Spring football is in the air.
All of BC's 2011 opponents have now started practicing this spring, with Duke already in the clubhouse with its spring game being played back on March 26 (just the way Coach K likes it). Clemson wraps up spring practices with the Tigers' spring game this Saturday.
A total of seven 2011 opponents all have their spring games on the same day. Florida State, Miami, N.C. State, Northwestern, Notre Dame, UCF and Wake Forest all conclude spring camp on April 16, the same day as BC's Jay McGillis Memorial Spring Game. Virginia Tech finishes up the following week (April 23), while Maryland wraps up on April 30.
Let's make the internet rounds to see how BC's 2011 opponents are faring this spring.
Scrimmage Notes & LTP Tourney Bracket Challenge (Lake The Posts)
"As you likely have already read about this weekend the QB competition between Kain Colter, Evan Watkins and Trevor Siemien all had positives on Saturday, but no one has established themself as THE guy at this point for what ‘Cats fans hope is the number two slot. It appears as though the offense is ahead of the defense at this point which is both a tad unusual and also invokes the double-edged sword of paranoia ("wait, does this mean we're not improving on "D" like we had hoped?"!!)."
Random Spring Thoughts: U.C.F. (Pre-Snap Read)
"U.C.F. returns three players who rushed for at least 566 yards and at least 10 scores a year ago: Godfrey, Ronnie Weaver and Latavius Murray. Throw a healthy Brynn Harvey into the mix - 1,109 yards and 14 scores in 2009, did not play in 2010 - into the mix and you have Conference USA's best backfield. In fact, this might be one of the top non-B.C.S. conference backfields in the country. Long story short: U.C.F. is going to run the ball, run it again and run it again all year, which should play in what O'Leary wants to achieve offensively and the mindset he wants to install in this team."
Coastal Confessions: Recapping the 2011 Duke Spring Game (Gobbler Country)
"Unlike 2010, the Blue Devils had the services of starting quarterback Sean Renfree this spring. Saturday he helped lead his White team to a 21-14 victory over Blue. He finished the day 8-for-14 for 105 yards and a touchdown. Brandon Connette also had a good day passing for Blue, completing 10 of 16 attempts for 102 yards. He also ran eight times for 34 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown."
Injuries Ravishing the Wake football team (Blogger So Dear)
"It is difficult to install an offensive set (or 12 in the case of our offense the past few years) when the starting players, or even the backup players are on the training table instead of out on the field. I completely agree that Coach Grobe needs to make a stand about this now and let players understand what he expects of them. They were recruited to be out on the field, not sitting on the wall watching practice."
Spring Practice Notes (Shakin The Southland)
"Tajh Boyd has shown the confidence and the desire to learn that you want, and the team is behind him. Still, his mechanics are sloppy and he's careless with the football. The separation between himself and the early enrollees in terms of grasping the offense and reading defenses is not great. Right now he's playing like he didn't learn much the last couple years. Doesn't read coverages well."
Springapalooza 2011: The Defense (The Key Play)
"The defensive personal and scheme are anything but cut and dry this season. Right now I'd only feel comfortable penning in Bruce Taylor, Eddie Whitley, Jaryon Hosley and Kyle Fuller as starters. Usually when there's so much up in the air and unsettled it's a bad thing. However, the defensive side of the ball features a lot of talent and depth, most of it just happens to be at linebacker."
Storylines to Watch for Terps (Testudo Times)
"It seems like someone randomly bursts on the scene every spring. Remember Joe Vellano last year? Though these seemingly-random rises generally defy logic, my candidates for breakout star are: D.J. Adams, De'Onte Arnett, and Rahsaan Moore. Adams has superstar potential based on his limited touches last year when you look at his swagger, intensity, and vision."
Florida State Spring Scrimmage Recap (Tomahawk Nation)
"Rising junior quarterback EJ Manuel played well in his first spring scrimmage. Fisher plans to release more details including some statistical information on Tuesday but Manuel did throw three touchdown passes - two to Bert Reed and one to fullback Lonnie Pryor."
First Spring Scrimmage In The Books; Russell Wilson Sent To Asheville (Backing The Pack)
"NC State conducted its first scrimmage this afternoon, and the quarterbacks struggled in difficult wind conditions: Junior quarterback Mike Glennon was 9-for-19 for 60 yards with one interception. Tyler Brosius, the redshirt freshman backup, was 6-for-14 for 24 yards with two interceptions. Tobais Palmer led a wide receiving corps that O'Brien said needs to have leaders step forward. Palmer made three catches for 20 yards, and tight end George Bryan added two catches for 8 yards."
Notre Dame Spring Football is Underway: Notes on Brian Kelly's Press Conference (Rakes of Mallow)
"Dayne Crist will be limited, similar to the plan used for him last year when he was coming off the ACL injury. He'll do drill work, but probably will see little live action. The two candidates without starting experience, Everett Golson and Andrew Hendrix, will not be wearing a red jersey all of the time. Kelly wants them involved in the running game, and that means getting hit."
Observations from the Boca Raton Spring Scrimmage (Eye of the Hurricane)
"The next session was a goal line situation. Both Stephen Morris and Jacory Harris ran a series of plays that appeared to be from the 3 yard line. We had a bit of trouble getting 7 once we hit the red zone. The Offense took care of this with a nice spin move by Mike James on one play, and Morris using his speed on another. There was a nice pass by Harris to Laron Byrd and a cut back where the offensive line opened a hole that my grandmother could have navigated her wheel chair through."