What mattered and what you need to know from the key April 13 spring football games: Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, UCF, West Virginia, Wisconsin
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Spring Games: April 13
– Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Miss St
– Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State
– Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M
– UCF, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Alabama
It wasn’t exactly the razor-sharp performance that makes up for the national championship disaster, but whatever … last year’s spring game wasn’t a killer, either, and the team turned out to be just fine. Tua Tagovailoa missed almost half of his passes, but Mac Jones connected on 19-of-23 throws, and Taulia Tagovailoa looked fine completing 6 of his nine throws for 93 yards and a touchdown with. pick.
The running game didn’t do much of anything. Najee Harris ran just nine times for 23 yards and a score, and Brian Robinson ran 11 times for 42 yards. However, Robinson caught six passes, DeVonta Smith and Jerry Jeudy were good – combining for 11 passes for 209 yards – and spring camp star John Metchie showed up with 133 yards on five grabs.
Auburn
And THERE’S the downfield passing game that was missing for long stretches during last season. WR Seth Williams was named the game’s MVP with 103 yards and two scores on four catches, but the buzz is around the quarterbacks. Star recruit Bo Nix looked terrific with a strong, accurate arm, connecting on 11-of-15 passes with two good touchdown passes.
Joey Gatewood also threw two touchdown passes, and Malik Willis was good, too, showing off his mobility and connecting on 7-of-8 throws with a touchdown. It’s the spring game – nothing was decided, and won’t be until fall camp. However, in terms of optics, the Auburn O looks like it’s going to be much, much stronger.
Florida
Who’s ready for the Florida passing game to go to another level? As long as the offensive line – still a big question mark – comes together in fall camp, the O will explode.
The quarterbacks combined for three picks, but it was a terrific day for the air show, with Feleipe Franks throwing for 327 yards and four scores, Kyle Trask connecting on 11-of-16 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns, and Emory Jones throwing two touchdown passes, even though he was a wee bit off on a 6-of-13 day with a pick.
The quarterbacks were good; the receivers were better. Freddie Swain caught five passes for 115 yards and two scores, Trevon Grimes took over the game with 195 yards and two touchdowns.
Miami
Uhhhhhhh, Tate Martell?
The Ohio State transfer wasn’t all that amazing in practices, and the spring scrimmage didn’t help his cause with Jarren Williams (7-of-12, 1 TD) and N’Kosi Perry (9-of-15) playing better and more consistently well. Perry started, but Williams was a bit better as the game went on. Meanwhile, nothing much was happening when Martell was under center, and he threw a bad pick along the way in a 4-of-11 day.
There’s still the rest of the offseason to figure it all out, but for now, the running backs appear to be fantastic and deep, the defense is going to be a killer, and at least there are good-looking quarterback options – even if it’s not Martell at the moment.
NEXT: Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Mississippi State
Spring Games: April 13
– Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami
– Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State
– Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M
– UCF, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Michigan
New offensive coordinator Josh Gattis is going to be a big deal. Shea Patterson showed off in the spring game by proving he knows the sped up offensive style already. He generated a few big plays, the receivers were good, and while it wasn’t fully rocking and rolling, overall the offense was good for mid-April. When this thing clicks – and it showed glimpses – the whole “#SpeedInSpace thing is going to be dangerous.
Michigan State
The Good: Ahhhhhhh, there’s the offense. Rocky Lombardi had a rough day in the windy conditions, but Brian Lewerke completed 14-of-20 passes for 181 yards and two scores with an interception, and Darrell Stewart had a great day with five catches for 82 yards and two scores.
The Better: The Michigan State D is still the Michigan State D. It won the scrimmage in the modified scoring system, led by LB Chase Kline’s eight tackles. It’s good that Lewerke started to play well again, especially considering the secondary is going to be a killer.
The Ugly: Don’t look up the new alternate Spartan uniforms. They make the world a sadder place.
Minnesota
The spring game was inside because it’s Minnesota, so of course it snows in April. The perfect conditions helped the passing game click, with Tanner Morgan completing 11-of-17 passes for 139 yards with two touchdowns and an intersection, and Zack Annexstad hitting 9-of-15 throws or 191 yards and a touchdown with an interception. Neither one grabbed the job by the horns.
Best of all, the receiving corps appears to have weapons to get excited about. Rashod Bateman is going to be a factor – catching six passes for 164 yards – Tyler Johnson caught three passes for 77 yards, and redshirt freshman TE Brevyn Spann-Ford made two touchdown grabs.
Mississippi State
Rain kept this from being anything close to a spring game, but Keytaon Thompson appears to be all but cemented in as the No. 1 guy – Jalen Mayden got in some work, but this was Thompson’s day with three touchdown passes. More importantly, the rebuilt defensive front might just be ahead of schedule.
Losing Jeffery Simmons and Montez Sweat is a big problem, but the return of junior DE Marquiss Spencer is a big deal with three tackles and a play behind the line, and senior DT Lee Autry provided a little pressure.
NEXT: Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State
Spring Games: April 13
– Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami
– Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Miss St
– Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M
– UCF, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Missouri
12-of-17 for 150 yards. The was the Kelly Bryant debut in a nice showing where he looked, played, and talked the part of the leader and new star for the attack.
The offense didn’t turn it loose in a true scrimmage/practice, but when the opportunities were there to take off, Bryant did it. He didn’t take any big chances, was sharp early, and showed off everything needed.
Mason Pack was the star of the defense with a game-high eight tackles with a pick for the backup Gold team.The Black team cranked it up all game long with four sacks.
Nebraska
You think Nebraska fans are jacked up for what’s coming? Almost 86,000 fans showed up to watch a live scrimmage, and it wasn’t all that bad.
Adrian Martinez saw enough action to hit 5-of-9 passes for 110 yards and a score and run for another, and Noah Vedral looked like the strongest option in the chase for the No. 2 gig.
Backup lineman Damian Jackson came up with a huge day with five tackles and two sacks for the White side – mostly the twos – and Alex Davis added two more sacks for the Red, but it was tackle Darrion Daniels who looked like the real keeper. The 320-pound transfer from Oklahoma State came up with three stops and a tackle for loss – he’ll be a load.
Notre Dame
Out of all of the spring games on the busy Saturday, this one had the most entertainment value. There were big plays down the field, real defensive pops, and strong performances by both sides.
Ian Book completed 16-of-21 passes for 220 yards with a passing score and a rushing touchdown (below), and top backup option Phil Jurkovec completed 15-of-26 throws for 135 yards. But who’s going to take over the running game from Dexter Williams?
Jafar Armstrong doesn’t have the same sort of pop or power, but he had a good afternoon with 85 yards on the ground to go along with four catches for 71 more yards. Senior defensive end Khalid Kareem was the star of the defensive side with three sacks.
Penn State
With Tommy Stevens out with a foot problem, this was the chance for the backup quarterback options to show what they could do. Sean Clifford stepped up and completed 11-of-19 passes for 118 yards and a score, and he led the Blue side with 31 rushing yards. Star recruit Taquan Roberson only hit 3-of-9 throws.
Overall, the running game was just okay, but freshman Noah Cain showed why he’ll be a big part of the rotation with a game-high 41 carries and a touchdown on eight carries for the White side, and four yards for the Blue.
NEXT: Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M
Spring Games: April 13
– Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami
– Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Miss St
– Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State
– UCF, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Tennessee
If you’re a Tennessee fan, you wanted to see Jarrett Guarantano step up and own the game. Overall, he barely hit half of his passes for 198 yards and four scores, but he got better and sharper later on. Forget the completion percentage – he was good.
There wasn’t any running game to rely on – averaging just over two yards per carry – but the passing attack had its moments. Jauan Jennings caught two touchdown passes and Marquez Callaway came up with a fun deep play.
The pass rush showed up, with junior LB Jordan Allen coming up with two of the team’s seven combined sacks on the day, and freshman Jaylen McCullough rose up and rocked with 6.5 tackles and two picks.
Texas
The wind took control of the game throughout, the defense dominated, and the Longhorns got to have fun celebrating the Sugar Bowl win.
Texas got two field goals out of Cameron Dicker the Sophomore Kicker – with a 52-yard blast – and backup QB Casey Thompson ran for a touchdown, and … that was it.
Sam Ehlinger only completed 9-of-21 passes for 66 yards with a pick, Thompson hit 9-of-23 passes for 84 yards and a pick, and … that was it. With the defenses loading up against the run, the two sides averaged just 2.6 yards per pop.
Texas A&M
Who’s filling in for the key lost parts on offense? The biggest hole to fill is at running back without Trayveon Williams, and leading returning rusher Jashaun Corbin didn’t play. Jacob Kibodi led the game with 106 yards, and Deneric Prince ran 12 times for 52 yards. There’s depth.
Who’ll take over for No. 2 QB Nick Starkel, who left for Arkansas? Kellen Mond is the starter, but James Foster stepped up with a 7-of-12 day for 67 yards and a pick, while Connor Blumrick struggled, connecting on just 4-of-12 throws.
And the new top tight end with Jace Sternberger done is … Baylor Cupp? He led all receivers with 88 yards and a score on five catches.
NEXT: UCF, West Virginia, Wisconsin
Spring Games: April 13
– Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Miami
– Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Miss St
– Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State
– Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M
UCF
The quarterback battle got the spotlight, but the backup running backs took over, showing off the depth behind stars Adrian Killins and Greg McCrae. Bentavious Thompson led the way with 110 yards on 12 carries, and Trillion Coles ran for 95 more.
Brandon Wimbush moved well and threw for 92 yards, but Darriel Mack had the better day with two touchdown passes and 171 yards through the air. The gig is still open, but if the season started right now, Mack is the almost certain No. 1.
West Virginia
The first spring game under new head man Neal Brown wasn’t anything amazing, but it showed off the new man to take over for Will Grier. Oklahoma grad transfer Austin Kendall hit 5-of-8 passes for 109 yards and a score on one side, and main backup option Jack Allison connected on just 11-of-24 throws for 112 yards and a touchdown with a pick for the second team. Defensively, it was DE Stone Wolfley and sophomore Exree Loe who took over with two sacks each.
Wisconsin
It’s not a spring game at Wisconsin as much as it is an open practice. There was some scrimmaging, and there were some real football plays, but it was mostly a chance to get the football team some work in lousy weather.
Is star recruit Graham Mertz closer to being the starter? Not quite. Jack Coan is the No. 1 at the moment, with Mertz mostly working with the twos. There’s been no questioning his skill, arm, or talent throughout spring ball, but Coan hasn’t been bad.
There’s still time. Again, with this not being a real spring game, there are still more spring practices and there’s still a whole lot of time to figure this out. Expect the quarterback battle to go on through August.
