spring preview – Syndication Server

Spring Preview: Looking at the Alabama WR depth chart

Jermaine Burton and Agiye Hall could make for a fantastic duo

One of the biggest strengths of the 2021 Alabama football team was the wide receiver position. But now the Tide must replace its top three targets from last season in Jameson Williams, John Metchie, and Slade Bolden.

The absence of Williams and Metchie was felt a bit prematurely in the national championship game against Georgia when Metchie missed the entire contest and Williams went down early with an ACL injury and the Alabama offense fell stagnant.

Talent is not the question in Tuscaloosa. Alabama has recruited the wide receiver position as well as anyone in the country over the past several years. The question is whether or not that talent can translate to on-the-field production for reigning Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young.

Alabama is not only returning several young players, but coach Nick Saban was also able to grab arguably the best wide receiver in the transfer portal in former Georgia Bulldog Jermaine Burton.

Burton brings plenty of talent and experience but will be asked to carry the load for the first time in his career. A young player must step up and it starts this spring.

Let’s take a look at the wide receiver depth in Tuscaloosa.

Spring Preview: A look at the Alabama quarterback depth chart

Previewing the quarterback situation for the Tide.

The 2021 campaign didn’t end the way that the Crimson Tide was hoping for. Alabama is gearing up for another run at the College Football Playoffs, led by star quarterback Bryce Young.

Young will have new weapons with Brian Robinson Jr, Jameson Williams, and John Metchie all heading to the NFL.

Young will have former Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton as well as the return of JoJo Earle and Ja’Corey Brooks. Former Georgia Tech running back Jamyr Gibbs is set to replace Robinson.

The offense will be led by offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Bill O’Brien, who returns for his second year in Tuscaloosa.

The quarterback situation is pretty similar to last year’s team. We break down the group as part of our spring preview series.

Spring Football Preview: Living on the Edge

Auburn has plenty of talent but lacks depth.

Auburn’s edge position has some of the best talent on the roster but also has a concerning lack of depth.

The Tigers return seniors Derick Hall and Eku Leota, two proven veterans but only redshirt freshman Dylan Brooks to back them up.

The expected departure of T.D. Moultry (graduation) and transfers of Romello Height and Caleb Johnson mean Auburn will need to add a player or two to this position group. That can be either adding a transfer or someone changing positions.

Here is a look at Auburn’s current edge players.

Spring Football Preview: Auburn’s offensive line settling into place

This group has a ton of experience but needs to improve in 2022

Auburn’s offensive line will be one of the most experienced groups on the roster next season.

The unit will have four six-years players, three fifth-year senior, one senior and two juniors. In total Auburn will have a combined 121 starts from that group.

That experience and leadership will be valuable for that team.

With that being said, the group has struggled the last few seasons and will need to be better in 2022 for the offense to take a step forward. Another area of concern is that Auburn has just five underclassmen on the roster.

Auburn made no secrets about their pursuit of several offensive lineman who were in the transfer portal and more high school recruits. The Tigers landed just one, true freshman Eston Harris.

Will Friend did a solid job piecing this unit together last season as multiple players suffered injuries but will need someone to take a step forward this season. Here is a look at the group.

Wisconsin football 2021 projected defensive depth chart, spring edition

Nearly halfway through spring practices, the 2021 Wisconsin Badger defense is starting to take shape.

Through nearly half of their spring practice session, the 2021 Wisconsin Badger defense is starting to take shape.

Unlike going into last season, this is a unit that returns much of its star power: Leo Chenal, Jack Sanborn, Keeanu Benton and Nick Herbig. It is a group, though, that lost senior leader Eric Burrell, NFL-caliber cornerback Rachad Wildgoose and both starters at defensive end.

The good news for Badger fans is the program has plenty of young talent; has arguably the best defensive coordinator in the nation, Jim Leonhard; and has months to settle position battles and develop young players.

At this point mid-spring, here is Wisconsin football’s projected defensive depth chart:

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Wisconsin football 2021 projected offensive depth chart, spring edition

The Wisconsin football program is nearly halfway through its spring practice schedule and with it, we’ve learned a new thing or two about

The Wisconsin football program is nearly halfway through its spring practice schedule and with it, we’ve learned a new thing or two about how the team will line up when it takes the field in early September.

Some of the positions are a given, including Graham Mertz at quarterback, Jake Ferguson at tight end and Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor at wide receiver.

But there have been a few surprises thus far, mainly seen on the offensive line.

Here, at this point in the spring, is Wisconsin football’s projected offensive depth chart:

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2021 Wisconsin football position preview: Wide receivers

In our second edition of Wisconsin football 2021 position previews, the focus is on the wide receiver position. It’s a group that struggled

In the second edition of our Wisconsin football 2021 position previews, the focus turns to the wide receiver position.

It’s a group that struggled last season, mostly due to injuries to top options Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor.

But the whole group returns for the 2021 campaign. With a full spring and summer session set to help Graham Mertz’s connection with the group immensely, we should expect a bounce-back season from the pass-catchers.

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2021 Wisconsin football position preview: Running backs and fullbacks

The Wisconsin football program took the field for spring practice last week, doing so for the first time since the 2019 offseason. There are

The Wisconsin football program took the field for spring practice last week, doing so for the first time since the 2019 offseason.

As head coach Paul Chryst noted in a press conference, it was the first spring practice for 44 players on the roster. Yes, 44.

There are a lot of worthy questions to ask about the 2021 Wisconsin Badgers, especially after a 4-3 2020 campaign that saw inconsistent play from multiple positions.

This spring we’re out to answer those questions and provide clarity on what the team will look like when they take the field in September.

So for the first edition of BadgersWire’s spring position previews, here is a breakdown of the running back and fullback positions:

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2021 Wisconsin football spring primer: Top players, priorities and positions to watch

The Wisconsin football program began spring practice Tuesday, the date marking the first time the Badgers suited up for spring ball since

College football, much like the weather, moves in seasons.

There’s the four-month season from September to January, the long period of offseason conditioning, spring ball, summer ball and then we start at September all over again.

Even though it was still below 40 degrees in Madison, Wisconsin yesterday, we are back to what college football fans know as spring.

Why do I say all of this? Because Wisconsin football took the field for spring practice on Tuesday for the first time since 2019.

The program wasn’t able to hold a spring session last year, as noted above, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of a full offseason, then, ended up showing during the team’s 4-3 campaign.

Head Coach Paul Chryst discussed what the spring session means to the program in a press conference Monday, citing how many players on the roster have yet to go through a normal offseason.

“It’s really exciting to get going with spring ball,” Chryst said. “I was just going through it, we have 44 players on our roster that have never gone through spring practice. Spring is a great time to develop, play a lot of football and through that playing, grow and get better. We’re looking forward to the opportunity.”

Now with a full offseason to prepare for September’s opener against Penn State, Wisconsin underclassmen, upperclassmen and coaches alike have the opportunity to grow as a team, grow as individuals and put themselves in position to rise back to the top of the Big Ten West.

“I’m excited for our staff and really excited for our players,” Chryst said. “I think that’s where this spring will be nice too, for them to be able to get the opportunity. Even for Alvis [Whitted], this will be his first spring with the guys. There is a different approach you can take in spring ball. It’s got a little different pace to it.”

For me at least, the start of spring practice and the release of the spring roster marks the real start of a football season.

So with that, here is my official Wisconsin Football Spring Primer with…3 Position Battles, 3 All-Americans, 3 From Good to Great, 3 From a Guy to ‘The Guy,’ 3 Who Must Take a Step Forward, 3 Fresh Faces, 3 Priorities, 3 Players You Should Know and 3 Weight Differences We Should Care About.

Let’s go.

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Big 12 spring football preview: Iowa State looks to give Oklahoma serious challenge for title

A pre-spring Big 12 football preview. Which team is going to stand up and challenge the Oklahoma Sooners for conference supremacy?

Editor’s note: This article was originally published by USA TODAY Sports and has been republished in its entirety below.

College football never stops. Even though the season ended just more than a month ago, preparations are already full speed toward the 2021 campaign.

Spring practices give teams an opportunity to develop starters, find replacements for departed players and give young talent the chance to gain experience.

The outlook for the Big 12 again focuses on Oklahoma. The Sooners have won the league for six consecutive seasons, but aspirations will be higher this year with most of their best players returning on both sides of the ball. The contenders to knock them off the mountain include Iowa State. The Cyclones are loaded for a run as Matt Campbell continues to build the program into one of the conference’s best.

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There’s several other teams hoping to break through, including Oklahoma State, Texas, TCU and West Virginia.

The key question for each team entering its offseason practices: