This article is part of our Spring Practice Storylines series.
Illinois Fighting Illini Spring Football Storyline
Can McCray become a consistent force in the backfield?
Following a 10-3 season and a top-5 finish in the Big Ten a year ago, the Fighting Illini are poised to be a potential contender in the Big Ten in 2025, returning much of their production from the 2024 season. On offense, the Illini bring back starting quarterback Luke Altmyer and two of the team's four leading receivers in Zakhari Franklin and Collin Dixon. Of the returning pieces, however, perhaps none are more critical to their dreams of playoff contention than running back Josh McCray.
As the team's leading rusher in 2024, McCray showed flashes of brilliance, including a 114-yard, two touchdown performance in the bowl win over South Carolina, but struggled with consistency, logging five games under 40 yards on the ground. If the Illini want to put themselves in playoff contention in 2025, McCray must step up and establish himself as a consistent force in the ground game.
Indiana Hoosiers Spring Football Storyline
Can fresh faces repeat last year's rushing success?
Indiana was the surprise team of the 2024 season, winning 11 games for the first time in program history and making a run to the playoffs. The challenge for head coach Curt Cignetti is proving that last year's run was not a Cinderella story and that the Hoosiers are here to stay.
While Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza appears set to replace starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke, the loss of the team's top two rushers from a year ago, Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton, is the more intriguing storyline to follow. The two backs combined for over 1,500 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground in 2024 and were the driving force behind the IU offense throughout the year. Roman Hemby and Lee Beebe are likely to take the reins after transferring in during the off-season.
Hemby, an in-conference transfer from Maryland, has a production history, running for 2,347 yards and 22 touchdowns across four seasons with the Terrapins. The 6-foot back is also a more-than-capable receiver, recording 112 catches for 921 yards and five scores. Beebe, a transfer from UAB, brings a fair share of production of his own, running for 884 yards and seven touchdowns across 12 games for the Blazers in 2024 while catching 30 passes for 219 yards and a score. Coach Cignetti has used the portal to beef up his backfield in each of his two off-seasons with the Hoosiers and Hemby and Beebe will need to produce if the team is to repeat last year's success.
Iowa Hawkeyes Spring Football Storyline
Life after Kaleb
Moving on from a prolific running back represents one of the biggest challenges for any program. With consensus All-American Kaleb Johnson off to the NFL and Cade McNamara hitting the transfer portal, the Hawkeyes will have to figure out a new offense heading into the 2025 season. The Hawkeyes brought in FCS transfer Mark Gronowski to hopefully provide some consistency at the quarterback position, and Brendan Sullivan remains on the roster as another option under center after splitting duties with McNamara last season. Kamari Moulton and Jaziun Patterson are the likely candidates competing to lead the backfield.
The backfield battle will be worth monitoring, as it features two familiar faces that put up similar numbers last season. Moulton and Patterson could very well start the season in a committee, though the spring session will likely be spent trying to determine any separation between the two. While replacing the production of Johnson is an unfair expectation for either back, the Hawkeyes will be hoping they can provide some consistency in the ground game.
The quarterback situation in Iowa City is significantly more intriguing than in years past as well. Gronowski had an incredibly productive tenure with South Dakota State, throwing for 8,746 yards and 78 touchdowns to just 17 interceptions along with 1,190 yards and 30 touchdowns on the ground across three seasons while winning a pair of national championships. Despite the prestige and success in his past, questions remain about Gronowski taking the reins of the Hawkeye offense. Even when talking about a championship level team, jumping from FCS to FBS is no small feat, particularly when the jump is into one of the premier conferences in the sport.
Along with the jump to FBS, Gronowski underwent surgery in the off-season to correct a "football-related injury," in the words of Kirk Ferentz, and is set to miss the entire spring session and isn't expected to make his return until June. Brendan Sullivan will likely take first-team reps until then, but it will be worth following along with Gronowski's recovery process and acclimation into the Iowa offense throughout the summer months.
Maryland Terrapins Spring Football Storyline
Complete offensive reset
Coming off a disappointing 4-8 season, the Terrapins followed it up with a rough start to the off-season, losing both starting quarterback Billy Edwards and starting running back Roman Hemby to conference opponents in the transfer portal. With top receivers Tai Felton and Kaden Prather heading to the NFL, Maryland is looking at a fresh start on offense.
Competing for the quarterback spot will be incoming transfer Justyn Martin from UCLA, who primarily served as a backup in his time with the Bruins. Four-star recruit Malik Washington will also likely get his chance to earn the starting job.
In the backfield, returning running back Nolan Ray appears set to lead the team in the ground game after serving as the primary change-of-pace back a year ago. Ray was efficient in his opportunities, logging 374 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 75 attempts for a respectable five YPC. Heading into the spring session, he will get his chance to establish himself as a starting-caliber running back in the Big Ten.
The Terps brought in several transfers in the offseason to help fill the voids left by the team's off-season departures, including at receiver. Jalil Farooq was one of the biggest names to take his talents to College Park, transferring in from Oklahoma. The 6-foot-1 wide out brings talent to a depleted Maryland receiver room, though injuries derailed his season in 2024. Head coach Mike Locksley also brought in Kaleb Webb, a transfer from Tennessee, to supplement the receiver room as well. Webb, a former four-star recruit, failed to make an impact with the Volunteers but will bring sorely-needed talent to the Terrapins receiver room.
Michigan Wolverines Spring Football Storyline
Can freshman phenom hit the ground running (and throwing)?
Very few storylines can outshine the number-one recruit in the nation. When the Wolverines signed Bryce Underwood in the 2025 recruiting class, they signed on to their starting quarterback for the foreseeable future, someone with the talent to bring the team back to the glory days under Jim Harbaugh. Despite Underwood's undeniable talent, questions remain about how he will perform in his first year on campus.
While the 6-foot-3 signal-caller has the talent to take over a college program, having a true freshman starting under center can be a nerve-racking experience for any college football fan. The nerves likely intensify when you factor in that as an early-enrollee, Underwood will turn 18 less than two weeks before Michigan's season opener on August 30. Despite high levels of talent, young quarterbacks can and will make mistakes. How Underwood fares in practice and game-type situations against Big Ten-caliber athletes will be one of the more interesting storylines to follow across the conference throughout the spring session.
Michigan State Spartans Spring Football Storyline
Star quarterback aiming to make another jump
Heading into year two under head coach Jonathan Smith, the Spartans are looking for a bounce back after a disappointing end to the 2024 season. After a perfect 3-0 start to the season, the Spartans managed to win just two of their remaining nine games to finish just below bowl eligibility at 5-7. Despite the poor finish, there are reasons for optimism in East Lansing heading into 2025.
Starting quarterback Aidan Chiles had an up-and-down season in his first year in East Lansing, seemingly alternating between awe-inspiring and head-scratching plays. Chiles was particularly volatile at the beginning of the season, throwing eight interceptions in the team's first five games and two lost fumbles. Despite the inconsistency, Chiles seemed to find his rhythm as the year progressed, as he committed only five turnovers through the Spartans' final seven games, including their final three-game stretch which featured five passing touchdowns to no turnovers. If Chiles can continue his development and take better care of the ball in 2025, the Spartans could be a surprise team in the Big Ten.
One of the lone bright spots for the Spartans last season was freshman receiver Nick Marsh, who led the team in receiving yards and touchdowns on the year. The former four-star recruit came into his own in his first year on campus, setting program freshman records in multiple categories and providing a spark for the Michigan State offense. If Marsh continues his development, he could be in for a massive season in year two while providing a reliable target for Chiles.
Minnesota Golden Gophers Spring Football Storyline
Uncertainty abounds in passing attack
The Golden Gophers enjoyed an 8-5 season in year eight under head coach PJ Fleck but will have to replace several key contributors, including the team's top two receivers from a year ago, Daniel Jackson and Elijah Spencer. Jackson and Spencer were vital pieces within the Minnesota offense, combining for over 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season. The team will also have to replace starting quarterback Max Brosmer, who threw for 2,828 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2024.
The Golden Gophers' receiver room pecking order will be worth monitoring as the spring session gets into gear, as Fleck hit the transfer portal in search of replacements for Jackson and Spencer. Among the incoming transfers, Javon Tracy and Logan Loya stand out as the two names most likely to lead the pack, along with returning receiver Le'Meke Brockington. Tracy caught 57 passes for 818 yards and seven touchdowns in an all-conference year for Miami (OH) and is a likely candidate for the top spot, though Loya (29 catches, 348 yards, four touchdowns) has the advantage of coming from a power-conference program like UCLA. Brockington (18 catches, 282 yards, one touchdown) also will likely see a solid amount of work as the team's leading returning receiver.
Georgia Tech transfer Zach Pryon and returning backup Drake Lindsay will likely be the two names to remember in the Minnesota QB battle as the team looks to replace the production of Brosmer. Pyron served primarily as the backup for the Yellowjackets in 2024, throwing for 409 yards and two touchdowns to three interceptions across 10 games while adding 115 yards and four scores on the ground as well. With Lindsay attempting just five passes in his collegiate career, Pyron has the clear experience advantage, though Lindsay's familiarity with the Minnesota offense could provide him with a leg-up as well.
Nebraska Cornhuskers Spring Football Storyline
Can Raiola make the jump in year two?
Heading into year three under Matt Rhule, Nebraska seems poised for a breakout season. The Cornhuskers went 7-6 a year ago while starting true freshman Dylan Raiola under center. Going into 2025, the Huskers bring back many key contributors, including the second-leading rusher Emmett Johnson and the leading receiver Jahmal Banks. With his supporting cast intact, Raiola needs to step up if the Cornhuskers plan to contend for the Big Ten or a potential playoff spot in 2025.
Raiola had an inconsistent-but-productive freshman season, throwing for 2,810 yards and 13 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. The former five-star recruit looked poised and collected to start the season but began showing inexperience as the Big Ten season got into swing, throwing nine of his 11 interceptions in the team's final eight games. Despite the struggles, the talented freshman showed flashes of brilliance throughout the season, leading many to expect a sophomore jump in 2025. If Raiola can regain the poised demeanor he displayed in the 2024 non-conference schedule and cut down on the turnovers, Nebraska could be in for a surprising season.
Northwestern Wildcats Football Spring Storyline
Can the new-look passing attack bring Northwestern back to relevance?
Following a disappointing 4-8 season a year ago, it was time for a change in Evanston. The Wildcats have won four or fewer games in three of the last four seasons and struggled mightily through the air in 2024. To make matters worse, the team lost their top two receivers from the 2024 season, A.J. Henning and Bryce Kirtz. In response to this adversity, head coach David Braun brought in several transfer portal contributors, including what Northwestern fans hope will be their QB1 for 2025.
Heading into spring, the starting job looks like Preston Stone's to lose. Stone, a transfer from SMU, brings experience as a former FBS starting quarterback and a history of production. The 6-foot-1 signal caller threw for 3,197 yards and 28 touchdowns to just six interceptions in his final season as a starter for the Mustangs in 2023 before being surpassed by Kevin Jennings. With Northwestern's leading passer, Jack Lausch, throwing for just 1,714 yards and seven touchdowns to eight interceptions last season, Stone should boost the Northwestern passing attack heading into 2025.
The Wildcats also addressed their receiver room in the transfer portal, notably adding FCS transfer Griffin Wilde. Wilde had a productive season with South Dakota State in 2024, catching 71 passes for 1,154 yards and 12 touchdowns. Though the jump from FCS to FBS is never easy, Wilde is a likely candidate to lead the receiver room for the Wildcats. Wilde will be joined by returning receivers Frank Covey and Calvin Johnson II to serve as Stone's primary weapons heading into the 2025 season.
Ohio State Buckeyes Spring Football Storyline
Fresh faces in the backfield
Coming off a national championship run in 2024-25, the Buckeyes head into spring losing a host of talent, including several potential Day 1 or Day 2 picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. While Emeka Egbuka is clearly a loss for the Buckeyes at receiver, Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate return, and Brandon Inniss may be the favorite to step into a starting role there. The team also arguably upgraded the tight end position this offseason, acquiring star Purdue tight end Max Klare, who racked up 51 catches for 685 yards and four touchdowns last season, via the transfer portal.
While the pass-catching unit retains a solid group in 2025, youth and inexperience will be under center for the Buckeyes. Will Howard has departed following his one season in Columbus, likely leaving the keys to an offensive powerhouse to one of Julian Sayin and Lincoln Kienholz to fire up the engine. The pair are both highly regarded coming out of high school, and the two figure to duke it out this spring. A darkhorse to also monitor in this battle is incoming freshman Tavien St. Claire, a top-five quarterback nationally who will enroll early to compete this spring. While the two who have been in the program may have a leg up leading into the session, St. Clair could change things heading into fall with an impressive showing.
The other component of the backfield, the running back room, takes an even steeper hit, losing star running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins to the pro ranks. The pair are almost assuredly Day 1 or Day 2 draft picks and will be difficult to replace. The pair aiming to fill their cleats are James Peoples, a sophomore who totaled 49 carries for 197 yards and a pair of touchdowns behind Henderson and Judkins last season, and CJ Donalson, a West Virginia transfer who piled up 163 carries for 734 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, adding 14 catches for 104 yards and a score as a receiver. That pair will aim to make things easier for the new signal-caller this fall.
Oregon Ducks Spring Football Storyline
Making lemonade under center
Like many teams in the college football ranks, the Ducks experience a ton of turnover on offense, including star back Jordan James, star tight end Terrance Ferguson and star wide receiver Tez Johnson, who have all headed for the NFL ranks. Fortunately, there's plenty of promise in the backfield with Makhi Hughes entering the fold after a massive pair of seasons at Tulane, Evan Stewart stuck around at wide receiver, and Kenyon Sadiq seems poised to amply step into Ferguson's shoes.
The Ducks have been spoiled with quarterback transfers in the past three seasons, sparking incredible offensive campaigns under Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel. Over the three campaigns, the pair amassed a combined 104 passing touchdowns and 27 rushing scores. If that philosophy isn't broken, why fix it, right? However, the Ducks will turn the offense over to a less proven commodity this time.
To reframe the heading for the Ducks, I'm not calling Dante Moore a lemon, but rather his first taste of action under center with UCLA in 2023, when he completed just 53.4 percent of his 213 pass attempts as a true freshman for 1,610 yards and an 11:9 TD:INT ratio. Moore was thrown to the wolves to open his career and started well but struggled in conference play. However, he was a top-10 overall prospect coming out of high school and seems the early favorite to win the starting gig. Austin Novosad, a four-star commit recruit in the 2023 class, is expected to be his biggest challenger for the starting job.
Penn State Nittany Lions Spring Football Storyline
Revamping the pass-catching group
Gone is Tyler Warren, the Mackey Award winner whose departure could be the toughest void to fill in the Big Ten. Not only did he post massive pass-catching numbers (104 catches for 1,233 yards and eight touchdowns), but the former quarterback rushed 26 times for 218 yards and four scores and even threw a touchdown pass.
The tight end position is an important one in the Nittany Lions offense, and there are a trio of tight ends aiming to inherit the coveted starting role.
Of the candidates, senior Khalil Dinkins produced the most last season, compiling 14 grabs for 122 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Also in the mix is sophomore Luke Reynolds, a five-star tight end from the 2024 class who tallied nine catches for 111 yards and a touchdown as a true freshman last season. Finally, Andrew Rappleyea, a four-star tight end from the 2023 class, should get his chance to stake a claim, but he missed a lot of the 2024 campaign due to injury.
This trio should all get their chances in spring, and it will be worth monitoring for any separation atop the depth chart as the session progresses.
Purdue Boilermakers Spring Football Storyline
New direction under Barry Odom/Josh Henson
After a historically bad campaign for the Boilers in 2025, finishing as arguably the worst power-conference team in the country, the school relieved Ryan Walters of his duties as head coach this offseason, replacing him with Odom. With a defensive-minded background, Odom hired Josh Henson as his offensive coordinator. Henson was lured away from being the OC under Lincoln Riley at USC to a gig as the OC for the Boilers, which will likely include playcalling duties.
The Boilers' roster still includes more questions than answers, but the staff brought in a bevy of transfers across the board on offense. It will likely be open season on the depth chart this spring under a new regime and with little returning experience, and there isn't anywhere on the depth chart other than maybe Devin Mockobee where there is a clear favorite to start.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Spring Football Storyline
The guy after Monangai
It's no secret that the Scarlet Knights' offense ran through Kyle Monangain each of the past two seasons, with the senior back amassing 258 carries for 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns in his last campaign in Piscataway. His departure leaves a massive void atop the chart in a run-heavy offense.
The top in-house option to claim the duties is likely Antwan Raymond, who was thrust into a starting role in the bowl game with Monangai prepping for the draft and Samuel Brown sidelined due to injury. Raymond responded to the tune of 18 carries for 113 yards and three touchdowns against Kansas State. Brown rejoins the fold in 2025, and Ja'Shon Benjamin also returns, giving the Scarlet Knights some depth and other options to turn to in the backfield.
Aside from Raymond, the coaching staff nabbed a commitment from CJ Campbell, who transfers in from Florida Atlantic after he posted 165 carries for 844 yards and 11 touchdowns while racking up 40 catches for 466 yards and three scores in his lone season with the Owls. He previously played at Florida State, so he's no stranger to power conference football, and Campbell figures to be a candidate for lead backfield duties in 2025.
This may turn into a bit more of a committee than it has been, but this is certainly a narrative worth monitoring this spring.
UCLA Bruins Spring Football Storyline
Acclimating the Mountaineers to Pasadena
UCLA fits the mold of the new era of college football. As far as last year's production goes, Ethan Garbers (starting quarterback), T.J. Harden, Keegan Jones (top two running backs), Moliki Matavaa and Logan Loya (top two pass-catching weapons) are all gone from a team that finished the season just 5-7.
While the backfield remains unsolved and will be worth monitoring, the Bruins managed to ascend the list of suitors to earn commitments from a pair of productive App State transfers in quarterback Joey Aguilar, who threw for 3,003 yards and 23 touchdowns last season, and wideout Kaedin Robinson, who led the Mountaineers with 840 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 53 catches. That pairing should solidify the Bruins' passing attack heading into 2025, with Mikey Matthews, Titus Mokiao-Atimalala and Rico Flores, among others, all in contention for reps on Saturdays.
Tight end Hudson Habermehl is aiming to return to the roster after missing all of 2024 with a torn ACL suffered in the spring, and he could be in line to start at tight end for the Bruins, assuming he's healthy and eligible.
USC Trojans Spring Football Storyline
Backfield Bingo
The Trojans enter 2025 looking for a replacement in the backfield for Woody Marks, who posted an excellent singular season in LA, racking up 198 carries for 1,133 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 47 grabs for 321 yards.
The Trojans again dipped into the transfer portal this offseason, albeit adding players from smaller schools rather than the likes of Mississippi State.
The two transfer candidates favored to lead the running back room are Eli Sanders, a grad transfer who spent three seasons at Iowa State before heading to New Mexico ahead of the 2024 campaign and rushing 147 times for 1,064 yards and nine touchdowns. Joining him is top junior college running back Waymond Jordan, who racked up 1,614 rushing yards and 20 rushing scores on 218 carries last season at Hutchinson Community College.
On top of that pair, the Trojans return Bryan Jackson, who turned in 137 rushing yards and a touchdown in the last two games last season, and A'Marion Peterson, who will aim to make a leap heading into years two and three of their college careers, respectively. Given the ample production Trojan backs can compile, there is undoubtedly some intrigue in the backfield situation.
Washington Huskies Spring Football Storyline
Demond in command
Jedd Fisch's first year in Seattle didn't quite go as planned, with the Huskies finishing the season just 6-7. Will Rogers won the starting job out of camp and performed okay through the first 11-plus games, but things certainly took a turn for the worse in the later portions of his tenure under center, posting just a 1:5 TD:INT ratio over a four-week span in Weeks 9-12.
Enter Demond Williams, who saw spotty playing time throughout the year but took over for Rogers again in Week 12, throwing for 67 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 31 yards against UCLa, and kept the job the rest of the way. Williams completed 17 of his 20 pass attempts for 201 yards and a score against Oregon in the regular season finale but erupted in the bowl game versus Louisville to the tune of 374 passing yards and four touchdowns, also rushing for 48 yards and a score.
He heads into 2025 as the clear starter for the Huskies, who added Kai Horton as a veteran backup option. Williams retains star back Jonah Coleman at his side and top wideout Denzel Boston, but that's where the familiar faces end.
Gone are Giles Jackson and Jeremiah Hunter out wide, and so to is tight end Keleki Latu. Williams didn't play a ton with the starters last year, so turning over a new leaf this offseason shouldn't be too difficult. Kevin Green followed Fisch over from Arizona but missed most of 2024 with a leg injury. Still, he may be the top candidate for the slot. After a failed brief experiment with Johntay Cook, Washington added Omari Evans via the transfer portal as the other likely starter. However, Rashid Williams could be in play for reps as well.
Wisconsin Badgers Spring Football Storyline
New offense, new faces
As has become tradition in the transfer portal era among college teams, Wisconsin is one of numerous teams to experience turnover on the roster. However, this roster turnover also comes with a coordinator change, as air raid-proponent Phil Longo was cut loose this offseason and Jeff Grimes was hired way from Kansas. Grimes expects to return Wisconsin a little closer to its past self as a run-heavy offense.
The Tyler Van Dyke experiment is officially over, but the Badgers went back into the portal to find a starter this offseason, landing Billy Edwards from Maryland and Danny O'Neil from San Diego State, as well as adding a highly-regarded quarterback recruit in Carter Smith.
The Badgers did lose Tawee Walker at running back and Will Pauling at wide receiver, two big hits from last season's production, but Trech Kekahuna seems the heir apparent in the slot, and the team added Mark Hamper to bolster the depth out wide. Running back appears a bit thinner, with the Badgers making no significant moves to strengthen that group.
To not bury the recruiting lede any further, the Badgers landed one of the top tight ends in the 2025 transfer portal window in Tanner Koziol from Ball State. Koziol tallied 94 catches for 839 yards and eight touchdowns last season for the Cardinals and figures to be a major upgrade for a room that lacked production last year.
