College football 2022 spring practice storylines to watch

For the first time really since 2019, the college football world is heading into a spring practice virtually free of Covid-19.

Most of that world is getting back to normal on the virus front, and getting to the things that really matter — practices, depth charts, position battles, quarterback decisions, and new coaching hires.

Georgia is our defending national champion, but is facing some major changes on the historic defense it turned out a year ago. And the Bulldogs will have some serious competition, both in and out of the SEC this fall.

With spring practice about to kick off around the nation, let's take a look at some of the top storylines around college football in 2022.

1. Georgia re-loads

Winning your first national championship in 41 years is about as good a feeling as you can have in this sport. Doing it behind one of the greatest defenses in college football history? That's even better.

But a lot of that elite unit is gone, off to the NFL Draft. And so is the mind that put it all together — DC Dan Lanning is now the head coach at Oregon (and will meet Georgia on the field in Week 1).

Good thing Stetson Bennett is back. The mailman delivered Georgia a national title in 2021 and returns to an offense armed with a great offensive line protecting him.

The minimum for Georgia is to repeat as SEC East champs. But after Kirby finally got the Nick Saban-shaped elephant off his back, expectations are bigger than ever.

2. USC under Lincoln Riley

It's been almost 20 years since USC last won the national championship, and there have been some trying seasons from then until now.

Enter Lincoln Riley. Southern Cal made the splash of the offseason when it poached Riley away from Oklahoma and brought him to L.A. with one simple demand: make USC great again.

With the move, Riley puts himself into a far more winnable situation. Oklahoma is headed to the SEC soon, while USC plays in a very winnable Pac-12.

And while the Trojans will play a speedy brand of offense, Riley needs to figure out how to make this roster tough all over, especially on what was a generous defense last fall.

3. Ohio State on defense

If there's anything the Buckeyes can do, it's move the ball. Last season, this team ranked No. 1 in college football in total offense. Stopping other teams? Well, that was another story.

A loose-looking secondary and an inability to adequately rush the pass stymied Ohio State in season-defining losses to Oregon and Michigan.

Jim Knowles could have the answer. He moves from one OSU to another after Ryan Day brought him over from Oklahoma State, which under Knowles' watch in 2021 ranked No. 3 in total defense and led the nation with 55 sacks.

The No. 1 story in Columbus right now is how this defensive unit progresses. Do that, and it should complement an offense that returns a pretty fearsome trio — Heisman finalist quarterback CJ Stroud, wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and running back TreVeyon Henderson.

4. Brian Kelly takes over LSU

Another of the stunning offseason moves on the coaching front, Kelly traded Notre Dame for LSU and the war zone of a weekly SEC West schedule.

In the meantime, Kelly has awkwardly danced with at least two recruits, tried his Southern accent on an unsuspecting public, and made some hay in the transfer portal. And on the recruiting front, signing 5-star linebacker Harold Perkins.

Now comes the really hard part. Kelly spring football checklist is long: find a quarterback, re-work a secondary that lost Derek Stingley to the NFL and Eli Ricks to Alabama, integrate his new coordinators, and generally implement an entirely new system.

It's hard to believe that LSU has fallen this far since 2019, when it ran the table and won the College Football Playoff. Ed Orgeron is out and Brian Kelly is in — can Kelly bring the Tigers back to national prominence? The process begins now.

5. Bryan Harsin's impossible situation

Harsin may have gotten a warm welcome at a recent Auburn basketball game, but he's not nearly as popular among Tigers football boosters.

It was that secret cabal that apparently launched a coup attempt against the coach when he was on vacation in Mexico, pushing for the school to fire him for cause.

Some former players then went public saying they didn't agree with Harsin's approach. Other players then came to the coach's defense. Auburn investigated, but ultimately decided to save the $18 million buyout and give Harsin another shot.

He'll get that shot in 2022, but he's not working with a whole lot. Kobe Hudson, AU's top receiver a year ago, and Ja'Varrius Johnson, expected to be the No. 1 target this year, are both gone. So is quarterback Bo Nix. Almost 20 players in all decided to leave The Plains this offseason.

Not to mention five assistant coaches, including DC Derek Mason, who took a $400,000 pay cut to join Oklahoma State's staff instead.

There isn't all that much to build on at Auburn right now, but Harsin has to make the most of it. Another 6-7 season, or certainly anything less, and the school could bite the $15 million bullet and move on.

6. Jimbo is in position

Texas A&M has a lot going for it — last season beating top-ranked Alabama and this offseason signing what 247Sports called the highest-rated class of prospects in college football recruiting history.

Sure, there's a lot of potential, but there are also a lot of questions. Defensive coordinator Mike Elko is out after leaving for Duke. A&M needs to find an answer at quarterback, but could have one after Max Johnson transferred in from LSU.

The Ags were just an 8-4 team a year ago. That's not enough to break out of the SEC West and punch its way into the playoff. A&M needs this spring to build its momentum in the right direction, because it can go the other way in a hurry.

7. Michigan is back — or is it?

Last season was good to Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines. They beat Ohio State for the first time in eight years, won the Big Ten, and made the College Football Playoff.

Then got destroyed by Georgia in the semifinal and had to weather an offseason of wondering if Harbaugh would jump ship for the NFL again. Including watching as he interviewed with the Vikings on National Signing Day.

But the coach is back, and good thing, too, considering this is a roster in transition. That ferocious pass rush is gone, and so is the one-two punch at running back. As are both of Michigan's coordinators from last fall.

Harbaugh needs to make sure 2021 was the rule, not the exception.

8. Oklahoma in transition

Talk about a program that could use some stability. After thinking Lincoln Riley would take OU into its next major phase — SEC membership — the school instead watched him take the USC job and leave town.

That demanded a strong reaction, and the school responded by hiring Brent Venables, the long-respected defensive coordinator from Clemson.

Venables was for many years the subject of head coaching rumors, and this was the year he decided to make the move. But he inherits a roster that lost both its quarterbacks, other playmakers, and notable de-commitments.

In response, Venables brought on Jeff Lebby, the offensive play-caller from Ole Miss, and secured a transfer in former UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel.

Oklahoma shouldn't worry too much about its defense with Venables in control. That's excellent news with the SEC move coming soon.

9. A new era at Florida

Much like USC, Florida is looking to get back on track after producing a dynasty in the mid 2000s. Time will tell if Billy Napier is the man for the job, but so far his resume suggests he'll give the Gators a decent chance.

Napier established himself as Louisiana head coach, bringing that program to some national prominence, and several appearances in the Top 25 college football rankings.

And, most importantly, some solid recruiting connections in the state of Florida. That's one area where the Gators program has dropped off. Expect to see Napier in the thick of some big in-state battles against the likes of Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, and new Miami coach Mario Cristobal.

10. Alabama re-arms

Nick Saban has been stocking and re-stocking the shelves at Alabama for 16 years, and now at age 71 he doesn't appear to be slowing down yet.

Losing piles of talent to the NFL Draft doesn't seem to bother the Crimson Tide in the slightest. It didn't last season, when Bama lost a half-dozen players in the first round alone, and still won the SEC and went to the national championship game.

Now the Tide gets back the nation's best player on offense, and on defense. Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young returns, as does linebacker Will Anderson, who led college football in sacks and TFLs a year ago.

Alabama also scored in the transfer portal, too. Former LSU cornerback Eli Ricks came over, as did top Georgia wide receiver Jermaine Burton and Jahmyr Gibbs, the Georgia Tech running back who currently leads all active college football players in career all-purpose yardage.

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