET
TV: TBD
What to watch for
Like most schools, USC has some starting spots up for grabs this spring—most notably quarterback, where Max Browne hopes to take over for Cody Kessler—and some new coaches in charge such as defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, who is in his second go-around with the team. But the most important thing about the Trojans' spring camp is establishing a level of normalcy, something that hasn't been a commonality around these parts the last few years.
With Clay Helton now the permanent coach, USC is hoping just to be able to establish a baseline and go from there. With that in mind, don't expect anything too flashy from the spring game, but it still figures to be a fun one to watch.
Besides the competition between Browne and Sam Darnold at QB, not much else is unsettled. A number of injuries on defense will limit the progress that unit makes this spring, but that could open the door for 5-star early enrollee Oluwole Betiku to play a major role in his first season.
12. Oregon
14 of 25
When: Saturday, April 30; 2 p.m. ET
TV: Pac-12 Network
What to watch for
Oregon is one of three schools (along with Army and Marshall) who are more than a month away from having its spring game, with practices not set to begin until next week. That means the Ducks' scrimmage will serve as the final college football event of any substance until conference media days start in mid-July.
Make sure to savor this last one, folks, to help steel you for the rest of the long offseason.
The Ducks' spring game will mark the television debut of a new-look defense led by former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke. It will also be the first opportunity to see how Oregon's latest grad transfer quarterback acquisition, Montana State's Dakota Prukop, looks in what will very likely be another new uniform combination.
11. Auburn
15 of 25
When: Saturday, April 9; 4 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
What to watch for
Following another season of diminishing returns, Auburn hopes 2016 is when it can start to rise again and get back into the SEC hunt. The journey starts with a good spring, and the Tigers' scrimmage will provide a showcase for how things have changed since we last saw this team a few months ago.
"[Gus] Malzahn and Auburn have gone 15-11 since playing for the final BCS National Championship as SEC champions at the end of his first season in charge," Bleacher Report's Justin Ferguson wrote when spring camp opened in early March. "His patented no-huddle offense ranked 94th nationally in yards per game last year, as the defense didn't live up to high expectations."
Malzahn has some new faces to turn to on the coaching staff, adding Herb Hand as offensive line coach and Kevin Steele as defensive coordinator. He's also got a new option at the critical quarterback position, where former Florida State passer John Franklin III is battling against 2015 co-starters Jeremy Johnson and Sean White.
10. Clemson
16 of 25
When: Saturday, April 9; 2:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN3 (online)
What to watch for
Clemson came oh so close to winning its first national title in January, falling to Alabama in an epic College Football Playoff National Championship. The Tigers hope to contend again in 2016 but have to retool a defense ravaged by the NFL draft and further impacted by an injury to projected starting cornerback Adrian Baker.
How the defense looks during the spring game will likely be the most followed development, particularly on the defensive line where youngsters such as sophomores Austin Bryant and Christian Wilkins and 5-star early enrollee Dexter Lawrence should all be in the mix to start.
The Clemson offense is a known quantity with the return of quarterback Deshaun Watson and others, though it will be good to see wide receiver Mike Williams back in action after his scary neck injury in September.
9. Florida State
17 of 25
When: Saturday, April 9; 3 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN3 (online)
What to watch for
Florida State's 2016 season will begin for real on Labor Day when it takes on Ole Miss in Orlando. Consider the spring game a dry run in various ways, since the Seminoles will be holding this scrimmage at the Citrus Bowl, as Doak Campbell is under renovation.
More than 23,000 tickets had been sold as of March 18, per the Orlando Sentinel's Brendan Sonnone, and plenty more will be purchased in the days leading up to the game. Last year, FSU had just over 17,000 attend its spring game.
With quarterback Sean Maguire recovering from ankle surgery, spring snaps have been shared by the players vying to be his backup, including true freshman Malik Henry. He's one of seven early enrollees who have been involved in practice.
8. Texas A&M
18 of 25
When: Saturday, April 9; 6 p.m. ET
TV: SEC Network
What to watch for
What Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee has called the “biggest spring of Kevin Sumlin's Texas A&M career” will culminate with the Aggies' first true spring game since 2013. Construction on Kyle Field the previous two years prevented its use during the offseason.
That will allow A&M to showcase its new-look offense, piloted by coordinator Noel Mazzone and featuring a pair of Oklahoma transfers: quarterback Trevor Knight and running back Keith Ford. Both could end up starting this fall, and their play in the spring game will be closely watched.
So, too, will the continued development of the Aggies defense, which made notable improvements last year under John Chavis but must still get better.
"The Aggies need to develop an identity now so Sumlin can fine-tune it in August when fall camp opens," Sallee wrote. "They open with UCLA in Week 1 and face Auburn, Arkansas and Tennessee before the bye week on Oct. 15. If they aren't ready to go, things could get dicey in a hurry for Sumlin."
7. Miami (Florida)
19 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 2 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN3 (online)
What to watch for
It's been spring in South Florida for months, yet things are really heating up now that Miami's first set of practices under new coach Mark Richt are underway. His arrival has injected new life into a once-proud program that has fallen out of the national spotlight, though it's uncertain what this will mean for spring game attendance.
Last year, the Hurricanes drew about 3,500 fans to its scrimmage, per SB Nation, or roughly 7.5 percent of the 46,815 who attended Richt's final spring game at Georgia.
Richt returning to his alma mater is among the main draws, but he'll only be calling plays and not running them. The latter falls in the hands of third-year starting quarterback Brad Kaaya, who figures to be operating behind a reworked offensive line that struggled to keep him upright in 2015.
6. Georgia
20 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPNU
What to watch for
After dealing with the backlash to his changing of the school's transfer policy, Kirby Smart has to be anxiously awaiting the end of spring ball. It will mean being able to slip back into the shadows in preparation for his first season as coach, as well as to show he was brought over from Alabama for his knowledge of the game and not his public relations.
What we see during the spring game might not closely resemble the finished product for Georgia's opener against North Carolina in Atlanta, however. First off, Nick Chubb probably won't play since he's being held out of contact drills while recovering from knee surgery in the fall, so the main ball-carriers will be Sony Michel and Tae Crowder.
Crowder, a redshirt freshman, could end up making major leaps toward playing time with a good spring and a strong performance in the scrimmage. So, too, could freshmen early enrollees such as quarterback Jacob Eason, tight end Isaac Nauta and defensive lineman Julian Rochester.
5. Alabama
21 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 3 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
What to watch for
Alabama routinely draws a large crowd to its spring game, and this year shouldn't be any different. The defending national champions have no plans to abdicate their crown anytime soon, and work is well underway to fill in the holes left by graduation and early NFL departures.
According to Bleacher Report's Christopher Walsh, since many of the candidates for new starting jobs have already seen significant playing time in the past, this spring has been more about true competition than acclimation. "There’s already a familiarity of what’s expected," Walsh wrote, and thus in the spring game, it's more likely we'll see a lot of players get reps rather than a defined pecking order.
The exception might be at quarterback, where most of the candidates haven't seen much (if any) playing time. Cooper Bateman has a start under his belt—the home loss to Ole Miss last year—but that doesn't give him much of an edge over David Cornwell or Blake Barnett.
4. Notre Dame
22 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 12:30 p.m. ET
TV: NBC Sports Network
What to watch for
Malik Zaire won the starting quarterback job thanks to his play last spring, only to lose it to injury in the second game of the 2016 season. Now he's battling to win back that gig from the youngster who so adeptly replaced him, DeShone Kizer. Their competition is one of the biggest of the spring, and though it might not get decided during Notre Dame's scrimmage, it will be a focal point.
Zaire is ready, per ESPN's Matt Fortuna:
"You just really wonder what it’s gonna take to finally convince people enough that I’m able to do the job. I know I’m a championship quarterback and that’s something we’re working on and every day is another process for me and my growth and development, and I know I gotta be at the best of shape at all times to help this team win football games.
"
The spring game will also feature the latest rendition of Brian VanGorder's defense, which lost six starters, as well as competitions at running back and wide receiver.
3. Ohio State
23 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
What to watch for
Don't tell Ohio State fans the spring game doesn't count. To a person, nearly every one of the record 99,391 who attended the 2015 game—and paid $5 to do so—is likely to say it was a worthwhile experience, and so will those who head to Ohio Stadium this time around.
The 2016 version might even have more of a real-game feel, since the departure of 16 starters means there are a lot of position battles this offseason. Injuries have limited some of these competitions, but that will mean many young players will get ample snaps during the scrimmage.
Ohio State had seven players from its second-rated recruiting class (per 247Sports) enroll early, including defensive end Jonathon Cooper and wide receiver Austin Mack. For them, the spring game is the first major audition to get involved right away.
2. Texas
24 of 25
When: Saturday, April 16; 2 p.m. ET
TV: Longhorn Network
What to watch for
Now with three great recruiting classes under his belt, there's no time but the present for Charlie Strong and Texas. Producing a winning team in 2016 might be required for him to be able to continue the process he started after succeeding Mack Brown and pointing the Longhorns in a different direction.
The spring game will give fans a chance to see what, if any, progress Texas has made since its last contest, a road upset of Baylor in December. Since then, the team has added new coaches, with Sterlin Gilbert being the third different offensive coordinator in as many seasons under Strong. A disciple of both Art Briles and Dino Babers, his arrival should move the Longhorns further toward an uptempo style, which should be on display in the scrimmage.
Jerrod Heard, Tyrone Swoopes and Shane Buechele will all get to operate in this system at quarterback, while on defense, we'll get to see how much linebacker Malik Jefferson and other young standouts have progressed over the last few months.
1. Michigan
25 of 25
When: Friday, April 1; 7 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
What to watch for
WWJHD?
For those unable to decipher the acronym, it stands for “What will Jim Harbaugh do?” It's a valid question, since the second-year Michigan coach is constantly surprising us with nearly ever move he's made (and tweet he's sent) since taking over the job. This includes being able to spin the straw of a roster he inherited into 10-win gold in 2015.
Last year's Michigan spring game was a relatively uninspiring event in terms of what occurred on the field, but it was the first chance to see Harbaugh's team in action. This spring has been far more high-profile, with the Wolverines spending a week in Florida (much to the chagrin of SEC coaches), and they're also set to hold a practice at the Detroit Lions' Ford Field on Saturday.
Actions such as that make anything Harbaugh does of the must-see variety, though we don't know if that will translate into anything special in the spring game...unless he's got a great April Fools' Day joke in store. However, it will be an opportunity to check in on the quarterback competition as well as see what Jabrill Peppers looks like in his conversion from defensive back to linebacker.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
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