Biggest Remaining College Football Position Battles for 2016
Position battles are rarely won or lost in spring ball. Coaches love to keep a culture of competition open through summer workouts and into fall camp, so final decisions usually don't come until the calendar flips to August.
That means most of the top position battles that caught college football fans' eyes during spring practices and scrimmages will still be hotly contested over the next few months.
These battles could go a long way in determining how the 2016 season looks not just for the individual teams, but for conference title races and even playoff contention. The right decisions at certain positions might be the difference between triumph or tribulation for a program.
Here are the biggest position battles still going on in college football—one for each program—based on competition, position importance and overall team strength. The bigger the team and the bigger the responsibility, the better chance of the battle landing on this countdown. (Hint: Expect a good bit of quarterback talk in here.)
Which position battle do you think is the biggest left on the board? Who do you see winning these key races? Sound off in the comments below.
Honorable Mention
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The following slides contain 12 of the biggest position battles in the country, but why stop there? Here are a dozen more battles that didn't make the final cut but should still have a major say in title races and big games later this fall.
Auburn quarterback: Head coach Gus Malzahn's offense is potent with the right kind of quarterback, and it didn't have that last season as Jeremy Johnson and Sean White failed to impress. JUCO transfer John Franklin III is in and looking to provide a run-first spark for the Tigers as Johnson and White continue to battle it out.
Baylor defensive back: Can redshirt freshman Jameson Houston be the missing piece for the Bears in a secondary that returns a lot of experience? Baylor will need that unit to be a position of strength in the Big 12 race, so look for the battle to continue between Houston and Tion Wright.
Florida quarterback: Will Grier showed that with the right quarterback, this Florida team has the pieces to contend for an SEC championship. Head coach Jim McElwain has several options to choose from here, including transfers Luke Del Rio and Austin Appleby.
Iowa wide receiver: Quarterback C.J. Beathard needs new playmakers out wide in 2016 in order for Iowa to continue its momentum from a surprise undefeated regular season. Jerminic Smith, Jay Scheel and Adrian Falconer are ones to watch there for the Hawkeyes.
Mississippi State quarterback: It's a wide-open race to replace Dak Prescott, the best quarterback in Mississippi State's football history. Nick Fitzgerald, Elijah Staley and Damian Williams all have Prescott-like skill sets for head coach Dan Mullen to employ in the SEC West this fall.
Oklahoma State running back: Same song, new verse for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys have fallen flat in their running game over the last few seasons, and they need balance in order to take that next step in the Big 12 race. Perhaps Barry Sanders Jr. could shake things up with his arrival from Stanford this year.
Oregon defensive line: The Ducks are switching to a 4-3 look under new defensive coordinator Brady Hoke, and he doesn't have much experience to work with in the trenches. But there's plenty of potential, with Canton Kaumatule and Henry Mondeaux leading the way for Oregon's new era of defense.
Penn State quarterback: Trace McSorley appears to have the edge right now in Penn State's quarterback battle, which will decide who gets to lead offensive coordinator Joe Moorhead's fast-paced scheme. Expect Tommy Stevens to continue to push McSorley into the fall.
TCU quarterback: Will Kenny Hill thrill the Lone Star State once again? The Texas A&M transfer was widely expected to take over as Trevone Boykin's replacement, but former backup Foster Sawyer could take the reins of the Horned Frogs' wide-open offense.
Texas quarterback: True freshman Shane Buechele seemed to take the lead in Texas' quarterback battle during its spring game, leading the new-look run-pass option offense with plenty of poise. Former starters Jerrod Heard and Tyrone Swoopes will look to hold him off over the next few months.
UCLA wide receiver: Quarterback Josh Rosen will have a new-look group of playmakers to spread the ball to this fall after the departure of three of his top four receivers. Who will step up next to Darren Andrews for the Bruins in O-coordinator Kennedy Polamalu's new scheme?
Virginia Tech quarterback: Head coach Justin Fuente has brought his uptempo offense into Blacksburg, and he's looking for the perfect signal-caller to lead it in 2016. JUCO transfer Jerod Evans starred in VT's spring game, but Fuente is going to take his time with a battle that also includes Dwayne Lawson and Brenden Motley.
Alabama Quarterback
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Defending national champion Alabama has some things to figure out for its rotation at running back, wide receiver and the defensive front this season. But the spotlight will once again be at quarterback, where the Tide will have a new starter for the third straight season.
Before Alabama's spring game, head coach Nick Saban told Chris Low of ESPN.com that junior Cooper Bateman was the early leader in the battle. Saban's statement wasn't too surprising, as Bateman has the experience advantage of the rest of the pack with a career start—last year against Ole Miss—to his name.
But neither Bateman nor the projected second-place competitor, sophomore David Cornwell, did much in terms of separation during the spring game. As Marq Burnett of SEC Country noted, both Bateman and Cornwell "completed less than 40 percent of their passes for a combined 136 yards" in a scrimmage that didn't have any points until the fourth quarter.
Alabama's freshman quarterbacks, Blake Barnett and Jalen Hurts, had better performances against mostly reserves on defense. They both will continue to be in the mix into the summer and fall, and Saban has made it clear the staff won't rush things in this battle.
Offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin has been something of a quarterback whisperer since he arrived in Tuscaloosa, turning a pair of first-year starters into effective weapons for title contenders. Kiffin will have a good chance to do it again with the amount of talent he has this year—it's just a matter of who will be the one to lead the Tide into the 2016 campaign.
Clemson Defensive End
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Clemson has to replace a ridiculous amount of production on its defense this offseason, and the biggest chunk will come from its defensive end spots. Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd were No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the FBS last season in tackles for loss.
The Tigers, who have developed quite a reputation for recruiting and developing stout defensive line talent in recent years, have plenty of choices to choose from on the edges this season. Austin Bryant filled in for Lawson admirably in the College Football Playoff semifinal against Oklahoma and is on a fast track to taking one of the open starting jobs.
"Bryant took a step forward this spring, but so did Richard Yeargin, Clelin Ferrell and Chris Register," David Hood of TigerNet.com wrote. "All three did some good things and will continue to progress in fall camp. Xavier Kelly will enroll over the summer, giving [Clemson defensive ends coach] Marion Hobby has the talent to work with, they are just inexperienced."
Perhaps the most intriguing option to watch over the next few months in this crucial position battle is sophomore Christian Wilkins. The Connecticut native flashed his potential at defensive tackle last season, but he's a potential nightmare matchup at end with so much athleticism and burst for a 300-plus-pound defender.
The Tigers will be absurd on offense this season, but the defense is in a tough yet familiar spot heading into the fall. While the all-important defensive end spot for Brent Venables' defense has plenty of potential, the playmakers there will have to grow up quickly in 2016.
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Florida State Quarterback
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After winning 10 games last season with a young team, Florida State should be downright loaded this upcoming campaign. The Seminoles could return up to 17 starters, including all 11 on the offensive side of the ball.
That is, if Florida State decides to stick with Sean Maguire, who threw eight touchdowns and two picks with a 4-1 record at starting quarterback before breaking his ankle in a Peach Bowl loss to Houston. He sat out the spring while recovering from that fractured ankle and subsequent surgery, which opened the door for two freshman quarterbacks to get into the action in practices.
Redshirt freshman Deondre Francois and true freshman Malik Henry dueled in Florida State's spring game in Orlando, with each putting together some impressive touchdown drives with a supporting cast taking advantage of its returning experience. Now, when Maguire returns to action during fall camp, he'll face some stiff competition from these dual-threat signal-callers.
"You have to look at who gives you the best chance to be successful in the game," Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said, per Brian Stultz of Campus Insiders. "At the bottom line, that's what it gets down to. All decisions are based on the success of the team. ... People act like Sean is not very talented. Sean has a great arm and can move and do great things."
Francois and Henry stole both the show in the spring and Florida State fans' hearts. But Maguire can still keep hold of his starting job this fall thanks to his experience advantage. This should still be one of the most intriguing battles of the entire offseason.
Georgia Quarterback
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Georgia is facing the classic battle between a former starter wanting to take advantage of a second chance and a highly touted freshman who could be a breath of fresh air for the position. Welcome to life as a head coach, Kirby Smart.
The former Alabama defensive coordinator inherited Greyson Lambert and Brice Ramsey, who had their highs and lows last season as the quarterbacks of Mark Richt's last Georgia team. Lambert lit up opponents early in the season but faded down the middle as the Bulldogs took three losses in four weeks. Ramsey ended up as a better punter last season for the Bulldogs.
Smart picked up a huge victory early in his tenure when 5-star quarterback Jacob Eason decided to keep his commitment to Georgia through the coaching change and enroll early in Athens. Eason was brought along in the offense this spring before putting on a show at Georgia's sellout G-Day Game.
Although Eason clearly looked like the best option for Georgia during the public scrimmage, Smart is trying hard to downplay the buzz surrounding the freshman, as Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee wrote last month. Starting a true-freshman quarterback is extremely tough in the SEC, and the first-year head coach might want to lean on experience in his maiden voyage.
The battle, as expected, should continue through the summer months and into fall camp. The team will rely on the winner to unlock the offensive potential of the always-talented Bulldogs in the SEC East.
LSU Offensive Line
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LSU is another team loaded with plenty of experienced talent coming back for 2016—tied for the most in all the FBS, to be exact. But the Tigers have two major holes on the depth chart at both offensive tackle positions.
Maea Teuhema, who played guard last season for LSU, moved outside to left tackle during spring practices. He struggled at times with LSU's star edge-rushers during the Tigers' spring game, and he'll need to continue to develop his pass-protection skills in order to be the type of protection quarterback Brandon Harris needs on his blind side. Chidi Okeke, a raw lineman with tremendous physical gifts, could also be a factor.
Toby Weathersby looked like the man at right tackle for the Tigers this season, but he was one of three projected first-teamers who were injured during the spring game. That thinned out the line for the Tigers, who will have to wait until later this year to see what a full-strength line looks like in a live situation.
K.J. Malone could also have a major say in the position battles before the Tigers open the season against Wisconsin at Lambeau Field this fall. He took snaps at guard and both tackle spots this spring, and he got some important reps while the Tigers nursed some of their injuries on the offensive front.
In order for LSU's offense to take a much-needed next step, it'll have to figure out the best five up front to complement Harris and the incredible rushing talents of superstar running back Leonard Fournette.
Michigan Linebacker
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Michigan has a high-profile position battle at quarterback this season that head coach Jim Harbaugh is still trying to sort out. However, the bigger competition might be on defense, where the Wolverines emerged as one of the toughest teams in the country last year.
The Wolverines lost three starters at linebacker ahead of a switch to new defensive coordinator Don Brown's attack-minded scheme. To counter this, Michigan moved highly touted safety Jabrill Peppers to a hybrid outside linebacker spot, giving the unit a dynamic playmaker who will be able to drop back in coverage and step up to stop the run with ease.
The rest of the spots, though, are still up for grabs. Michigan isn't lacking choices at linebacker—it's just that most of them are largely unproven quantities. Ben Gedeon should be a force down the middle this season with the likes of Mike McCray, Noah Furbush and Devin Bush Jr. flanking him on either side.
"I do know that Mike McCray, Noah Furbush and those guys, they need them to step up this year," former Michigan linebacker Joe Bolden told Adam Biggers of Today's U. "They're starting to get older and they have played some football—some special teams—and [the coaching staff is] ready for those guys to produce."
As Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com wrote, Michigan needs someone—or multiple someones—to be breakout playmakers at the position in 2016. There's plenty of potential in these position battles, but they'll have to show plenty of confidence in their youth for Brown.
Michigan State Wide Receiver
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The quarterback battle at Michigan State seems to be nearing a resolution, as Tyler O'Connor looks to take over the job vacated by veteran starter Connor Cook. Who O'Connor will be throwing the ball to in Michigan State's offense, though, is a different story.
The Spartans lost Big Ten Receiver of the Year Aaron Burbridge and No. 2 weapon Macgarrett Kings Jr. to graduation this offseason, and this leaves a major hole in the passing game for 2016. While they'll rely on returning starter R.J. Shelton to step up this year, the Spartans plugged in plenty of exciting playmakers into the position this spring.
Donnie Corley and Cam Chambers are two of the biggest names to watch in this position battle going forward. The pair of early enrollees wasted no time in impressing their new teammates and coaches during practices with their athletic gifts. Corley especially stood out, and he was the top receiver pick in Michigan State's spring game draft last month, per Dan Murphy of ESPN.com.
Michigan State also has some more experienced playmakers who could snatch major playing time this fall. It's now or never for senior Monty Madaris. Felton Davis III and Darrell Stewart will also be in the mix as they continue to progress in Michigan State's offense.
Even with the loss of a large chunk of starters, the Spartans still have the pieces in place to follow the blueprint that has made them consistent 10-game winners and now the defending Big Ten champions. But in order for them to have a chance at returning to the College Football Playoff, they'll have to get some of these young receivers rolling quickly.
Notre Dame Quarterback
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Perhaps the most high-profile quarterback battle of the entire college football offseason, Notre Dame is rolling into the summer months looking for an answer between former starters DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire.
The latter option won the job last offseason but went down with a season-ending injury early in the campaign, which opened the door for the former option to lead the Irish to a 10-win season with his own style of dual-threat quarterbacking. Both signal-callers posted similar numbers in the Irish's spring game, leaving the battle wide open.
"They're managing the little things, getting guys lined up right, making sure they get into the right protections," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said, per Bleacher Report's Greg Wallace. "I think both have done a good job. Both have handled themselves well. I don't think anything earth-shaking has happened."
While younger, Kizer has the in-game experience advantage over Zaire with how many starts he had last season after the injury. However, Zaire has already beaten Kizer in a quarterback battle once, and his speed might be too good to leave on the sidelines this fall.
Whoever loses the job might not have a quiet season, though. As Chip Patterson of CBS Sports noted, Kelly had success in the past at Cincinnati with a two-quarterback system of Tony Pike and Zach Collaros—when the Bearcats pulled off an undefeated regular season. If these two keep going neck and neck, that might be Kelly's best bet again.
Ohio State Running Back
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One of the biggest losses in Ohio State's NFL draft-stuffing exodus of talent this offseason was running back Ezekiel Elliott, who was a consistent and highly explosive offensive weapon in back-to-back 1,800-yard seasons for the Buckeyes.
The race to replace Elliott in the backfield is the biggest battle in Columbus this year, with redshirt freshman Mike Weber going head-to-head with junior Bri'onte Dunn for the majority of the first-team carries. Weber starred in Ohio State's youth-filled spring game last month after Dunn was held out of action due to an injury, but the battle will continue into the fall.
In addition to Weber and Dunn, Ohio State could also deploy Curtis Samuel and Dontre Wilson at the running back spot, according to Steve Helwagen of 247Sports. Samuel moved from running back to wide receiver last season for the Buckeyes in order to grab more playing time, but he ended up getting fewer touches in his new role.
Each running back brings his own special skill set to the race, but all have the ability to break away from defenses after contact. Right now, Weber appears to be the best all-around option. However, there is still a chance head coach Urban Meyer elects to move some pieces around in order to get all his best playmakers on the field at the same time.
Ohio State's offense is loaded with young potential around returning star J.T. Barrett at quarterback. The Buckeyes need to cash in on some of that upside at running back this fall in order to provide the one-two backfield punch that has made them so hard to slow down in the Meyer era.
Oklahoma Linebacker
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With Baker Mayfield and Samaje Perine back this season, Oklahoma's offense should be quite deadly again. The Sooners' defensive side of the ball, though, needs some new faces to emerge as stars after the loss of several key players from their Big 12 title and College Football Playoff run.
Oklahoma was hit the hardest at linebacker, with five of its top six players at the position now gone. The Sooners will lean on inside linebacker Jordan Evans, the team's No. 2 tackler, and look for either Curtis Bolton or Tay Evans to lock down the starting position next to him down the middle.
On the outside, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo had a breakout spring for the Sooners, and he made several big plays in the backfield during their annual spring game last month. Ricky DeBerry will push for playing time at the position, too, after a redshirt season.
The Sooners will get more reinforcements at linebacker over the next few months as 5-star California native Caleb Kelly and 4-star Texas product Mark Jackson Jr. arrive in Norman. Both have instant-impact potential, especially considering Oklahoma's need for playmakers at such a key unit on its defense.
Whatever combination of talent Oklahoma decides to build around Evans in 2016 will need to produce in a huge way in order to live up to the impact that linebackers such as Dominique Alexander, Devante Bond and Eric Striker had for the Sooners. The defending Big 12 champs are facing a tough road in 2016, and they'll need these young stars to live up to their hype.
Stanford Quarterback
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If you believe Stanford head coach David Shaw, the Cardinal's quarterback battle is one of the most even in the entire country at this point in the offseason. After the spring game, Shaw declared the race to replace veteran starter Kevin Hogan between Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns to be 50-50.
Shaw elaborated on the battle, per John Reid of the Mercury News:
"It's hard to say who has the upper hand. I was excited to see both guys come back and make some big-time throws. You have two big quarterbacks who are strong and athletic. They made some big plays down the field with some accurate throws over the middle to the tight ends. There were a lot of positives for both guys.
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The battle might be that even because the two quarterbacks are extremely similar in size and style. Both stand at 6'5" and weigh in at the mid-230s in pounds. They both have the strong, accurate arms needed to be reliable pocket passers in Stanford's offense, which loves to hit defenses deep after pounding the ball on the inside with the ground game.
Chryst might hold the ultimate edge over Burns, however, with his experience. He was the No. 2 guy behind Hogan last season, while Burns hasn't taken a snap in a game since 2014. But Shaw is keeping things open, which could lead to a potential surprise in the battle from incoming true freshman KJ Costello, a 4-star signee, in the fall.
Replacing a four-year starter such as Hogan is going to be tough, but Stanford has more than one solid option to go with as its offense enters another year with Heisman Trophy contender Christian McCaffrey at running back. The attack has its fair share of question marks and exclamation points, and the answer to the quarterback battle could be the difference in a Pac-12 title defense this fall.
USC Quarterback
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It wouldn't have been off-base to expect USC's quarterback battle to be done and dusted by this time in the offseason. Max Browne was the clear-cut favorite to replace Cody Kessler heading into spring camp, and the result of the battle seemed like a forgone conclusion.
But as Browne left spring practices for USC, he found himself still very much in a battle with the younger Sam Darnold, who wowed observers in Los Angeles over the last several weeks. Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports even noted that Darnold appeared to have a stronger arm than Browne in addition to his advantage in athleticism.
"There were a number of open positions on our team this spring where players performed very well, including the quarterbacks," USC head coach Clay Helton said, per Keith Demolder of the Daily Trojan. "I met with them today and told them that, based on how well they played, I have decided to continue the quarterback competition into fall camp. I will wait until then to name a starter."
Both Browne and Darnold clearly have the talent to succeed in USC's offense, which features a stout offensive line, several exciting playmakers at running back and the talents of JuJu Smith-Schuster—the best wide receiver in college football heading into 2016.
Helton will continue to take his time in deciding this battle, as there's a chance Darnold could be the better fit for what he wants to do with the offense this fall. Until then, the bright lights of Hollywood will be firmly on this Trojan quarterback derby.
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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