The college football calendar is at the point where the spring games are winding down, and coaches are settling into a quiet period of evaluation of their rosters and of where to slot players, both in terms of positions and in the hierarchy on the depth chart. Then coaches will do camps and speaking engagements in June, their most relaxing month of the year, before the conference media days in July and then the full dive into training camp in August. Let’s see what’s happening after another wave of spring games for power conference schools.
Jalen Hurd To The Baylor Bears
The Baylor offense is going to acquire a different look now that Art Briles is gone. The up-tempo and wide-open offense of the past several years might not go completely away, but it will be reduced to a considerable degree. New head coach Matt Rhule wants more of a power-oriented, ball-control offense, akin to what he developed at Temple. Now he has the kind of running back he can build around as a centerpiece of his offense. Jalen Hurd of the Tennessee Volunteers has chosen to transfer to Baylor. The program which was hit by a player exodus in light of the sexual assault scandal which accompanied the departure of Briles, so Rhule has needed to restock the roster. This is one more part of that process, one more goal achieved that Rule no longer needs to worry about. That is the importance of this story, more than anything else.
Jalen Hurts Impresses In Alabama Crimson Tide’s Spring Game
There were many throws Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts was unable to consistently make last season, so when the Alabama spring game took place this past Saturday, one of the central questions surrounded Hurts’ ability to improve in terms of mechanics and accuracy. Hurts is an excellent runner and a player who can also make improvisational plays out of the pocket. The ability to become a polished pocket passer is Hurts’ main deficit, so the spring game needed to bring about progress.
In short, Alabama got it. A small subsection of touch throws on short passes remained tricky, but Hurts threw the ball really well on downfield throws and other kinds of throws which require the ball to be throw flat and on a line. Hurts displayed better arm strength and the ability to zip the ball into tight windows in traffic. Alabama should feel excellent about its quarterback situation.
Darius Thompson-Robinson Commits To UCLA Bruins Over Michigan Wolverines
This was a fierce recruiting battle in the class of 2018. It won’t affect either UCLA or Michigan this year, but sets the table for 2018 and gives UCLA more of a long-term future at the most important position on the field. UCLA now knows that Josh Rosen has a clear successor, and the Bruins can continue to field a strong passing game if they can protect their quarterbacks. This puts even more pressure on UCLA’s offensive line – the program’s biggest weakness this decade – to live up to its potential this year.
Danny Etling Has Minor Back Procedure After LSU Tigers Spring Game
The senior, who had transferred from Purdue, struggled in LSU’s spring game, completing under 50 percent of his passes and fewer than 60 yards. That miserable performance could have been viewed merely as a bad day or as a sign of nerves, but on Monday, Etling had what head coach Ed Orgeron called a “minor back procedure.” Whether that really was minor or not is up for speculation and debate, but Etling was clearly a man in less than perfect health.
The concern for LSU fans is that Etling might face a long road to recovery. The comforting part is that this is not a true reflection of Etling’s level of talent. He was hampered on Saturday.
At any rate, the Tigers need a solution in their passing game and Etling may not be it. They better have some answers or their 2017-18 college football season will look very similar to their 2016-17 edition.
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