During a busy Saturday of college football spring games, Alabama’s “A-Day” showcase took center stage. The Crimson Tide wrapped up their first spring practice in nearly two decades without legendary coach Nick Saban running the show as new head coach Kalen DeBoer made his debut at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
DeBoer unveiled his electric, high-flying offense — the same one that launched Washington to a College Football Playoff appearance — and a new defense led by former South Alabama coach Kane Womack. While there was no shortage of exciting moments in Saturday’s spring game, there is still a lot of work to be done before DeBoer feels comfortable with the transition.
The defense, in particular, raised some early concerns. The line of scrimmage, often a staple under Saban, was moved to the point of attack and allowed Alabama’s running backs to put together three straight touchdowns on the first three offensive drives. The Crimson Tide secondary, which is in the process of replacing four starters, gave up multiple big plays and looked disjointed at times.
Quarterback Jalen Milroe started hot but faded as the game wore on, dealing with the same inconsistency that plagued him last season and expressing visible frustration amid a late three-and-out streak. Of course, it makes sense that things are still a work in progress — this is only DeBoer’s third month in the biggest job of them all — and Saturday provided plenty of cause for optimism.
Despite his inconsistency, it’s clear Milro has worked hard on improving his pitching during the offseason. That will pay dividends as the calendar turns to the fall, and he’s already looked quite comfortable in DeBoer’s big-play offensive system. The defense looked better as the game wore on with some young defensemen making plays and standing out in a room that so desperately needs help.
In general, it’s hard to get too much out of a spring game.
Let’s now take a look at some more takeaways from a few notable spring games that took place across the country on Saturday.
Ohio State’s defense stole the show
Ohio State’s seismic changes on the offensive side of the ball, which included the hiring of current UCLA coach Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, dominated the offseason news cycle. But after the 2024 Buckeyes took the field for the first time in Saturday’s spring game, it was the defense that stole the show. Ohio State’s combined offenses managed just four touchdown possessions all game, despite an inflated 34-33 final score; defensive coordinator jim knowles’ unit did a great job of controlling the tempo and limiting explosive plays.
The secondary, especially, looked very impressive. Facing one of the deepest and most talented wide receiver rooms in the country, the Buckeyes’ defensive backs allowed a combined 357 yards and one touchdown to Ohio State’s four quarterbacks while recording four interceptions. Starting cornerbacks Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock more than held their own against the likes of Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate and exciting freshman Jeremiah Smith. In fact, Burke and Hancock largely dominated. It was another sign of tremendous progress for a group of defenders who have steadily improved under Knowles. This season could be their time to finally step up to that elite level.
Florida has a lot of hope for the future
Make no mistake: Florida’s offense is Graham Mertz’s. After a very solid 2023 season, the veteran quarterback looked right at home running the Gators’ offense in the spring game. He finished solid, completing 15 of 27 passes for 243 yards and one touchdown. Although he had an interception, Mertz was comfortable operating at every level of the field, and his veteran presence should pay dividends for an offense that is entering plenty of new players elsewhere.
Still, it’s really hard not to get excited about DJ Lagway. The No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2024 enrolled early at Florida and made his debut in front of fans on Saturday, playing against Mertz for the Orange. At 6-foot-3 and 241 pounds, Laguay made an impressive figure before even throwing a pass. He got to show tantalizing versatility on his first snap, moving the ball through the air and with his feet before capping things off with a 22-yard dart to wide receiver Aidan Mizell for a touchdown. Lagway made another impressive throw for a touchdown later and, despite his own interception, flashed the immense potential that excited recruiting analysts. There is a lot of hope for Florida’s offensive future while Lagway is in a Gators uniform.
LSU is looking for a smooth transition
Not to say that Garrett Nussmeier will have a Heisman Trophy-caliber season — obviously that echelon is very difficult to reach — but LSU appears to be in good hands after the departure of Jayden Daniels. The Nuss Bus was firing on all cylinders in LSU’s spring game and had a nearly flawless performance, completing all seven of his passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. He led all quarterbacks in yards and touchdowns despite attempting the third-most passes among the four signal players who touched the ball. He averaged nearly 27 yards per pass, and his two touchdown passes covered 45 and 59 yards, respectively. With how good Nussmeier has looked given his relative lack of experience, it seems fair to expect big things from him in the fall. Definitely a name to keep an eye on.
Utah’s offense should easily transition to the Big 12
Cam Rising is definitely back. The now-seventh-year senior missed the entire 2023 season while recovering from a knee injury and returned to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, completing 15 of his 19 pass attempts for 208 yards and two touchdowns. He showed excellent connection with USC Wide Receiver Transfer Dorian Singer, who caught almost everything near him and finished with 92 yards. Manny Parks showed his big-play ability with a 57-yard touchdown run. When tight end Brant Kuite, who had a short catch, returns to full health, Utah will have an offensive unit that stands up against everyone in the Big 12 Conference, which is known for offensive fireworks. If Saturday was any indication, the Utes will be right at home in their new location.
