Grading Each Top 25 Team's 2016 Spring Game Performance
Getting a clear read on a spring game is difficult. Different teams do different things in how they separate the talent, how they score the game and how they maintain the clock. Several just ditch the idea of a traditional scrimmage and go for a public practice.
Spring game season is almost completely finished in the world of college football, meaning fans and analysts everywhere won't get to see on-field action for quite some time. This can lead to overreactions from the glorified scrimmages, which usually are vanilla by design.
Let's try to avoid the hot takes and identify the reasonable takeaways coming out of spring games for each Top 25 team for the 2016 season, based on our composite preseason rankings of several top national outlets. (Again, if you have a problem with where a team is ranked, take it up with the rest of the country.)
Here are the spring game grades for each of the composite Top 25, based on factors such as the overall performances of the offenses and defenses, quality of depth showcased in the games, excitement level around the contests and the avoidance of the infamous spring game injuries.
Opinions on spring games are wide-ranging, making a universal grading system impossible to use. But this one trends toward the positive for teams that got closer to answers for their major preseason questions and left pleasantly surprised at some of their individual performances.
25. UCLA
1 of 25
UCLA didn't have a traditional spring game last Saturday. It instead opted for a bigger practice that featured 11-on-11 and seven-on-seven work without any tackling. Still, the overall takeaways from the Spring Showcase were mostly positive, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Bruins fans got to see the new-look offense under first-year coordinator Kennedy Polamalu as UCLA meshed power with spread looks to get plenty of players involved. Defensive back-turned-wide receiver Ishmael Adams and returning wide receiver Cordell Broadus, the son of rapper Snoop Dogg, each turned in highlight-reel efforts.
The leader of the attack, sophomore quarterback Josh Rosen, scattered nice touchdown throws along with a few interceptions in the showcase. Defensive tackle Takkarist McKinley, linebacker Mique Juarez and defensive back Charles Dawson each made big-time plays against Rosen on Saturday.
UCLA still has work to do establishing chemistry between Rosen and the new starters at the skill positions and the offensive line, but the defense looked strong in its new 4-3 look. It was an all-around solid showcase for Jim Mora's squad.
Grade: B
24. Miami
2 of 25
Two main trends emerged from Mark Richt's first spring game as the head coach of Miami—quarterback Brad Kaaya is a star for the Hurricanes, and the team needs to build up more depth before the season begins.
According to Matt Porter of the Palm Beach Post, Kaaya completed 29 of 49 passes for 345 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, but his overall numbers were affected by a few drops from his receivers. Kaaya seems to have taken full control of Richt's offense this spring, and the spring game was a near-perfect finale for him.
While Manny Diaz's new attacking defense made a few big plays, the Hurricanes were noticeably gassed by the end of the scrimmage in Fort Lauderdale. Miami has several instant-impact recruits coming into the fold this summer, and Richt will need them to step into roles in order to establish the quality depth needed for the long season ahead.
The spring game identified Miami's biggest need going forward and established who Richt's star players on both sides of the ball will be in 2016. From a coach's standpoint, that's a successful spring game.
Grade: B
23. Georgia
3 of 25
An SEC-record spring game crowd, aided by a concert by rapper Ludacris, filled Sanford Stadium for Georgia's 2016 G-Day and was treated to some standout performances by new head coach Kirby Smart's young stars.
The biggest story of the spring game was true freshman quarterback Jacob Eason, a former 5-star recruit from Washington who emerged as the best-looking option in the Bulldogs' tight three-way battle for the starting job at that position. As Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee noted, Smart is trying his best to temper expectations, but Eason's command of the offense made him a spring star.
In addition to Eason, the 93,000 in Sanford Stadium watched breakout performances from wide receiver Jayson Stanley and tight end Isaac Nauta. The Bulldogs still have some question marks along their offensive and defensive fronts, but a few bright spots emerged from the pack there at G-Day.
With a massive crowd and some standout performances from a few of its most heavily hyped underclassmen, Georgia's first spring game under Smart was a roaring success. Now the Bulldogs will look to carry all that momentum into summer workouts and a crucial fall camp for plenty of position battles.
Grade: A
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22. Washington
4 of 25
Washington was another team that didn't opt for a traditional spring game, as the Huskies ran more of a practice with some fun competitions for the fans to see. According to Gabey Lucas of SB Nation's UW Dawg Pound, whenever the 11-on-11 work started, the Washington defense usually was in control.
The Huskies had the Pac-12's No. 1 defense last season, and they showed they could continue that success in 2016. The Washington front seven provided plenty of pressure on sophomore quarterback Jake Browning, who received a good amount of practice with scrambling and making throws on the run. The Huskies secondary also had a strong day of work in the low-scoring 11-on-11 drills.
Offensively, John Ross emerged as a top target to watch for Browning in addition to his speedy work in the special teams game. Ross missed all of 2015 with a knee injury after standing out at both wide receiver and defensive back as a sophomore in 2014. His return should be an added boost to the Washington offense this fall.
Highlight plays on both sides of the ball and no injuries typified a strong day of both serious scrimmaging and not-so-serious activities in Washington's spring game. Judging by their defensive prowess and offensive tweaks, the Huskies should be quite dangerous in the Pac-12 North this fall.
Grade: B+
21. Louisville
5 of 25
The most absurd stat line of spring game season has to go to Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, who scorched the reserve defense by completing 24 of 29 passes for 519 yards and eight touchdowns.
Whether one scoffs or marvels at Jackson's stat line, the important takeaway is that the sophomore dual-threat quarterback was able to showcase a lot of his improved pass accuracy and deep-ball touch in Louisville's spring game. Although it came against backups, the big day was exactly what Louisville wanted to see out of its young quarterback heading into the fall.
Louisville's first-team defense also had a standout day, holding the reserves to just seven points and 181 yards, according to Steve Jones of the Louisville Courier-Journal. The Cardinals, who tie LSU and Kent State for the most returning starters in college football this season, according to Phil Steele, allowed a pair of big plays to the backups but clamped down everywhere else.
In addition to Jackson's improvement through the air, the Louisville offensive line looked somewhat more stable than it did in 2015, which was a sight for Cardinal fans' sore eyes. While it was far from competitive, Louisville's spring game was a fantastic showcase for the first-teamers.
Grade: A-
20. North Carolina
6 of 25
Injuries to players on both sides of the ball during spring practices prevented North Carolina from showcasing a lot in what was a vanilla spring game earlier this month.
The defending ACC Coastal champion went with an offense-versus-defense-style scrimmage with starters taking on the starters and reserves battling reserves. Quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who was named the starter for the 2016 season, started off hot but faded late, completing just three of his last 11 attempts in a 13-of-22 passing day for 148 yards, a touchdown and a pick. Mack Hollins broke out for a huge day receiving.
On the topic of picks, North Carolina threw four of them during the game, with three coming against the reserve defense. Des Lawrence recorded the lone interception of Trubisky and added nine tackles for a first-team defense that limited the number of explosive plays from the Tar Heels' high-powered offense.
Four interceptions from the UNC offense was the classic spring game conundrum—was it bad offense or good defense? Either way, the defense had the stronger outing, and the Tar Heels will look to tighten things up throughout their depth chart heading into the rest of the offseason.
Grade: B-
19. Oklahoma State
7 of 25
Oklahoma State's two biggest question marks for 2016—the need for a stronger running game and the replacements for star defensive players—were answered in totally different ways during the Cowboys' recent spring game.
As Bill Haisten of the Tulsa World wrote, "If [offensive line] improvement has been achieved, it was not obvious" at Boone Pickens Stadium. Oklahoma State managed just 70 yards on 43 carries, and the scrimmage provided no real separation for the running backs. The Pokes need better line play in 2016 in order to achieve ideal offensive balance, and that just wasn't there in the spring game.
Defensively, though, Oklahoma State can be proud of its efforts, as it held the first-team attack to just one touchdown. The losses of defensive end Emmanuel Ogbah and cornerback Kevin Peterson, among others, didn't seem to slow down this stingy unit. Defensive end Trey Carter had a huge day, coming up with three sacks as a member of the Orange team.
Oklahoma State still has plenty of work to do with its ground game as the offseason wears on, but the strong play of some of its emerging defensive playmakers was a welcome sight to those in Stillwater this spring.
Grade: C+
18. Oregon
8 of 25
Oregon is one of just four teams in college football that haven't had their spring games yet, as the Ducks will hit Autzen Stadium this Saturday for their camp finale.
After falling below the 10-win threshold last season, Oregon is looking for a bounce-back campaign in 2016 behind some changes on the coaching staff and a few new starters. Quarterback Dakota Prukop will try to live up to the standard fellow FCS transfer Vernon Adams Jr. set for the Ducks last season, and Royce Freeman will spearhead the latest group of lightning-fast playmakers for first-year offensive coordinator Matt Lubick.
Meanwhile, all eyes will be on Brady Hoke, the former Michigan head coach who returned to the college game this offseason by becoming the new defensive coordinator in Eugene. The Ducks' transition to Hoke's defensive system will be under the microscope all game long as they look to improve from what was a rough 2015 campaign.
Grade: Incomplete
17. USC
9 of 25
Clay Helton's first spring game as USC head coach was nearly perfect for the Trojans. While the game—which relied heavily on situational practicing more than actual game play—didn't produce a clear-cut option for starting quarterback, the Trojans should be confident in both Max Browne and Sam Darnold after they closed their spring with efficient performances in the scrimmage.
Whoever starts this season for the Trojans at quarterback will be able to rely heavily on star wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who had five catches for 55 yards and three touchdowns. Justin Davis and Ronald Jones each had solid days at running back, and the Trojans offense should be in great hands this fall.
On the defensive side of the ball, Rasheem Green looked like a star on the line, consistently bursting into the backfield through double-teams. Unfortunately, though, USC's thin defensive line depth took another hit when Noah Jefferson left the game with an arm injury early in the game.
USC provided perhaps the best moment of spring game season when blind long snapper Jake Olson received standing ovations for two perfect snaps on the Trojans' field-goal attempts late in the game. It was the perfect end to what was a strong spring game for USC.
Grade: A-
16. Iowa
10 of 25
As starting quarterback C.J. Beathard sat out of the Iowa spring game after an injury scare in practices, the Hawkeyes defense won the day. The unit recorded four sacks and multiple interceptions, with defending Thorpe Award winner Desmond King picking off a pass and Iowa's defensive ends consistently getting into the backfield.
"You see some progress being made," Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said, per Luke Meredith of the Associated Press. "I think we saw some good growth with all four guys who worked in the two deep (at end) ... you see potential there. You see growth."
The Iowa offense as a whole didn't show a lot in terms of first-team action, as the Hawkeyes coaching staff decided to rotate a lot of skill players into the game. A banged-up offensive line had a hard time slowing down the Iowa pass rush, which led to some mistakes through the air.
The Hawkeyes offense was at a natural disadvantage without Beathard, but the defense didn't show any let up as it looks to build off of what was a fantastic 2015 season. Iowa flashed some decent depth on both sides of the ball in its spring game and did what it does best. It was an all-around solid spring game for the defending Big Ten West champion.
Grade: B
15. TCU
11 of 25
The 2016 season looks like it might be a throwback of sorts for TCU and head coach Gary Patterson, who rose to fame on the back of his defensive prowess. In the Horned Frogs' spring game, their defense won out as the offense continues to look for answers after the departure of Trevone Boykin and Josh Doctson.
Former Texas A&M quarterback Kenny Hill and experienced backup Foster Sawyer will continue their battle into the summer and fall camp. According to Jake Trotter of ESPN.com, both quarterbacks completed less than half of their passes and were held out of the end zone, so those looking for separation will have to wait in Fort Worth.
The TCU defense had a great game behind the work of returning defensive end James McFarland, who missed all of 2015 with a toe injury, and several young cornerbacks stepping up in the face of key absences. Defensive end Tipa Galeai pulled off an acrobatic pick-six of Sawyer in the contest, providing the top highlight in the scrimmage.
The Horned Frogs offense has been a revelation each of the last two seasons, and it has the potential to be one of the nation's best again in 2016 with some more seasoning of the new starters. This spring, though, the defense took control, and that might be TCU's calling card for the upcoming campaign in the wild Big 12.
Grade: B-
14. Ole Miss
12 of 25
Ole Miss is exempt from grading this semester, as the Rebels did not have a spring game because of ongoing construction at their home of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
The Rebels' spring practices this season were all about building quality depth, as they lost a number of key players from their famed 2013 recruiting class but returned cornerstones such as quarterback Chad Kelly. The Ole Miss signal-caller missed the last few practices of camp because of hernia surgery but should be back at 100 percent before the season.
"I really think you need to have quality depth, and I think we are getting there," Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said, per Doug Barber of the Sun Herald. "That is what spring ball is for me is to develop that depth. When you do lose a C.J. Johnson, a Tony Conner, an Isaac Gross—you have other guys prepared to play in this very difficult league."
Grade: N/A
13. Michigan State
13 of 25
Michigan State's recent spring game was almost everything one would expect out of the Spartans—strong defense, efficient play from the top quarterback and a few surprises from head coach Mark Dantonio.
Unsurprisingly, the Michigan State defense stood out in the 14-11 scrimmage in East Lansing, with redshirt freshman safety David Dowell putting a fitting end to the game with an interception. Michigan State's draft format led to a fair amount of talent on both teams, and players such as Riley Bullough, Montae Nicholson and Dowell shining across the board.
While the running game looks for answers, quarterback Tyler O'Connor most likely put the finishing touches on his starting quarterback resume by going 10-of-16 passing for 138 yards. With a strong command of the pocket and an ability to lead the offense on sustained drives, O'Connor showed why he should still be the next man up in place of veteran starter Connor Cook.
The Spartans have a number of holes to fill on their depth chart for the 2016 season, and Saturday's spring game provided clarity on a number of them. Dantonio has laid the blueprint out for 10-win success at Michigan State. The spring game showed the Spartans could follow it to the letter this fall.
Grade: A
12. Houston
14 of 25
According to Chris Wimmer of SB Nation's Underdog Dynasty, Tom Herman isn't a fan of spring games. However, he admitted the modified scoring system of Houston's offense vs. defense scrimmage this year provided quite a bit of insight and teachable moments for the Cougars staff.
What he learned in this year's spring game was that his offense is still top-notch, but his transitioning defense might be further along than most expected. The defense came out on top when the game ended, as the front seven looked fierce in limiting the running backs to a slow afternoon.
While starting quarterback Greg Ward Jr. might not have been able to run the ball much in the spring game, he had a solid day through the air against a new-look Houston secondary. He had a ton of success tossing the ball to wide receiver Isaiah Johnson, who turned in a jaw-dropping stat line of 15 receptions, 292 yards and three touchdowns.
Houston will need to tighten things up across its back four heading into the fall, but reinforcements are on their way all across the defense—including 5-star defensive tackle Ed Oliver. If the improvements through the air and against the run continue, Houston could be more than just the favorite to win the "Group of Five" bid to the New Year's Six bowls for a second straight year.
Score: B+
11. Tennessee
15 of 25
Tennessee's spring game was heavily affected by injuries this year, with two dozen names having to sit out because of health concerns. The Volunteers couldn't escape those woes during the game, either, with offensive lineman Brent Kendrick suffering an ankle sprain.
Fans looked forward to seeing quarterback Joshua Dobbs and an improved passing attack in the scrimmage, but several drops—including one that turned into an interception—took the shine off the final numbers. As Bleacher Report's Brad Shepard wrote, the Volunteers are still looking for the passing game to make an improvement that will determine if they are "a good team or a great one."
It wasn't all bad news for the offense, though, in the 70-63 (modified scoring) contest that was won by the defense. Wide receivers Jeff George and Preston Williams broke out for big days in Neyland Stadium, while third-string running back John Kelly proved he could be a valuable weapon behind the "Chain-Moving Gang" of Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara.
While there were some strong positives for Tennessee, the growing injury list put a damper on the day. Fortunately for the Volunteers, though, they have plenty of experience and depth to lean on as they look to make the breakthrough their fans have waited a long time for this fall.
Grade: C+
10. Stanford
16 of 25
Stanford was another team that didn't show much separation in its quarterback battle during spring game season, but that wasn't a bad thing by any stretch. According to the Stanford Daily, Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns posted nearly identical stat lines, and both responded well after early interceptions.
Chryst and Burns have huge shoes to fill after the departure of longtime starting quarterback Kevin Hogan, but the former star never led the offense to a win in a spring game. The two passers did this year, though, and they did it without much involvement from Heisman-contending running back Christian McCaffrey, who was held out of contact this spring.
In the trenches, the Stanford defensive line had an advantage over a normally stout offensive line that is going through a major transition this offseason thanks to the departure of three former starters. Solomon Thomas was consistently in the backfield for the Cardinal, and he looks like a surefire leader of the defense heading into the 2016 campaign.
Stanford didn't have a lot of miscues in its spring practice and got to showcase a pair of strong arms without having any major injuries. David Shaw will be pleased with that as the Cardinal head into the next phase of their potential Pac-12 title defense.
Grade: B+
9. Notre Dame
17 of 25
Brian Kelly has a tough decision to make with Notre Dame's quarterback battle, which continued in the Irish's spring game earlier this month. DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire both have starting experience, and their battle looks like it will last until fall camp with the way things went in the scrimmage.
Kizer, who started most of ND's games last season after Zaire went down with an injury, had the more consistent outing, as it took Zaire a while to get going—which could be expected from a player coming off a long absence. Zaire made some big plays happen thanks to his athleticism, but Kizer had the more confident day throwing the ball for the Irish attack.
Torii Hunter was a huge benefactor of the battling quarterbacks, as he hauled in a ridiculous one-handed grab from Zaire en route to a big day. Dexter Williams shined at running back, while the defense was solid all the way around with great performances from Max Redfield and Daniel Cage. Tyler Newsome had a huge day punting the ball, too.
An injury-free spring game of bright performances from both sides of the ball is exactly what Notre Dame wanted to see, especially with the large number of new starters coming into the fold this season. The battles will still rage on this offseason, but the pieces are starting to fall into place for the Irish.
Grade: A-
8. Ohio State
18 of 25
The story of Ohio State's offseason is the need for a lot of new playmakers to emerge after a large exodus of talent to the NFL draft. And on a day when the Buckeyes faithful broke a spring game record for attendance, they got to see a dazzling display from several future stars.
The biggest highlight of the day came from Joe Burrow, the No. 2 quarterback who will most likely back up J.T. Barrett in the 2016 season. Burrow was 14-of-23 passing for 193 yards and three touchdowns, delivering strikes to the likes of breakout playmaker Torrance Gibson, Austin Mack and Terry McLaurin. His one major mistake, an interception, only happened because of a ridiculous one-handed grab by Jerome Baker.
With junior Bri'onte Dunn sitting out of the spring game, redshirt freshman Mike Weber took over at running back in the contest and tacked on a pair of touchdowns. Both of the new-look lines held up for the most part, as Ohio State continues to rotate players, young and old, to find the best combinations for 2016.
The impressive performances of players such as Burrow, Gibson, Baker and Weber underlined what was a solid day from Barrett and both of Ohio State's defensive units. No one side overpowered the other, and the young talent on display showed that Ohio State isn't going anywhere—even after the departure of a lot of established talent.
Grade: A
7. Baylor
19 of 25
Fans expecting a great look at the 2016 version of Baylor's wide-open offense had to be somewhat disappointed with the Bears' spring game this time around. With quarterback Seth Russell held out of scrimmaging as part of his return from a fractured vertebra, Baylor went vanilla on offense.
"We did not see much of Baylor's offense during this game," Shehan Jeyarajah of the Dallas Morning News wrote. "Instead, the Bears ran mostly running sets and bubble screens outside to receivers in space. ... We potentially learned some things about the defense, but the offense kept most under wraps on Saturday."
As health concerns dotted the offense, the defense was led by a lightning-fast unit that looked strong in pass coverage. Jameson Houston emerged as a first-teamer at cornerback, and former wide receiver Davion Hall flew around the field as a second-team safety. Jeyarajah also noted that Baylor used more of a 3-4 defense to take advantage of the returning talent at linebacker compared to the loss of all four defensive line starters.
Not a lot of newsworthy action came out of Waco from this year's Baylor spring game, which is probably just the way head coach Art Briles wanted it. The fast and young defense needs more seasoning as preseason preparations wear on, but the Bears could provide a few surprises on that side of the ball this fall.
Grade: B-
6. LSU
20 of 25
Although many in Baton Rouge were focused on how the passing game looked in LSU's spring game earlier this month, a newcomer on the sideline stole the show down on the bayou.
New LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda unveiled his new scheme in the low-scoring contest, which featured a lot of different fronts and plenty of blitzing from all angles for the athletic LSU defense. The Tigers racked up the tackles for loss and sacks against their offensive teammates, and Davon Godchaux's move to nose tackle was a huge development in the game.
On offense, LSU understandably limited the number of carries for star running back Leonard Fournette and focused on working the short passing game for returning starting quarterback Brandon Harris. LSU's reserves on defense gave up a handful of big plays, but the game plan was vanilla by design, according to head coach Les Miles.
LSU was able to show off a lot of the depth behind its huge number of returning starters and flashed solid improvement in its major areas of concern. Although injuries on the offensive line and in the secondary prevented a full look at this year's Tigers, they left spring ball with plenty of positives.
Grade: A-
5. Florida State
21 of 25
The Florida State Seminoles played their scrimmage inside Orlando's Citrus Bowl—where they will open the 2016 season—and highlighted young players who could break through into an established group of starters for playing time this fall.
While Florida State could return all 11 starters on its offense by the start of the season, freshman quarterback Deondre Francois showed why he'll seriously challenge the injured Sean Maguire for the starting job come fall camp. According to Andrea Adelson of ESPN.com, Francois took every snap for the Gold team and became locked back and forth in a battle with Garnet star and true freshman quarterback Malik Henry.
Francois and Henry scored touchdowns in the fourth quarter of a 24-24 tie that featured some big plays from the first-team defense as well. Ro'Derrick Hoskins was a star at linebacker, a position of concern for the Seminoles this season. Back on offense, Ryan Green and Auden Tate had breakout performances for Florida State.
Although some of the youngsters receiving major minutes in the spring games made their fair share of rookie mistakes (Francois had two bad picks), it was an all-around solid day of work for the Seminoles in Orlando. Francois and Henry provided the excitement as some newer faces rose to the occasion on the defensive side of the ball, which could lead into some breakout performances in the regular season.
Grade: B+
4. Michigan
22 of 25
Michigan had one of the earliest spring games for a ranked program this year, and Jim Harbaugh capped off a headline-making spring that featured practices at IMG Academy in Florida with an under-the-lights showcase at the Big House.
The Big House's big story was definitely the quarterback battle, where Wilton Speight and former Houston transfer John O'Korn emerged as the front-runners to replace Jake Rudock. Speight only threw one incompletion and showed great poise in the pocket as O'Korn continued to impress in his adjustment to life as a Wolverine. Quarterback Shane Morris also lined up at wide receiver, where he could make an impact in 2016.
Elsewhere on offense, wide receiver Grant Perry continued his momentum from a strong bowl-game performance, and the running back corps looked stronger as a whole with Ty Isaac posting some great numbers. Michigan's new-look defense had a few bright spots, avoiding any major mistakes in the secondary and rotating plenty of bodies along the front seven.
The Wolverines had a solid night of work across all three phases of the game as they continued to build momentum for what could be a monster 2016 season in Ann Arbor.
Grade: A-
3. Oklahoma
23 of 25
Last year at this time, Oklahoma's first experience with the Lincoln Riley Air Raid attack wasn't received with rave reviews. The Sooners threw four interceptions and didn't inspire a lot of confidence ahead of what would be a Big 12 championship season.
This year, the whole feel around Oklahoma's spring game was a lot different. The offenses didn't turn over the ball as the first-teamers got a break from full contact. The air attack also featured few mistakes from the transitioning group of wide receivers, who had a small number of drops and saw 13 different playmakers record at least one catch.
The Oklahoma defense has to replace several key players from last year's championship squad that made it to the College Football Playoff, and the unit avoided any major breakdowns against the high-powered offense. The front seven consistently got into the backfield for big plays that were normally whistled dead quickly. Ogbonnia Okoronkwo tagged star quarterback Baker Mayfield for a safety in the contest.
Holding the first-team offense out from full contact was for the best, but it didn't provide the typical spring game look at what could be a national title contender in 2016. Still, the Sooners avoided major mistakes and only had a few problems—mainly along the offensive line—to harp on heading into the summer.
Grade: B+
2. Alabama
24 of 25
The hardest spring game to grade this year has to be the one at defending national champion Alabama. The 7-3 contest was highlighted by an outstanding defensive effort, a so-so offensive day and some more kicking woes from the Crimson Tide.
The Alabama defense was always going to be one of the toughest ones to score on in the country, but it took things to a different level in the spring game. No one scored until the fourth quarter, as projected front-runner at quarterback Cooper Bateman completed just nine of 24 pass attempts. Damien Harris was the MVP at running back with 114 yards, but the Crimson Tide had a hard time finishing drives.
Even without Jonathan Allen at defensive end, the Alabama defense still got plenty of pressure against an offensive line that Aaron Suttles of the Tuscaloosa News wrote "needs settling" heading into the fall. Senior kicker Adam Griffith's 1-of-5 day on field goals didn't help matters, either, with the offense's struggles.
There's no denying Alabama has talent on both sides of the ball and will have things figured out by the time the season gets underway with a matchup against USC. Average out the destructive defense with the underwhelming offense—with a little nod to the shaky field-goal department—and it was a middle-of-the-road A-Day for Alabama. (Not that it will matter much in the long run.)
Grade: C
1. Clemson
25 of 25
Clemson will be an easy call as one of the best offenses in college football this season thanks to the return of Heisman-contending quarterback Deshaun Watson, running back Wayne Gallman and a host of talented receivers. And even though the Tigers weren't at full strength in their spring game, Watson still moved the ball with great efficiency and explosion in his few drives.
The Tigers' spring game was marked by a wide range of playmakers getting in on the action, with Hunter Renfrow and Ray-Ray McCloud having big days on offense. While the depth behind Watson at quarterback left much to be desired, the star quarterback had no problem moving the chains with whoever he played with, as he lined up for both teams.
However, the Clemson defense—which must replace the vast majority of its starters—also did a great job of not letting any of the offensive units get run completely wild inside Memorial Stadium. Several big names on the defense, including linebacker Ben Boulware and defensive end Christian Wilkins, turned in strong performances in the 17-9 contest that featured a running clock in the second half.
Clemson would have liked to see more out of its offense when Watson wasn't on the field, but it can be proud of how its defense has progressed early in another rebuilding process. By playing a great deal of depth on both sides of the ball, Clemson's great start to the 2016 campaign was a well-rounded success.
Grade: A-
Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Stats courtesy of CFBStats.com. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Justin Ferguson is a National College Football Analyst at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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