Spring Notes
Photo from Baton Rouge Advocate - Michael G. SeamansI know I promised this last week, but better late than never. Take a break from sweating over your bracket to get a little update from spring practices around the SEC.
Tennessee - The big news in Knoxville is Erik Ainge's knee and the new hurried offense he was to conduct. Ainge will have surgery Monday to repair some meniscus damage in his right knee. He is expected to sit out until July. Ainge will need to recover for summer workouts because most of his primary targets will not be in Knoxville for spring practice. Meanwhile, Jonathan Crompton is running with the first team during Ainge's absence. I know Ainge is the starter and showed great improvement last year, but I was impressed with some of Crompton's fill-in duty last year. In the LSU game he looked good, even though he never really repeated that performance. The reports from Knoxville indicate a workmanlike, but sluggish Vol offense and a defense full of question marks. The Vol coaching staff are reportedly counting on several incoming recruits to start next year. Keep your fingers crossed, Vols.
Auburn - The Aubs need to find defensive linemen and wide receivers this spring and they are doing well with one of those. Reports are that the Aubs should have a solid rotation up front with Mike Blanc coming on. The young guys are showing that there could be some depth at defensive line. The receivers, however, are doing an imitation of Georgia receivers. They've reportedly dropped a load of balls. No word if Tubs has followed Mike Leach's tennis ball machine remedy for the drops.
LSU - The angry and vicious LSU defense has dominated spring practices in Baton Rouge. Media reports talk of an unblockable Tyson Jackson and of a playmaking Curtis Taylor filling in for the departed headhunter, LaRon Landry. That's not exactly the way to instill confidence in dueling quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux. Count on Flynn starting for the Tigers unless he gets hurt. Word is that Perrilloux has worked with the first team, but not near as much as Flynn. Also, look for LSU, much to the chagrin of their fans, to rotate several running backs next year because they have a boatload of good young backs. Gary Crowton is reportedly installing several wishbone/option looks for LSU to run out of, taking advantage of Flynn's mobility.
Georgia - There haven't been many real stories coming out of Athens this spring. New offensive line coach Stacey Searls is trying to whip his group of newcomers into shape so that Matt Stafford will have some protection. The two groups to watch have been Searls offensive line and the linebacking position. The Dawgs lost all three starting linebackers from last year. Brandon Miller, a former uber recruit, has moved inside with a group of nubies and troublemakers fighting it out for the outside spots. I expect the starters for the Oklahoma State game will be Miller, Dannell Ellerbe, and Darius Dewberry (although word is that Akeem Dent is pushing him). The offense needs to get Sean Bailey, who is back from a torn ACL in 2005, in shape and ready to provide a deep threat for Stafford. Reports indicate that Bailey is ready to go and has looked good so far.
Arkansas - Spring practice has just started for the Hogs, but it will be an important one. After all the upheaval of the last few months, this is an important time for Houston Nutt and the Razorbacks. They lost a lot of good players last year and are installing a new offense and a new defense. All you need to know so far is that Darren McFadden is back and the Wildcat formation will be back too. So look for a potent running game from the Hawgs.
Tennessee - The big news in Knoxville is Erik Ainge's knee and the new hurried offense he was to conduct. Ainge will have surgery Monday to repair some meniscus damage in his right knee. He is expected to sit out until July. Ainge will need to recover for summer workouts because most of his primary targets will not be in Knoxville for spring practice. Meanwhile, Jonathan Crompton is running with the first team during Ainge's absence. I know Ainge is the starter and showed great improvement last year, but I was impressed with some of Crompton's fill-in duty last year. In the LSU game he looked good, even though he never really repeated that performance. The reports from Knoxville indicate a workmanlike, but sluggish Vol offense and a defense full of question marks. The Vol coaching staff are reportedly counting on several incoming recruits to start next year. Keep your fingers crossed, Vols.
Auburn - The Aubs need to find defensive linemen and wide receivers this spring and they are doing well with one of those. Reports are that the Aubs should have a solid rotation up front with Mike Blanc coming on. The young guys are showing that there could be some depth at defensive line. The receivers, however, are doing an imitation of Georgia receivers. They've reportedly dropped a load of balls. No word if Tubs has followed Mike Leach's tennis ball machine remedy for the drops.
LSU - The angry and vicious LSU defense has dominated spring practices in Baton Rouge. Media reports talk of an unblockable Tyson Jackson and of a playmaking Curtis Taylor filling in for the departed headhunter, LaRon Landry. That's not exactly the way to instill confidence in dueling quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux. Count on Flynn starting for the Tigers unless he gets hurt. Word is that Perrilloux has worked with the first team, but not near as much as Flynn. Also, look for LSU, much to the chagrin of their fans, to rotate several running backs next year because they have a boatload of good young backs. Gary Crowton is reportedly installing several wishbone/option looks for LSU to run out of, taking advantage of Flynn's mobility.
Georgia - There haven't been many real stories coming out of Athens this spring. New offensive line coach Stacey Searls is trying to whip his group of newcomers into shape so that Matt Stafford will have some protection. The two groups to watch have been Searls offensive line and the linebacking position. The Dawgs lost all three starting linebackers from last year. Brandon Miller, a former uber recruit, has moved inside with a group of nubies and troublemakers fighting it out for the outside spots. I expect the starters for the Oklahoma State game will be Miller, Dannell Ellerbe, and Darius Dewberry (although word is that Akeem Dent is pushing him). The offense needs to get Sean Bailey, who is back from a torn ACL in 2005, in shape and ready to provide a deep threat for Stafford. Reports indicate that Bailey is ready to go and has looked good so far.
Arkansas - Spring practice has just started for the Hogs, but it will be an important one. After all the upheaval of the last few months, this is an important time for Houston Nutt and the Razorbacks. They lost a lot of good players last year and are installing a new offense and a new defense. All you need to know so far is that Darren McFadden is back and the Wildcat formation will be back too. So look for a potent running game from the Hawgs.
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