Biggest Revelations from This Weekend's Spring Games
College football spring games can be notoriously difficult to read. In the modern era, most games are televised or streamed, making it easy for early-season opponents to analyze them and take whatever conclusions they can into preparations.
Formations are often vanilla, and a wide variety of unusual scoring formats and lineup combinations that mix and match first and second-stringers, on occasion, make it tough to take any lasting memories from the games.
But if you look hard enough, it is possible. Thirty-two FBS teams wrapped up their spring practices with spring games or showcases this past weekend. Here's a look at the biggest revelations from this weekend's games.
Louisville WR Dez Fitzpatrick Is Ready to Break Out
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We know that Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson is a special player. The returning Heisman Trophy winner is a dynamic force, and he showed it Saturday in the Cardinals' spring game, completing 19 of 32 passes for 346 yards and three scores and adding a 34-yard scoring run in just over a half of work.
But who is Jackson going to throw to? There are some unanswered questions in Louisville's offense after receivers James Quick and Jamari Staples and tight end Cole Hikutini, who combined for 131 catches, 2,052 yards and 16 scores, all graduated. One answer? Redshirt freshman receiver Dez Fitzpatrick. The 6'2", 190-pound pass-catcher had a breakout day Saturday, catching nine passes for 176 yards and two scores.
He is an athletic receiver with great leaping and route-running ability, and while playing flanker, Louisville will be able to use him in a number of ways out of the backfield with jet sweeps and end-arounds. Along with Jaylen Smith, Fitzpatrick forms a dynamic duo for Jackson to target in Louisville's potent offense.
Nebraska Could Thrive with Tanner Lee Under Center
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Mike Riley's first two seasons at Nebraska have been something of a mixed bag. The Huskers are 15-11 under Riley's watch, below Cornhusker fans' exacting standards.
It's worth noting that Riley inherited a difficult offensive situation in working with quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr., a mobile passer who was a square peg in a round hole in Riley's pro-style system.
But with Armstrong out of the way, the Huskers could be ready for a breakout with Tulane transfer Tanner Lee at quarterback. At 6'4", 220 pounds, Lee, who transferred to Nebraska after Tulane moved toward a flexbone offense with new coach Willie Fritz, looks like an excellent fit for Riley's system.
Saturday, he completed 13 of 19 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns, including a beautiful 30-yard strike to JD Spielman, although it must be noted that new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco didn't spend a single snap in his preferred 3-4 scheme, which the Huskers will use this fall.
His competition, redshirt freshman Patrick O'Brien, completed 11 of 17 passes for 134 yards and a score. But Lee has the clear edge entering preseason practice. It's time for Riley to show Nebraska fans what he can do, and using Lee under center is a great way to do that.
Ohio State's Receivers Will Be Improved
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One of the biggest questions this spring for Ohio State revolved around its receivers. The Buckeye wideouts struggled at times last fall, and the top two pass-catchers (H-back Curtis Samuel and wideout Noah Brown) declared for the NFL draft while the No. 3 guy Dontre Wilson graduated.
The leading returnee, sophomore K.J. Hill, had 18 catches for 262 yards and a touchdown in 2016. OSU’s spring game made it tough to draw conclusions, especially since defenders were prohibited from tackling when starters were in the game. But new offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson’s influence was felt with improved deep passing.
Five of the seven touchdown passes scored in the scrimmage were from 20-plus yards out. Johnnie Dixon, who has struggled with knee issues, showed signs of pushing his way to the front of a crowded group of receivers. He caught six passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns.
Football’s annals are full of players who excelled in spring and disappeared during the regular season. But Urban Meyer has to feel good about how his passing game developed this spring.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Oklahoma State's Secondary Needs Work
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If Oklahoma State hopes to take the next step toward becoming a Big 12 and College Football Playoff contender, the Cowboys will need improved play from their secondary.
Quarterback Mason Rudolph is a Heisman Trophy candidate, but OSU was middle of the pack at best defensively last fall, averaging 26.5 points per game, No. 53 nationally.
Rudolph threw for 4,091 yards and 28 scores as a junior and had a solid day Saturday, completing 13 of 17 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown.
There were some positives for the Cowboys' secondary, which intercepted a pair of passes and made several impressive breakups. And Clemson graduate transfer Adrian Baker, enrolling this summer, should bolster the group as well.
If the secondary can hang in the high-powered Big 12, Oklahoma State can have a special season. If not, the Cowboys might be good, just not great.
Ryan Burns Could Be Stanford's Answer at Quarterback
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Stanford entered spring with issues at quarterback. The Cardinal should be one of the Pac-12's top teams, but quarterback Keller Chryst is questionable to begin the season healthy after suffering a serious knee injury in the Sun Bowl.
Where does David Shaw turn? Ryan Burns gave him a good idea Saturday. Burns lost the quarterback battle to Chryst last fall and was relegated to the bench, but he looked impressive in Stanford's spring game. He completed 10 of 15 passes, including a 38-yard touchdown, and outperformed fellow reserve K.J. Costello.
If Stanford hopes to challenge for another Pac-12 title and perhaps more, it needs steady quarterback play. Burns showed real signs that he can provide that if Chryst isn't ready to answer the bell in September.
Shane Buechele Is the Man in Texas' New Offense
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Shane Buechele had an up-and-down freshman season as Texas' starting quarterback. As a true freshman, he started every game for the Longhorns' offense, throwing for 2,958 yards with 21 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. However, he had just two touchdowns against five interceptions in his final three games, and Texas went 0-3, ultimately costing Charlie Strong his job.
New coach Tom Herman issued a challenge for Buechele this spring, pitting him against freshman Sam Ehlinger. But as spring wrapped up, it's clear that the sophomore has nothing to worry about. He threw for 369 yards and threw two touchdowns and added another on the ground in the Orange-White game, while Ehlinger completed just 10 of 31 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Herman is trying to improve Texas' mental toughness and used a variety of situations Saturday, starting the offense at its own 4 at times or at the defense's 2-yard-line in others. Buechele was vastly superior of the two quarterbacks, but Herman said he hasn't won the job yet.
"As far as Shane being the starter, no way," Herman told reporters, per Brian Davis of the Austin American-Statesman. "I think a healthy fear of losing your job is just that—healthy. To say that he's won the job in 12 padded practices when he doesn't even get hit, that would be a bit premature."
It might be for Herman, but we can say it: Buechele will be Texas' starter in 2017. Expect him to thrive in Herman's fast-paced scheme with another year of collegiate experience under his belt.
Wilton Speight Has a Battle to Remain MIchigan's Starting Quarterback
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Wilton Speight was more than capable in his first season as Michigan's starting quarterback. Speight threw for 2,538 yards with 18 touchdowns against seven interceptions and completed 61.6 percent of his passes for the Wolverines, who stayed in contention for the Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff berth until late November.
But good isn't good enough for Jim Harbaugh, who wants to bring a national title back to Ann Arbor. So he promoted competition under center this spring, and if Michigan's spring game Saturday is any indication, that competition will extend into preseason practice.
Redshirt freshman Brandon Peters looked far better than Speight Saturday, completing nine of 17 passes for 160 yards with a passing touchdown, a rushing touchdown and an interception. Speight struggled to find time to throw, completing nine of 26 passes for 78 yards and two interceptions.
Peters' arm and strong poise will push Speight for the role, and incoming freshman Dylan McCaffrey (the younger brother of Stanford star Christian McCaffrey) could also figure into the mix.
"I saw a quote from Tom Brady very recently, after the Super Bowl, where he said he had to be in (the building) every day because he didn't know who was going to take his job," Speight said, per Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com. "Now, obviously I'm not comparing (myself to Tom Brady), but you have to have that mindset of 'wow, at any moment, this lifelong competition of a quarterback battle or whatever else (can change).'"
Harbaugh had nothing to add to the discussion; he has not spoken with reporters all spring and did not do so Saturday, either. But the Wolverines undoubtedly enter summer with far more uncertainty at quarterback than they ended the 2016 season with.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
