| SEC Spring Football Questions - 2010 |
| SEC West |
Alabama Crimson Tide
|
1. How will the Crimson Tide handle the expectations and stay focused?
The Crimson Tide will enter the 2010 season as the preseason favorites to repeat as SEC and National Champions. Their spring game will be broadcast on ESPN for the second straight year and all eyes will be in Tuscaloosa this spring. Florida handled the same expectations very well during the spring a year ago behind the veteran leadership of QB Tim Tebow and LB Brandon Spikes. With LB Rolando McClain gone, who will step into the leadership void and keep Alabama focused this spring?
|
2. Who will step up on defense?
No one has had to replace as many talented defensive starters as Alabama will this spring since Florida replaced nine NFL-caliber starters after their 2006 national championship. The entire defensive line has graduated and three-fourths of the defensive backfield is gone. The Crimson Tide have plenty of young talent and a solid linebacking corps, but which young guys will step up on the defensive line and in the secondary? |
3. What will the special teams unit look like?
One of the most overlooked aspects of the game, special teams will be a crucial component for Alabama during spring practice. The Crimson Tide lost their starting kicker, punter, kick returner and punt returner. How will the Crimson Tide replace two of the programs' better kickers and kick returners in school history in Leigh Tiffin and Javier Arenas? Who will step up and win the punting job for Alabama?
|
Arkansas Razorbacks
|
1. How will the defense replace DE Adrian Davis and DT Malcolm Sheppard?
Sheppard was one of the best defensive linemen the Razorbacks have had in the past few years and his presence was undervalued last year by casual observers in the SEC. Davis also was an extremely productive end. Who will step up to fill the void left by two of the better players on an average defense? Can Arkansas' defense improve if no one steps up on the defensive line during spring practice? |
2. How will Tyler Wilson develop with a full spring as the starting quarterback?
Quarterback Ryan Mallett is the league's best signal caller heading into the season, but he will miss spring practice with a broken bone in his foot. That will give backup quarterback Tyler Wilson a chance to get a full spring under his belt as the starting quarterback and should ease the transition after Mallett heads to the NFL, probably after the 2010 season. Wilson's development over the spring could provide a glimpse at the long-term future for the Razorbacks. |
3. Can the offensive line be dominant with four returning starters?
The Razorbacks will replace their best offensive lineman in G Mitch Petrus, but they return all of the other starters on the offensive line. Their offensive line has been good, but not great, since offensive line coach Mike Markuson left for Ole Miss. With four returning starters on the line and a bevy of talented athletes at the skill positions, the Arkansas offense should be one of the best in the SEC if the offensive line can replace Petrus and gel in spring practice.
|
Auburn Tigers
|
1. Who will come out of spring practice as the starter at quarterback?
The Auburn Tigers figure to have a fierce battle at quarterback in spring practice, so fierce, in fact, that QB Tyrik Rollison transferred already due to playing time concerns. That leaves senior Neil Caudle, redshirt freshman Clint Moseley, redshirt freshman Barret Trotter and JUCO transfer Cameron Newton. Newton, a former quarterback at Florida, appears to be the early favorite to win the job, but if he struggles, the competition could last into the fall. |
2. How will Auburn put pressure on the quarterback without DE Antonio Coleman?
Coleman recorded 10 sacks during the 2009 season, leading the conference and giving him more than a third of Auburn's sack total as a team. No other player on the Auburn roster recorded four sacks and only two players had more than two. Neither defensive end Michael Goggans or Jake Ricks were great at pressuring the quarterback a year ago, so it could be up to some younger guys to step up and put pressure on the passer in the spring. It will also be interesting to see if the Tigers try to blitz the linebackers more with the experienced group there.
|
3. How will the second-year receivers develop?
Auburn's offense improved tremendously under offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn's tutelage last season. There are three second-year talented receivers who could take the offense from pretty good to lethal if they can develop and live up to their potential this spring. The trio of DeAngelo Benton, Emory Blake and Philip Lutzenkirchen combined for 20 catches a year ago. If they can step up it will really allow the Tigers to spread the field offensively in 2010. |
LSU Tigers
|
1. Who will win the starting running back spot?
With the departure of Charles Scott and Keiland Williams, the Tigers have their first open competition at running back in the last few years. Neither of the top two candidates to replace the duo have much experience. Richard Murphy had a breakout spring two years ago, but has struggled to overcome injuries and get on the field the past two years. Stevan Ridley has been good in his limited role and shined in LSU's bowl game in 2009. |
2. How will LSU use athlete Russell Shepard?
Coming out of high school, Shepard drew comparisons to former Florida wide receiver Percy Harvin. He failed to live up to that billing during his freshman season, but it was more due to a lack of touches than a lack of ability. Coach Les Miles has said that Shepard will be on the field for just about every offensive play and he has already been moved to wide receiver to accomplish that goal. How Shepard fares there in the spring and how LSU gets the ball to him will be fun to watch this spring. |
3. Will the Tigers adapt the offense at all to better fit quarterback Jordan Jefferson's skills?
The Tigers offense didn't move forward like it was expected to in 2009, in large part because quarterback Jordan Jefferson was uncomfortable doing some of the things the offense was designed to do. He does not read the option well and really struggled when LSU tried to run him outside the tackles to spread the field. Will the Tigers move to a more traditional look? Will they let Shepard take the designed option reads instead? |
Mississippi State Bulldogs
|
1. Will quarterback Tyler Russell beat out Chris Relf for the starting job?
Russell was a fantastic quarterback coming out of high school and one of the best quarterback recruits the Bulldogs had ever landed. Relf got some time at quarterback last year, but had mixed results and was far from a standout. Mullen won't be quick to pull the plug on Relf, but if Russell is head and shoulders better than Relf, Mullen won't hesitate to name him the starter. |
2. How will the Bulldogs replace three senior running backs, including RB Anthony Dixon?
The Bulldogs have almost no experience in the backfield to replace Dixon or departed senior Christian Ducre. Junior Robert Elliott will be one of the leading candidates to win the starting job after rushing for just over 200 yards last year. Still, the Bulldogs will have to replace a lot of production from Dixon and Ducre and that will force someone to step up in spring practice. |
3. Who will fill the leadership void left by departed LB Jamar Chaney?
Chaney was a tackling machine and, while he was one of the most productive players on the field for the Bulldogs, his leadership in the middle of the defense might be even harder to replace. It will almost certainly be impossible to replace his speed at linebacker, so whoever takes his spot will have to be fundamentally sound to make up for Chaney's absence. |
Ole Miss Rebels
|
1. Who will step up on the interior of the offensive line?
The Rebels will have to replace all three starting interior offensive linemen in 2010, including All-SEC guard John Jerry. With a new quarterback stepping in, developing an offensive line that can give the quarterback time and open some running lanes will be the most important thing for Ole Miss. Some of their backups also graduated, so it will be a very green offensive line that takes the field in spring practice for the Rebels.
|
2. Will the Rebels be able to replace HB Dexter McCluster's production?
McCluster did it all for the Rebels in 2009, providing the type of rushing and receiving threat that the SEC hadn't seen since Percy Harvin left Florida. It's unlikely that one player will be able to do what he did and, with the graduation of WR Shay Hodge, the Rebels have a ton of offensive production to replace. The Rebels have a few athletic players that can fill the void at wide receiver, but no one that can offer the diversity McCluster provided. Will they find someone this spring that can provide similar production? |
3. Who will replace quarterback Jevan Snead?
With Snead jumping early to the NFL, the Rebels will have to find a quarterback who can give them some production this spring. Snead is far from irreplaceable, after throwing as many interceptions as touchdowns in 2009. Whoever replaces him will likely have less natural ability, but can be an effective starter if he can learn the playbook and play mistake-free football in 2010.
|
Football
