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Spring Wrapup 101 Names to remember; battles to watch for fall
Posted: Thursday May 04, 2000 01:00 PM
By Stewart Mandel, CNNSI.com Steve Spurrier kept the clock running throughout the second half. Nick Saban let beat reporters coach the teams. The way coaches laugh off spring games, it's a wonder we have spring football at all. Truth be told, coaches learn quite a bit from spring games, scrimmages and practices. And now, you can too, through a new curriculum hitting campuses faster than a Michael Vick 40-time: Spring Wrapup 101. Among the topics being taught this spring ...
Refresher course: These guys are still goodDrew Brees, QB, Purdue: In one mid-spring scrimmage, it was said, the defense blitzed Brees 13 straight times only to have the Heisman hopeful complete eight of nine passes and a touchdown.Alex Brown, DE, Florida: Despite a no-sack rule during Florida's 9-on-9 spring game, the beastly junior couldn't resist introducing the Gators QBs to the grass a couple times. Kurt Kittner, QB, Illinois: In a stat line that resembled much of his remarkable '99 season, Kittner, who will play this season behind five returning starters on the line, completed 22-of-38 for 230 yards, three TDs and no interceptions in the Illini's spring game.
Freddie Milons, WR, Alabama: The junior game-breaker may turn out to be college football's 2000 version of Peter Warrick. Only negative: Talking about entering the 2001 draft in the middle of spring ball. David Terrell, WR, Michigan: Already the most explosive receiver in the country, the spring showed why Terrell will benefit from having stronger-armed Drew Henson at QB and more weapons around him at receiver and in the backfield (welcome back, Justin Fargas).
Pop Quiz: Names to remember in SeptemberSI's Ivan Maisel hit the nail on the head with his appraisal of these spring stars. With those included, here's one "all-star" lineup made entirely of likely new starters for 2000: Offense: QB Assad Abdul-Khaliq, Minnesota; RB Rudi Johnson, Auburn; RB Paul Arnold, Washington; WR Deandre Green, Auburn; WR Durell Robinson, Georgia; TE Derek Smith, Kentucky; OL Jeff Faine, Notre Dame; OL Ben Johnson, Wisconsin; OL Bryant McKinnie, Miami; OL Howard Duncan, Oklahoma; OL Jake Grove, Virginia Tech. Defense: DL Bob Jones, Penn State; DL Cory Redding, Texas; DL Sean Phillips, UCLA; DL Bobby McCray, Florida; LB Kendyll Pope, Florida St.; LB Ron Graham, Penn State; LB Shamar Finney, Penn State; DB DeJuan Groce, Nebraska; DB David Mitchell, Ohio State; DB Sammy Davis, Texas A&M; DB LaShaun Ward, California.
Science Fair: Filling size 22 shoesMichael Bennett, RB, Wisconsin: Ron Dayne's successor is lighter (205 pounds), quicker (4.3 40) and already boasts one 100-yard game (last year against Indiana). Now, just 6,105 yards to go for the sophomore to match Dayne. George Godsey, QB, Georgia Tech: NFL general managers seem to think Joe Hamilton's shoes weren't big enough, but the junior Godsey will find it to be a large enough chore replacing a four-year starter who produced 10,640 yards. Brett Cimorelli, K, Florida State: The Zephyrhills, Fla., native hasn't even finished high school, but with lack of an alternative, Bobby Bowden is counting on him to take over for first-round draft pick Sebastian Janikowski this fall. Bob Jones, DE, Penn State: Joe Paterno raved all spring about his new defensive end, perhaps in denial over losing the old one, a certain Courtney Brown.
Geography: Old faces, new placesTravis Carroll, LB, Florida: A freshman contributor for Alabama in 1998, Carroll had a falling out with Mike DuBose and transferred to the rival Gators, where he will see significant action at inside linebacker. Greg Cicero, QB, Baylor: After losing the Texas starter's job to Major Applewhite, Cicero played last year at Palomar College in San Marcos, Calif., throwing for 2,800 yards and 33 touchdowns, before returning to the Lone Star State. Anwawn Jones, DE, Colorado: A standout for Gary Barnett at Northwestern in '96 and '97, Jones flunked out, bounced from a junior college to a prep school and is now back with his old coach, who expects Jones to be one of the cogs of the Buffs' defense. Tim Olmstead, QB, Vanderbilt: Once in the mix for the honor of being Steve Spurrier's whipping boy at Florida, Olmstead just completed his first spring for the Commodores but failed to overtake incumbent Greg Zolman.
Military History: Top fall QB battlesDarnell Arceneaux and T.D. Croshaw, Utah: Once the cornerstone of the Utes offense, the injury-plagued Arceneaux found himself in a platoon last fall with Croshaw and now must battle for any time at all. Zac Colvin and Bobby Pesavanto, Colorado: The sophomore Colvin and JUCO transfer Pesavanto are in a virtual dead heat after both put up gaudy numbers in spring scrimmages. Casey Clausen, Joey Matthews, John Rattay and A.J. Suggs, Tennessee: Note to Phil Fulmer -- a two-quarterback system rarely works. But maybe he could make four work, perhaps by rotating in a different quarterback each down. Robby Hampton and Gary Brashears, Arkansas: Both will play at least the first game, but rumors swirl that Brashears, a highly acclaimed redshirt freshman from the same recruiting class as RB Cedric Cobbs, will transfer if the job's not his.
CNNSI.com college sports producer Stewart Mandel will size up a series of off-season topics from now until Kickoff 2000.
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