Gosh I love CFB News... they have better analysis than any other major sports network combined
http://www.cfbnews.com/2005/Columnists/RC/Spring_Battles.htm
http://www.cfbnews.com/2005/Columnists/RC/Spring_Battles.htm
<table cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td bgcolor="#800000" width="80">March 30,</td><td bgcolor="#000000" width="552">
2005
2005 Spring Battles - Part one</td></tr></tbody></table>By Richard Cirminiello
Which position battles are the biggest of the 2005 spring practices?
<>The seeds of all those conference titles, rivalry wins and bowl invitations that sprout up in late autumn are actually placed in the ground each March and April. Spring football, that annual 15-practice gathering, is a lot like a cholesterol count; its importance can often be overstated, but ignore it, and you're likely to bypass some key early warning signs.
Spring football is primarily designed for coaches, fans with an insatiable appetite for the sport and upwardly mobile players trying to scale the depth chart. Although seniors and returning starters typically treat it like a necessary evil, every other kid fighting to get increased playing time in the fall views spring ball as an ideal platform to catch a coach's eye, fill a void or unseat an incumbent.
From Fort Worth to Fort Collins, and all forts in between, civil wars are raging to determine a soft pecking order months before summer camp commences. And while most of these positional battles won't reverberate beyond the local community, the fallout from a handful will shape the Top 25 and beyond later this year.
Battleground Oklahoma : Norman, Okla.
Position : Quarterback
Combatants : Rhett Bomar, Tommy Grady and Paul Thompson
Early Edge : Thompson Oklahoma may once again congregate among the nation's elite, but they'll still be a program in transition in 2005. That's no more evident than at quarterback, where Jason White's departure sets the stage for a fascinating competition to find his replacement. Thompson's the logical choice. He's a good all-around quarterback, who's entering his fourth year in the system. Bomar, however, has illogical skills. After using a redshirt year last season, he feels he's ready to duke it out with Thompson for the starting assignment. Bomar is the total package, and on paper, the best quarterback ever signed by the program. Grady has a huge arm, but lacks mobility, and looks like the odd man out. If he begins summer drills No. 3 on the depth chart, a transfer could be considered. </>
Battleground Tennessee : Knoxville, Tenn.
Position : Quarterback
Combatants : Erik Ainge, Rick Clausen and Brent Schaeffer
Early Edge : Ainge Exactly one year ago, the quarterback situation at Tennessee was a mess. Today, the Vols have three quality quarterbacks, all of whom started games in 2004, and are good enough to get the nod in 2005. Schaeffer, and especially Ainge, both true freshmen, carried themselves like upperclassmen, and Clausen was sharp in relief after both prodigies succumbed to injury. Phil Fulmer has his best shot at a national title since 1998, and a setup behind center that's tailor-made for success. Ainge is the franchise in the mold of a young Peyton Manning. Schaeffer offers that Vick-like change of pace that'll drive defenses nuts whenever he's inserted into a game. And Clausen is the kind of steady veteran backup that every head coach wishes he had as an insurance policy
Battleground Texas : Austin, Tex.
Position : Running back
Combatants : Ramonce Taylor and Selvin Young
Early Edge : Young
The running game is such an integral part of Mack Brown's offense that he won't settle on a base set until he knows who'll be carrying the load. Young is the likely heir apparent to Cedric Benson, but a run of injuries and some recent academic hiccups makes him something less than a certainty when the ‘Horns reconvene in August. Taylor reminds Texas coaches of Reggie Bush so much that they recently reached out to Norm Chow to see how the former USC coach found ways to get the ball in his versatile back's hands the last two years. Few, however, seemed convinced that the sophomore is cut in the mold of an every down back.
Battleground Iowa : Iowa City, Iowa
Position : Running back
Combatants : Sam Brownlee, Marcus Schnoor, Marques Simmons, Damian Sims and Albert Young
Early Edge : Simmons
After what went down in Iowa City last season, the team doctor may have a better read on the depth chart than Kirk Ferentz. Three Hawkeyes—Young, Schnoor and Jermelle Lewis—suffered season-ending ACL tears early in the year, and Simmons missed time with an ankle sprain, leaving fifth-string walk-on Brownlee as the improbable feature back. Everyone, but the departed Lewis, is expected back by the fall, which is Xanadu for a program that won its last eight games in 2004 without a hint of a running game. Young's blend of speed and pass-catching skills makes Iowa fans giddy, but he's yet to remain healthy in two years. If he's whole in September, he'll play a huge role in the offense. Simmons is No. 1 today, but that may only last until Young and Schnoor are done rehabbing. Schnoor isn't flashy, but he's a reliable plugger and a staff favorite.
Battleground Miami : Miami, Fla.
Position : Quarterback
Combatants : Kirby Freeman and Kyle Wright
Early Edge : Wright
<> It's been a long time since Miami had one of those blue-chip, downfield passers that gave secondaries the willies and helped establish the school as Quarterback U. Yeah, Brock Berlin had a few moments, and Ken Dorsey won a ton of games, but it's been eons since the ‘Canes had a top-notch quarterback under center. Heck, it's been 18 years since the program had one of its own taken on the first day of the NFL draft. Miami (OH) pulled it off just 12 months ago. UM has its fingers crossed that Wright, the top-rated high school quarterback in 2002, can someday break the dry spell. Of course, he first has to shake Freeman, the forgotten colt in this two-horse race and a pretty impressive athlete. Wright has been slow to adjust to the college game, and if that doesn't change in 2005, the pressure to fulfill expectations will multiply exponentially.
Battleground Florida State : Tallahassee, Fla.
Position : Quarterback
Combatants : Xavier Lee, Wyatt Sexton and Drew Weatherford
Early Edge : Sexton
Chris Rix's ‘Nole career has come to a merciful end, paving the way for a new chapter in the program's history. For now, Sexton rates an edge based on his seven starts last year, but that advantage in experience may only carry him so far. Lee and Weatherford are more athletic than the front-runner, and now that they've shed their redshirts, both are itching to show why they were high-profile recruits two years ago. Miami visits Doak Campbell in the opener, so they'll have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that they're ready to unseat Sexton. It's been no secret that all three might be learning some new terminology and plays this spring. Bobby and Jeff Bowden would like to make the transition from an I-formation-based offense to one that spreads things out with more shotgun and one-back looks.
Battleground Michigan : Ann Arbor, Mich.
Position : Secondary
Combatants : Jamar Adams, Willis Barringer, Keston Cheathem, Brandent Englemon, Leon Hall, Darnell Hood, Grant Mason, Ryan Mundy, Charles Stewart and Jacob Stewart
Early Edge : Adams, Hall, Mason and Mundy
Even without all-time leading receiver, Braylon Edwards, the Michigan offense will be just fine in 2005. It's the defense, which gave up too many big plays over the last month of the season that needs fine-tuning. The Wolverines gave up 279 points in 2004, most in school history, and must replace All-Americans Marlin Jackson and Ernest Shazor and periodic starter Markus Curry out of the secondary. Hall and Mundy return to their starting spots at corner and free safety, respectively, leaving two key jobs unclaimed. Adams saw valuable time as a true freshman, and is first in line ahead of Jacob Stewart to replace Shazor at strong safety. After Hall, depth and talent is perilously thin at corner. Mason and Hood have experience in nickel packages, but whoever wins the job can expect to get picked on weekly by Big Ten quarterbacks. </>
Battleground Iowa : Iowa City, Iowa
Position : Defensive line
Combatants : Ryan Bain, Ted Bentler, Tyler Blum, Shannon Browning, Justin Collins, George Eshareturi, Ettore Ewen, Kenny Iwebena, Alex Kanellis, Richard Kittrell, Matt Kroul, Bryan Mattison, Grant McCracken, Anton Narinskiy, Nate Roos and Alex Willcox
Early Edge : Mattison, Iwebena, Eshareturi and Willcox
Three years from now, this is going to be a monster unit, but today, it's an extremely young and untested group of kids. Iowa is poised to make a serious run at the Big Ten title and possibly more in 2005. However, they first have to solve a gaping hole at defensive line caused by the graduations of Matt Roth, Jonathan Babineaux, Tyler Luebke and Derreck Robinson. Based on last season's pecking order, four sophomores with no starting experience, Mattison and Iwebena at end and Eshareturi and Willcox at tackle, should open spring atop the depth chart. Mattison and Iwebena got playing time as freshmen, and have the look of future stars. Kittrell has a vast upside, but has struggled with eligibility issues. Considering how wide open this competition figures to be, incoming freshmen Bain, Blum and Kanellis could crack the two-deep this fall.
Battleground USC : Los Angeles, Calif.
Position : Defensive tackle
Combatants : Sedrick Ellis, Lawrence Miles, Fili Moala, LaJuan Ramsey, Travis Tofi and Manuel Wright
Early Edge : Ellis and Wright
USC is blessed with as much talent as any program in the country, but even they can't absorb the losses of All-American tackles Shaun Cody and Mike Patterson without wincing a little. Wright has a substantial upside, but before he replaces Cody, he'll have to take care of business in the classroom. While the junior's nose is buried in the books, Moala will be working hard to win the job. Ellis is the favorite to supplant Paterson at the nose, but he could get pushed by Ramsey or Tofi if either can stay healthy. Beyond simply finding a pair of new starters, d-line depth, a strength the past few years, could be a concern for the first time on Pete Carroll's watch.
Battleground Nebraska : Lincoln, Neb.
Position : Quarterback
Combatants : Jordan Adams, Joe Dailey, Joe Ganz and Zac Taylor
Early Edge : Taylor
Okay, maybe the outcome of this battle won't directly impact the Top 25 or the Big XII race, but it sure is going to be fun to watch. The Huskers could have as many as eight quarterbacks on scholarship by August, all intent on unseating Dailey, the least secure incumbent in the country. Bill Callahan desperately needs a reliable triggerman to run the West Coast offense, and Dailey, a Frank Solich recruit, was anything but last fall. Zac Taylor and Jordan Adams were hand-picked from the junior-college ranks the past two years for their ability to complete passes. Taylor, who's No. 2 on the spring depth chart and threw 29 touchdown passes last year, poses the biggest threat. Ganz was the offensive scout team player of the year in 2004. And then, of course, there's Harrison Beck, the heralded signee from Florida, who'll get a chance to win the job this summer. If the quarterbacks play up to their potential, Dailey could be catching passes instead of throwing them this season.
