Three Big 12 Schools Kick Off Spring Practice
Three teams in the Lone Star State begin spring practice this week according to the Star-Telegram (Texas Tech – February 17th, Texas – February 23rd and TCU – February 25th), what are they looking to accomplish?
At TCU, the Horned Frogs just want to get on the field to avoid the contact high of the press off it. Gary Patterson will be answering drug-related questions until late August but his focus is in replacing three projected defensive starters. Tanner Brock, D.J. Yendry and Devin Johnson were all expected to earn valuable minutes in 2012. Now, they’re expected to earn prison sentences.
Suddenly, TCU enters a pass-happy Big 12 and must immediately figure out how much depth it has on defense.
Making sure Casey Pachall continues improving is tantamount as well considering the uptick in competition. The first-year starter threw for nearly 3,000 yards, 25 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 2011. If he sidesteps a sophomore slump, it should give Gary Patterson more breathing room to revamp the other side of the ball.
Texas, buoyed by Mack Brown’s extension and another top three recruiting class enters 2012 without a lot of the indecision of the last two seasons. David Ash is the starting quarterback. His production is the difference between eight wins and eleven. The secondary isn’t young, at least in terms of experience. Carrington Byndom and Quandre Diggs performed at all-conference levels following their introduction to the Oklahoma buzz saw in Dallas. The rushing attack, long a thorn in Mack Brown’s side, is now the strength of the offense. Add Johnathan Gray to a healthy Malcolm Brown and Joe Bergeron and Texas might fool you into thinking it’s a play-action, SEC-type offense in hiding.
Obviously, Ash’s maturation is Bryan Harsin’s foremost goal over the next month. In 2011, he played like a true freshman. In 2012, the ideal scenario for Texas is the game slows down and he plays like a seasoned veteran. The sheer volume of repetitions that went to Garrett Gilbert and Case McCoy last spring and are now allotted to Ash should ensure that.
Finding a consistent wideout beyond Jaxon Shipley also dots the Longhorn to-do list. Marquise Goodwin is an Olympic-caliber long jumper and there’s an opportunity for him to possibly complete in London this summer. If he does that and misses spring, summer and fall practice, it’s asking a lot for him to be ready in September. Mike Davis was up-and-down in his sophomore year after a promising freshman campaign. Any number of incoming freshmen (Kendall Sanders, Cayleb Jones, Marcus Johnson) could contribute but Harsin and Applewhite are probably pining for Davis to regain his Dallas Skyline swagger.
In Lubbock, the Red Raiders need to use spring practice to cement the idea that the season isn’t over in October.
Tommy Tuberville notched a tenure-defining victory when Texas Tech upset Oklahoma in Norman but his team proceeded to lose their final five games. Quarterback Seth Doege torched the Sooners secondary (4 touchdowns, no picks) but his production leveled off as he provided a TD/INT ratio of 6/6 after that win. Doege doesn’t lack for weapons (Eric Ward, Bradley Marquez, Marcus Kennard, Darrin Moore, Alex Torres, Jace Amaro) so he’s likely to be more consistent but he also wasn’t helped much by his defense.
Defensive coordinator Chad Glasgow was fired after one season and former North Carolina DC Art Kaufman takes his place. It’s the fourth defensive coordinator in Lubbock in four years. That’s not the sort of turnover that produces nationally-ranked units.
Tuberville’s seat isn’t scorching, maybe not even hot, but this is a vital spring ahead of a season where it’s time to for the former Auburn head coach to prove why many thought he was a steal for Texas Tech.
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