10 College Football Players with Most to Prove in 2016
August is one of the most important months of the college football calendar. Only one FBS game will be played (California vs. Hawaii on Aug. 26), but depth charts will be set and trust will be earned by players trying to take advantage of opportunities, fill new roles or simply hang onto the ones they already have.
And that’s all in preparation for the beginning of the 2016 season, where coaches will figure out against live competition if what they saw in spring and summer was for real or a mirage. Just like every fall, there are a number of teams replacing key contributors or adjusting to new systems, leaving no shortage of players under the proverbial microscope. Here’s a look at 10 players with the most to prove in 2016. Players on new rosters, with new roles or with new systems were selected, as were players who are simply trying to hang onto their old roles and prove themselves to their coaches.
Defensive stats were taken from programs' official websites.
TCU QB Kenny Hill
1 of 10
After winning 23 games in two seasons with Trevone Boykin at quarterback, TCU is facing the next offensive chapter. Boykin did an excellent job leading the Air Raid offense, but he graduated following the 2015 season, leaving the Horned Frogs looking for their next great offensive leader.
Is that guy Kenny Hill? It very well could be. Hill got off to a smashing start succeeding Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel at Texas A&M, throwing for an A&M-record 511 yards in his starting debut in the 2014 opener at South Carolina. He threw for 2,649 yards and 23 touchdowns and briefly earned Heisman Trophy buzz. But Hill lost his starting role to Kyle Allen, in part due to some off-field issues and a two-game suspension, and transferred to TCU following the 2014 season.
He learned behind Boykin while redshirting last season and is favored over Foster Sawyer to step into the starting role, per Gil LeBreton of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. TCU returns just one offensive starter but does have great potential in its receiving group with the likes of KaVontae Turpin, Jaelan Austin, Ty Slanina, Deante’ Gray and Taj Williams.
Hill must prove that he’s a better leader and a more consistent player than he showed at A&M. TCU’s hopes of contending for a Big 12 title could depend on it.
Missouri QB Drew Lock
2 of 10
Barry Odom is a very good defensive coordinator; that group earned him the opportunity to succeed Gary Pinkel as Missouri’s head coach. Defense wasn’t the reason that Mizzou slipped to 5-7 after two consecutive SEC East championships. The Tigers held opponents to 16.2 points per game, No. 5 nationally, and 302 yards per game, No. 6 nationally. But the offense was atrocious. Missouri managed just 13.6 points per game, second-worst nationally among 128 FBS teams.
To improve, the Tigers need better play from sophomore quarterback Drew Lock. Lock struggled mightily as a freshman. He threw for 1,332 yards with just four touchdowns against eight interceptions and completed only 49 percent of his passes. That’s not going to win many SEC games.
Lock will have some help in the receiver corps from Alabama graduate transfer Chris Black and returning starters Nate Brown and J’Mon Moore. But he’ll need to be more accurate and make a more consistent impact for the Tigers to have any hope of making a bowl game this season.
Florida State QB Sean Maguire
3 of 10
Florida State slipped behind Clemson in the ACC’s pecking order following 2015’s 10-win season. But the Seminoles are poised for a return to glory in 2016. as Jimbo Fisher returns 15 starters, including nine on offense. But the biggest offensive concern centers around quarterback. Senior Sean Maguire dueled with Notre Dame transfer Everett Golson last season to become Jameis Winston’s successor. He claimed the job in the season’s second half and started the final six games, throwing for 1,520 yards with 11 touchdowns against six interceptions.
He surpassed the 300-yard mark in two games, throwing for 348 against Syracuse and 392 in the Peach Bowl against Houston. But Maguire also threw four interceptions in that loss and suffered an ankle injury, which kept him out of spring practice following surgery.
In his absence, freshmen Deondre Francois and Malik Henry both turned heads with strong dual-threat skills. As Florida State begins preseason practice, Maguire is no sure bet to begin 2016 as the starter. It’s now or never for his hopes of becoming FSU’s starting quarterback.
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Penn State QB Trace McSorley
4 of 10
Following a 14-12 record in two seasons at Penn State, James Franklin sought an offensive reboot this offseason. He hired Fordham coach Joe Moorhead as his new offensive coordinator, bringing a spread offense to Happy Valley. Christian Hackenberg is gone to the NFL, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Hackenberg looked miscast in Franklin’s old offense, and while he threw for 2,525 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions, he completed just 53.5 percent of his passes.
Two quarterbacks (sophomore Trace McSorley and freshman Tommy Stevens) are vying to replace him and serve as the leader of Moorhead’s new system. While Franklin has noted that McSorley led following spring practice, he hasn’t named a starter, per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Joe Juliano.
"There was a gap after the spring, but the gap wasn't significant," Franklin said. "So this camp is going to give Trace the ability to keep the gap, and Tommy has the ability from the end of spring ball to close the gap. Then we'll look at the first couple of weeks of camp and see where we're at at that point."
McSorley is Penn State’s only returning quarterback with game experience, completing 20 of 40 passes for 185 yards and throwing a pair of touchdowns in a TaxSlayer Bowl loss to Georgia.
He must prove he can pass and make plays happen with his feet to thrive in Moorhead’s offense. Penn State will return nine offensive starters, including 1,101-yard receiver Chris Godwin and talented junior DaeSean Hamilton. Franklin needs a steadier season in his third year at Penn State, and getting a great sophomore year from McSorley in a fast-paced scheme would certainly help.
Arizona QB Anu Solomon
5 of 10
Two years ago, Anu Solomon was the toast of Tucson. Solomon took Arizona’s starting quarterback role and excelled quickly. He threw for 3,793 yards with 28 touchdowns against nine interceptions, leading the Wildcats to a 10-win season and the Fiesta Bowl.
But Arizona slipped last fall, going 7-6 and making the Fiesta Bowl. Solomon slipped as well. He missed two games with concussions and threw for 2,667 yards with 20 touchdowns and five interceptions. Solomon had only two 300-yard games. While the ‘Cats were still a top-20 national scoring offense, that wasn’t enough with a defense that was one of the Pac-12’s worst, allowing 35.8 points per game.
This fall, backup Brandon Dawkins is pushing Solomon for the starting role. If Arizona hopes to return to Pac-12 success, the Wildcats need their star quarterback to be focused and healthy. Otherwise, he could be watching games from the sidelines.
Georgia DT Trent Thompson
6 of 10
Kirby Smart knows defense. Georgia’s new head coach excelled as Alabama’s defensive coordinator and Nick Saban’s right-hand man, and it earned him an opportunity as the Bulldogs’ new leader. Georgia had a very solid defense under Mark Richt’s watch, allowing 16.9 points per game in 2015, No. 8 nationally. But only five starters return from that group, and none on the defensive line.
That means new faces will be counted on for larger production. One of the most important is sophomore defensive tackle Trenton Thompson. Thompson was the nation’s top recruit, per 247Sports, in 2015. He stands 6’4”, 309 pounds and has an excellent mix of power and speed. As a freshman, he started six games and had 25 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss.
Thompson will be expected to be an every-down player and starter this fall for a young defensive line that is likely to start three sophomores with defensive ends Michael Barnett and Jonathan Ledbetter. The pressure to live up to his recruiting stats will be on in 2016.
North Carolina QB Mitch Trubisky
7 of 10
North Carolina and Larry Fedora had an amazing 2015 season. The Tar Heels reeled off an 11-game win streak, won the ACC Coastal Division and pushed Clemson hard before falling 45-37 in the ACC title game. Thirteen starters return from that group, but one of them is not star quarterback Marquise Williams, who graduated after throwing for 3,072 yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and adding 948 rushing yards with 13 scores on the ground.
Offensive coordinator Seth Littrell is gone after taking North Texas’ head job, replaced by offensive line coach Chris Kapilovic. But North Carolina’s fast-paced offense won’t change, and it’s up to backup Mitch Trubisky to keep the train rolling.
Trubisky, a junior, was very solid as Williams’ backup. He pushed him for a starting role and was very accurate in backup duty last fall, completing 40 of 47 passes for 555 yards, six touchdowns and no interceptions. Keeping up that completion percentage will be impossible, but Tar Heels fans would likely settle for a capable offensive leader.
UCLA DE Eddie Vanderdoes
8 of 10
Last fall, UCLA slipped a bit in coach Jim Mora Jr.’s fourth season, ending at 8-5 after a pair of 10-win seasons. The Bruins defense struggled at times to contain opponents’ run games, allowing 198.5 rushing yards per game, No. 98 nationally. The absence of defensive end Eddie Vanderdoes certainly didn’t help.
The 6’4”, 305-pound junior defensive end made eight tackles in the opener against Virginia, but suffered a torn ACL and missed the rest of the season. As he enters what might be his final collegiate season, Vanderdoes will be looking to prove that he is healthy and can be a productive force.
He was a freshman All-American and piled up 50 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss as a sophomore, showing significant promise. With Myles Jack and All-America defensive tackle Kenny Clark gone to the NFL, the Bruins certainly need Vanderdoes to regain his sophomore form and give the defense a real boost.
Ohio State RB Mike Weber
9 of 10
Ohio State’s roster is full of players with things to prove. Such is reality in Columbus this fall. The Buckeyes had 12 NFL draft picks from their 2015 roster, including five first-round picks and nine underclassmen. Those departures leave some major holes on the 2016 roster, as only six starters will return for Urban Meyer’s fifth season.
One of the biggest is in the backfield. Ezekiel Elliott was an electric, elite back who put the Buckeyes offense on his back en route to the 2015 College Football Playoff title and backed it up with 1,821 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior.
With Elliott gone to the NFL, the leading returning rusher among tailbacks is H-back Curtis Samuel, who had 17 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown as a freshman. Samuel will see snaps all over the field, but the onus will be on redshirt freshman Mike Weber. Weber stands 5’10”, 212 pounds and impressed with power run skills this spring.
Along with true freshman Demario McCall, he’ll likely be counted upon for a heavy load this fall following senior Bri’onte Dunn’s dismissal following a violation of team rules. Quarterback J.T. Barrett will carry the offense, but the Buckeyes need Weber to mature—and quickly.
Oklahoma WR Dede Westbrook
10 of 10
Lincoln Riley’s first season as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator was an unquestioned success. With Baker Mayfield at quarterback, the Sooners scored 43.5 points per game, No. 4 nationally, won the Big 12 title and made the College Football Playoff, finishing 11-2. Oklahoma should be a strong playoff contender again in 2016, but Riley has some question marks while returning six offensive starters.
Sterling Shepard took his 86 catches, 1,288 yards and 11 touchdowns to the NFL’s New York Giants, creating a major void in the Sooners receiving corps. No. 3 receiver Durron Neal (44 catches, 559 yards, three touchdowns) is also gone, leaving Dede Westbrook as the top returning receiver with 46 receptions for 743 yards and four touchdowns.
He’s the only returning OU receiver with more than 20 catches in 2015 (tailback Joe Mixon had 28). Westbrook must adjust quickly to being Mayfield’s leading target, with help from Penn State transfer Geno Lewis and sophomore Mark Edwards. But it appears that if the Sooners offense is high-flying enough to make another playoff trip, it will do so with a big assist from Westbrook in his final collegiate season.
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