What to Watch: 16 newcomers — from transfers, to freshmen to offensive coordinators — to keep an eye on Saturday
The sun is out and the flowers are blooming. Spring is here!
After 27 scrimmages last weekend, there are another 20 spring games happening Saturday.
Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffs program will get the ESPN treatment, but that’s hardly the only interesting storyline to monitor throughout the afternoon.
In addition to a couple of Buffs’ transfers, there’s a slew of transfer quarterbacks making their debuts with new programs. There are other notable newcomers — freshmen, transfers and coaches alike — of interest, too.
Here’s 16 fresh faces to keep an eye on during a loaded Saturday slate of scrimmages.
OC Tommy Rees, Alabama
RB Justice Haynes, Alabama
We’ll get our first glimpse of what Tommy Rees’ fingerprints look like on Alabama’s offense, and while there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the Tide’s QB battle, many expect the ground game to be a greater emphasis with Rees at OC. Haynes, a Georgia legacy and 5-star early enrollee, has been one of the stars during the Tide’s spring. Although Alabama has a loaded running back room, Haynes has quickly emerged as a potential three-down, bell-cow option.
DB Peyton Bowen, Oklahoma
Brent Venables scored a major win in December when he flipped Bowen from Oregon at the 11th hour. The 5-star safety has come to Norman and is already vying for a starting spot on a defense looking to be on another planet in 2023.
QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado
CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado
The Buffs’ two most marquee transfers will make their debut in a CU uniform, as both former Jackson State stars figure to be key to the program’s turnaround potential in 2023. Sanders is slated to start at quarterback, making a big jump from FCS to Power 5. Meanwhile, Hunter, the former No. 1 overall recruit in 2022, has electric two-way potential and might play a Champ Bailey-esque role for Colorado this fall.
QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
The Irish added the ACC’s record-setting quarterback this offseason, believing Hartman could be the missing piece for a deep College Football Playoff run. And he might be, but he has to beat out blue-chip QB recruit Tyler Buchner first, who has reportedly had a stronger spring than Hartman.
OC Phil Longo, Wisconsin
QB Tanner Moredcai, Wisconsin
What in the world will this pairing look like in Madison? Longo, an Air Raid disciple, and Mordecai, a guy who played in a similar system at SMU, make total sense together … but Wisconsin running a wide-open spread offense? Fascinating.
QB Hudson Card, Purdue
The Texas transfer was new Boilermakers head coach Ryan Walters’ hand-picked replacement for Aiden O’Connell. Card started five games with the Longhorns and is charged with continuing Purdue’s prolific passing production in recent years.
QB Cade McNamara, Iowa
The Hawkeyes brought in the Michigan transfer in hopes of breathing some life into a dormant offense. McNamara helped lead the Wolverines to the Big Ten title in 2021, and while he was benched last season, he provides Iowa with an upside at the position they haven’t had for several seasons.
QB Jeff Sims, Nebraska
Sims is in a battle for the Cornhuskers’ starting job, competing with incumbent Casey Thompson, as well as former transfer Chubba Purdy. Sims played a lot at Georgia Tech, but to date, Thompson has been the much more productive player. New head coach Matt Rhule hasn’t tipped his hand one way or another on where he’s leaning for his team’s QB1.
QB DJ Uiagalelei,Oregon State
After an inconsistent 2022 season at Clemson, Uiagalelei sought a fresh start and moved completely across the country to Corvallis.
The former 5-star has connected quickly with Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith this spring, and the pairing has the potential for a redemptive season for Uiagalelei if he can help improve an OSU passing attack that ranked 105th nationally.
CB Denver Harris, LSU
CB Duce Chestnut, LSU
CB Zy Alexander, LSU
CB JK Johnson, LSU
For the second-straight year, the Tigers’ secondary will be a group of transfer portal All-Stars. But last season’s unit featured multiple veterans with starting experience. Not so this spring. LSU’s four transfer corners in 2023 have more upside, but also more uncertainty.
Harris, a former 5-star at Texas A&M, saw limited snaps last season and battled all sorts of discipline issues. Chestnut was awesome in 2022 as a Freshman All-American, but the Syracuse transfer didn’t face a ton of explosive passing attacks in the ACC. Alexander was an FCS stud who is now making a major competitive leap. Johnson is a former top recruit who struggled to find playing time at Ohio State. What this group looks like Saturday could be an early hint at where LSU’s secondary stands in 2023.