Spring Games occupy a special place in the 24/7, 365-day calendar of college football. On the surface, they’re no more representative of a team’s future than any run-of-the-mill practice scrimmage, but with tens of thousands of spectators watching, they provide a game-like atmosphere.
It’s a paradox of sorts. We, as fans, know not to put too much stock into any single outstanding spring game performance, yet we’re captivated by standout performances.
And, as is the case nearly every year, this season’s Oregon Spring Game (1 p.m. Saturday at Autzen Stadium, ESPN2) presents its fare share of intrigue, mainly because so many top contributors on last year’s team have graduated.
According to the projections of Rob Moseley, sports reporter at The Register-Guard, the rosters will break down as follows:
With that in mind, here are five questions I hope are addressed in tomorrow’s game:
1) Will the Northern California connection help sustain Oregon’s linebackers?
Replacing Casey Matthews and Spencer Paysinger will be no easy task. But Bay Area products Kiko Alonso (Los Gatos) and Michael Clay (Santa Clara) have shown flashes of making the transition palatable. They’ve both shined in spring practice, but there are questions, as well. Alonso, of course, missed all of 2010 after getting arrested for a DUI. Perhaps more relevant to his football future, Alonso tore his ACL last April. It can take a couple years to recover from that type of injury. Clay, on the other hand, is relatively proven. Last season, he was the Ducks’ top reserve linebacker, making 42 tackles. But as a true junior, will Clay step up and become a dominant player at the position? That remains to be seen. Although not a Californian, keep an eye on Bo Lokombo, as well.
2) What’s up with Lache Seastrunk?
Yes, LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner are a potent one-two punch at running back. But if Chip Kelly’s offense has taught us anything it’s that there’s no such thing as too many playmakers. That’s where Seastrunk, a former five-star recruit, enters the picture. After enduring an offseason full of controversy over his relationship with Texas ‘street agent’ Willie Lyles, Seastrunk reportedly burst onto the scenes in the first half of spring ball, displaying the skills that made him one of the most highly recruited players in the country a few years ago. But toward the end, he faded. Will playing on national television in front of a raucous Autzen Stadium crowd re-invigorate the talented back? I’d assume LaMichael James will have limited carries in the game tomorrow, so Seastrunk should have ample opportunity to show his stuff.
3) How has Bryan Bennett progressed?
After watching Bennett perform during several practices last fall, I was of the opinion he would compete with Thomas for the starting job in 2011. Thus far, it looks like that opinion is way off the mark. Although he’s had his moments, Bennett hasn’t seriously threatened Thomas in spring practice. Perhaps the Spring Game can be a showcase for Bennett to put it all together and cement his status as a strong and capable backup to Thomas. After all, as Duck fans know all too well, in the Oregon spread offense, Duck quarterbacks haven’t been immune to injury.
4) Will the offensive line take shape?
Replacing departed seniors C.E. Kaiser, Bo Thran and Jordan Holmes is probably the most critical task Oregon must accomplish if the Ducks hope to win the first Pacific-12 Conference championship. As it stands now, Darrion Weems will likely replace Thran at left tackle, but the battles to replace Holmes and Kaiser are still up in the air. At center, Hroniss Grasu and Karrington Armstrong seem to be neck-in-neck, and although Ramsen Golpashin seems to have a lead at Kaiser’s old guard spot, Nick Cody and Ryan Clanton are also viable candidates. Although evaluating offensive linemen in a spring game format is virtually impossible, especially for a fan or media member sitting several stories above Autzen’s turf, it will be interesting to compare the potential replacements.
5) Which younger players will step up?
Colt Lyerla — Lyerla should still be in high school, but as an early enrollee in Oregon’s program, the former five-star recruit will have a chance to show his stuff on the big stage. Lyerla is a freak athlete capable of playing multiple positions, but he will at least start out his Duck career as a tight end. He should get plenty of playing time tomorrow, along with fellow ‘Away Team’ tight end Brandon Williams.
Ricky Heimuli — Okay, so Heimuli’s already pretty established after getting playing time as a true freshman last year, but many feel he has the potential to become a dominant defensive tackle, the likes of which Eugene hasn’t seen since a man named Haloti called campus home. Facing makeshift offensive lines, Heimuli should have an opportunity to make his mark in tomorrow’s game.
Young Receivers — With the departures of Jeff Maehl and D.J. Davis, Oregon’s receiving corps might be its weakest position group, at least on paper. Although the Ducks do have several highly touted receivers scheduled to arrive on campus next fall, they’ll need to get solid contributions from a few players in the meantime. While Lavasier Tuinei is established, will redshirt freshman Erick Dungy and sophomore Nick Cole, among others, emerge as legitimate playmakers?
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