We are almost through the barren late-winter wasteland on the college football calendar. As the south thaws from a particularly chilly January, all eyes turn towards spring practice for an enticing first look at teams for the upcoming season.
It’s a big offseason for the SEC, which is looking to reclaim its spot atop the sport after missing out on each of the last two College Football Playoff National Championships.
The league has still been a mainstay in college football’s postseason, as it sent Georgia, Texas and Tennessee to the playoff last season. Five teams won at least 10 games, and 13 of the SEC’s 16 programs qualified for a bowl game. Still, given the SEC’s claim as one of college football’s premier conferences, championships are the standard. There’s certainly a solid crop of top-tier teams, and optimism is never higher than in the spring.
As spring practices begin, here’s a look at the biggest questions surrounding each of the league’s 16 teams.
Alabama
Who emerges at quarterback? Alabama has to replace veteran starter Jalen Milroe, who posted his fair share of wow moments but never quite put it all together with the Crimson Tide. Even with Milroe off to the NFL, Alabama has built one of college football’s deepest quarterback rooms. Longtime backup Ty Simpson eschewed the transfer portal for an opportunity to compete for the starting job — a spot similar to the one he was in prior to the 2023 season when he battled Milroe — but he won’t be handed the opportunity.
Austin Mack initially signed to play for Kalen DeBoer at Washington and followed him to Tuscaloosa. New Alabama offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who collaborated with DeBoer at Washington and had a brief stint in the NFL, also had a hand in recruiting Mack to the Huskies. That gives Mack a distinct advantage, though Simpson has the edge in experience. Five-star freshman Keelon Russell will also get his fair share of looks. The Tide have a wealth of options, and spring will be key to whittling things down.
Arkansas
Will roster overhaul lead to resurgence? Between high school signings and transfer portal additions, Arkansas welcomes 40 total newcomers this spring. That’s a lot of new faces as the Hawgs look to get things back on track under Sam Pittman, who probably doesn’t have a ton of leeway after posting a 10-14 regular-season record over the past couple years. The upcoming practice slate will be crucial for integrating these new faces, as several are expected to step into prominent roles. Arkansas does return quarterback Taylen Green and potential breakout running back Braylen Russell to provide some stability.
Auburn
Is Jackson Arnold the answer? Auburn is still searching for some stability at quarterback entering its third-year under coach Hugh Freeze, who typically has a knack for developing high-caliber signal callers. In an effort to bolster the position, the Tigers dipped into the transfer portal to add former blue-chip prospect Jackson Arnold from Oklahoma. Though Arnold brings a significant pedigree — he was the No. 10 recruit nationally in the Class of 2023 — and bona fide SEC starting experience, he didn’t quite live up to the billing with the Sooners.
He was actually benched midway through the 2024 season before returning later and, notably, leading Oklahoma to a huge upset win against Alabama. He finished his sophomore campaign with a respectable 1,421 yards and 12 touchdowns to just three interceptions. Arnold is also a legitimate rushing threat, adding an extra dimension to Auburn’s offense. Maybe Freeze has the key to fully unlock Arnold’s potential. The next month will provide some indication as to how he fits.
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Florida
Will Napier innovate on offense? Florida promoted Russ Callaway to offensive coordinator in February, though the move seems mostly symbolic. Coach Billy Napier plans to retain play-calling duties, though Florida’s offense has endured its fair share of struggles under his guidance. The 2025 season is key for Napier’s tenure. He bought some goodwill thanks to a scorching-hot close to 2024 and standout efforts on the recruiting trail, but his leash isn’t that long.
The Gators need to take significant strides offensively to truly break out, but the pieces are there. Rising quarterback DJ Lagway seems primed to emerge as one of the premier playmakers in the country. Sophomore running back Jadan Baugh is ready for a standout role. Though Florida has to replace its top two receivers, there’s a lot of young talent in the room. Napier needs to match the improved roster with his coaching. Leaning more on Callaway, who engineered some of the FCS’ best passing offenses during his time at Samford from 2016-19, would be a smart step.
Georgia
Can Georgia reload its pass rush? History and Georgia’s development under coach Kirby Smart certainly indicates that it will be fine, but the Dawgs’ losses along the line of scrimmage are, nonetheless, significant. Mykel Williams, Chaz Chambliss and Jalon Walker are all off to the NFL, taking 18 of Georgia’s 45 total sacks in 2024 with them. It should go without saying that Georgia doesn’t lack in talent on defense, but spring will be key for some young players stepping up to fill the void. Joseph Jonah-Ajonye, Gabe Harris Jr. and Quintavius Johnson are solid options already on the roster, but perhaps a freshman like Isaiah Gibson — Georgia’s highest-rated EDGE signee in the 247Sports era — can force his way into the rotation. The snaps are there.
Kentucky
Did Kentucky do enough to revitalize its offense? Kentucky’s 2024 season is best left far in the rearview mirror. The Wildcats spiraled to a 4-8 record, including a 1-7 mark in conference play. It was the program’s first losing season since 2020, and its worst SEC record since 2013 — coach Mark Stoops’ first year with the program — not counting a 2021 season in which Kentucky was forced to vacate its wins. A pitiful offensive effort had a lot to do with the sharp downturn. The Wildcats ranked 15th out of 16 SEC teams in total offense (330.4 yards per game) and 16th in scoring (20.6 points per game).
To make matters worse, Kentucky lost a majority of its key figures to graduation and the transfer portal. Wide receivers Barion Brown and Dane Key transferred. Three starting offensive linemen departed and, to compound matters, former blue-chip transfer quarterback Brock Vandagriff retired. In an attempt to offset the losses and try to spark a turnaround Kentucky added 12 offensive transfers via the portal. Another thing working in the Wildcats’ favor is the fact that offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan is back for his second season, giving Stoops the same offensive coordinator in consecutive years for the first time since 2019-20.
LSU
What shape does LSU’s secondary take? Despite claiming the the “DBU” title, LSU has had endured some disappointing secondary play throughout coach Brian Kelly’s tenure. It’s limited the Tigers’ ceiling, even though they’ve consistently boasted some of the SEC’s top offenses and even produced a Heisman Trophy winner in 2023 alum Jayden Daniels. So it’s a good sign for the Tigers that there is a wealth of defensive back talent descending upon Baton Rouge this spring. LSU signed two four-star transfer cornerbacks in Mansoor Delane (Virginia Tech) and Ja’Keem Jackson (Florida) and pulled four-star safety transfer Tamarcus Cooley from NC State. Additionally, LSU worked really hard to keep top high school signee DJ Pickett, the No. 24 prospect nationally and No. 5 cornerback in the 2025 class, on board. It seems like a question of when, not if, Pickett plays a big role as a true freshman.
Ole Miss
How does Ole Miss replace Jaxson Dart? It won’t be an easy feat. Dart earned his status as a program legend by guiding Ole Miss to some of its best seasons ever while posting a staggering 11,970 yards passing and 95 total touchdowns in his career. As he rockets up NFL Draft boards, Ole Miss’ coaching staff is getting to work identifying his successor. Third-year sophomore Austin Simmons is the natural option after backing Dart up in 2024. He played in nine games and completed 19 passes for 282 yards with two touchdowns. But he’ll have to fend off redshirt freshman AJ Maddox and transfer addition Pierce Clarkson (Louisville). Even if Simmons pulls ahead in the spring, Ole Miss will have its work cut out making sure the offense doesn’t lose a step without Dart at the helm.
Mississippi State
Is Blake Shapen healthy? Shapen’s Mississippi State career got off to a scorching-hot start, as he posted 974 yards and eight touchdowns through three and a half games before a shoulder injury knocked him out for the remainder of the 2024 season. So he came back for a sixth year of college football. In that span, he’s only played one full season. His status will be worth monitoring as the offseason unfolds. The Bulldogs did prepare a nice contingency plan by landing former top prospect Luke Kromenhoek through he transfer portal.
Missouri
Who steps up on offense? The quarterback-receiver tandem of Brady Cook and Luther Burden III carved up opposing defenses and helped Missouri win 21 games over the past two seasons. Now they’re gone — with even more significant losses beyond that. In fact, the Tigers have to replace Cook, all three starting wide receivers and each of its top two running backs in Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll. Missouri turned to the transfer portal to address Cook’s departure by signing former Penn State backup Beau Pribula, a multi-dimensional threat that should win the job. The Tigers also added 1,000-yard rusher Ahmad Hardy, the 2024 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year at ULM.
It seems like Missouri is largely content with its in-house options at wide receiver, though Kevin Coleman Jr. comes over from Mississippi State. Otherwise, wideouts like Marquis Johnson, Joshua Manning and Daniel Blood can prove they’re ready for more. Mizzou also signed four-star wide receiver Donovan Olugbode, a top 75 prospect in the 2025 class.
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Oklahoma
Can the Sooners fix their offensive line? Oklahoma allowed an FBS-worst 50 sacks last season, as the Sooners’ offense sputtered in their third year under coach Brent Venables. The offensive line has been a fairly consistent issue throughout Venables’ tenure, despite the presence of veteran OL coach Bill Bedenbaugh. Oklahoma isn’t going to take a step toward SEC contention if it can’t upgrade in the trenches. Starting left tackle Logan Howland is back as a good starting point. He played better as the 2024 season went on. The Sooners also earned the pledge of four-star offensive line transfer Derek Simmons (Western Carolina) and signed Michael Fasusi, the top offensive tackle in the 2025 recruiting class. Fasusi has a college-ready frame and could see plenty of snaps early. Oklahoma is hoping those new faces are enough to upgrade the level of play.
South Carolina
How does the front seven shape up? South Carolina has to, essentially, overhaul its entire front seven after that unit had an impressive performance in 2024. The Gamecocks lost their top three linebackers and five key players in the trenches, including EDGE Kyle Kennard, who won the 2024 Bronko Nagurski Award after tallying 11.5 sacks. It’s not all bad, though; South Carolina does at least return Freshman All-American Dylan Stewart, a former five-star prospect that finished his first year of college football with 6.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss. There’s plenty of holes to fill around him, though, and there’s a good chance the Gamecocks start several transfers at defensive line and linebacker after bolstering both units via the portal.
Tennessee
Will young wide receiver group up its game? At the top of Tennessee’s agenda is replacing running back Dylan Sampson, who quite literally carried the Vols’ offense with his 1,491 yards and program-record 22 touchdowns on the ground. While that’s important, Tennessee wouldn’t have to lean on its run game as much if a handful of reliable receivers emerge. Tennessee hasn’t had a true, go-to option emerge in the wake of Jalin Hyatt’s departure following a phenomenal 2022 season. Now the Vols have to replace all three of their leading receivers from 2024.To make matters worse, Tennessee also lost three experienced pass catchers to the transfer portal.
That means the Vols have just one scholarship receiver with more than one year of collegiate experience on their roster entering the offseason. However, Tennessee’s WR room makes up for its lack of experience with potential. Chris Brazzell II (the aforementioned player with more than a year in college) will have his chance to shine in a featured role. Mike Matthews, a former top-40 prospect, will step in as a starter after flirting with the transfer portal. The Vols also added former four-star prospect Amari Jefferson via the transfer portal. Meanwhile, Braylon Staley and true freshman Travis Smith Jr. boast a blue-chip pedigree. Spring will be a great time to sort it all out, and it also affords Tennessee the opportunity to evaluate if it needs to add reinforcements during April’s portal window.
Texas
Is Arch Manning ready for the spotlight? In all likelihood, yes. He’s been in headlines since his freshman year of high school. That kind of comes with the territory of being a Manning. Still, this will be his first spring in charge of Texas’ offense, since he’ll be stepping in for longtime starter Quinn Ewers. It’s certainly not a question of talent with Manning, who has flashed during his (relatively) limited playing time with the Longhorns. But it is a huge leap from backup to the No. 1 guy for a team with championship expectations.
Texas A&M
Will skill position overhaul lead to offensive improvement? Texas A&M has lost some prominent skill position stars via the transfer portal in recent years, including former five-star prospect Evan Stewart (now at Oregon) and 2024 leading receiver Noah Thomas, (now at Georgia). To offset the talent drain, second-year coach Mike Elko turned heavily towards the ubiquitous portal during the spring window. The Aggies added four wide receivers and two tight ends with collegiate experience to their roster ahead of the spring practice slate.
The jewel of the haul is slot option KC Concepcion, who had 839 yards and 10 touchdowns receiving with NC State last season. Micah Hudson, a former five-star prospect in the class of 2024, also made his way to Texas A&M after failing to break through at Texas Tech as a true freshman. It’s a lot of change for one position group, but it could be the spark that A&M’s offense needs.
Vanderbilt
What does Vanderbilt do at safety? Vanderbilt returns a majority of its defense, but the Commodores did suffer a pair of key losses in CJ Taylor and De’Rickey Wright, who formed one of the SEC’s best safety tandems last season. Dontae Carter played all over Vanderbilt’s secondary as a true freshman and will be first in line to fill the void. The Commodores also have graduate Marlen Sewell, who tallied 20 total tackles and two pass breakups in 2024. Vanderbilt dipped into the portal to add CJ Heard, who started at safety as a freshman at Florida Atlantic last year. There’s some young talent for the ‘Dores to be excited about despite the significant losses on the backend.
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