The college football year is moving into the phase of the calendar where spring practice and spring games emerge throughout the country. Several teams have already conducted spring practices. Most are either just starting or are still to come. When these practices get going, a few transfers are going to step into a bright spotlight. Here are a few of them:
Jarrett Stidham, Auburn Tigers
The transfer from Baylor will try to become the quarterback who transforms Auburn in the SEC West and becomes the field general who will save coach Gus Malzahn’s job. Auburn fans are tired of losing four or more games per season, something Auburn has regularly done since reaching the 2014 BCS National Championship Game against Florida State. Malzahn needs a big year, and Stidham – who showed ample skill in his time at Baylor – could become a breakthrough figure for the Tigers of the SEC. Malzahn has not been able to recruit in-program talent and develop it to his liking, so maybe it will take a transfer to give Auburn’s offense the boost it needs. Malzahn won’t complain if this move works out, even though he must improve his recruiting in the future.
Kyle Allen, Houston Cougars
There were few quarterbacks in the country better than Greg Ward of Houston over the past two seasons. Now, Tom Herman is no longer the head coach of the Cougars. His former offensive coordinator, Major Applewhite, now has control. In comes Allen from Texas A&M to attempt to be Applewhite’s foundational quarterback. If Allen can take hold of situations and display command of the offense, Houston will benefit not just in terms of scoring points, but in terms of giving Applewhite the assurance the offense is in good hands. Applewhite will be able to tend to all his duties as a head coach more fully, instead of worrying too much about the offense. That’s critical for a young coach in year one.
Adonis Thomas, Florida State Seminoles
When the linebacker who previously played for Alabama moved to Tallahassee, Florida State’s defense received a needed jolt. This defense was mostly outplayed last season by Ole Miss and North Carolina and Clemson. The Seminoles are trying to out-fight Clemson for first place in the ACC after the Tigers made the national championship game two years in a row. Thomas could be a pendulum-swinger, a player who shifts the balance of power between the Noles and Clemson.
Will Grier, West Virginia Mountaineers
The 2015 Florida Gators were on pace for a special season, but then Will Grier was caught for using a banned substance. He never checked with the appropriate people who vet and oversee the administering of various substances to athletes for health-based reasons. That lack of diligence cost Grier his Florida career, and it dealt a big blow to the Gators’ season. Grier has landed at West Virginia, where – after a year and a half of absorbing hard truths – he will try to make his comeback. West Virginia, like Auburn, has struggled to develop quarterbacks under a coach (Dana Holgorsen) who knows offensive systems really well. Grier could be the answer to Holgorsen’s prayers.
Blake Barnett, Arizona State Sun Devils
When the Alabama Crimson Tide played the USC Trojans in the season opener last year, Blake Barnett started the game, but he didn’t finish it. Jalen Hurts took over and impressed Nick Saban. At that point, Hurts took over the starting job and never let up, which mean that Barnett never again became the starting quarterback. He saw the writing on the wall and got out. Now at Arizona State, Barnett has been united with Billy Napier, who was the receiver coach at Alabama last season. The Sun Devils hope Barnett and Napier can reverse their fortunes after Arizona State missed a bowl game in 2016.
It’s an important situation to watch because the Sun Devils could have their best quarterback in years. They’ve tapered off in recent seasons and need a good performance in 2017 or there will be some major changes coming up.
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