Are your feening for more football?

It's been less than a month since the Super Bowl, right at two months since the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, and we're already watching the calendars to see when we can next watch some pigskin flying.

Sure, it's great to look forward to the NCAA tournament, the Masters and Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season, but you know if you're in this space reading a college football article in March, you've got spring practice circled.

Some teams are already on the field; a few have already completed spring practice. But most are getting cranked up in the next couple of weeks.

Storylines abound, from who is going to replace the stars heading to the NFL draft to what teams can try to unseat the national champion Michigan Wolverines, who some pundits expect will suffer a TCU-like tumble in '24.

Do you believe that, or will the Wolverines rebound quite nicely? What's Alabama Reimagined going to look like? Who are some of the freshmen to watch? Who landed where in conference realignment?

Here are some of the biggest storylines of the '24 college football spring practice cycle.

Alabama Post-GOAT Era Begins

It's going to be a major change looking at the Alabama Crimson Tide sideline and not seeing Nick Saban pacing around, yelling into his headset and demanding excellence.

After six national championships in Tuscaloosa, the Greatest College Football Coach of All Time (yeah, I said it) hung them up after bowing out in the College Football Playoff semifinals, and national runner-up coach Kalen DeBoer replaced him.

It's pretty much across-the-board expected to be a strong hire, but it really couldn't be a more contrasting style.

Saban was a proven, defensive-minded coach who adapted to the changes in the game and became a man who produced some of the top offenses in college football history.

DeBoer has won everywhere he's been, but has spent just two seasons in the Power Five. He's known for his juggernaut offenses, but he's never really recruited in the grind that is the SEC.

After finishing up a stellar No. 2-ranked recruiting class, DeBoer will now take the field with a Crimson Tide team still expected to do big things. Quarterback Jalen Milroe is back, and while there are question marks at receiver, along the offensive front and on the defense, tons of talent populates the roster.

Without question, the biggest story of this year's spring practice season is a new-look Alabama and just what the Tide are going to look like. We'll get a glimpse, too, considering DeBoer is lifting Saban's no-media practice policy and allowing his assistants to speak to the media, according to 247Sports' Brad Crawford.

It's the dawn of a new day in Tuscaloosa.

Assessing the QB Situation at Michigan as Champs Look to Recharge Roster

You could really just copy and paste the whole Alabama slide and put it here, too, considering the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines are facing the same scenario.

They didn't lose a coach who was quite so legendary, but favorite son Jim Harbaugh led his alma mater to the title and then left for the Los Angeles Chargers. Along with him, the Wolverines are having to replace signal-caller J.J. McCarthy and running back Blake Corum, among others.

It's not going to be an easy "rebuild" for new coach Sherrone Moore, who was Harbaugh's offensive coordinator. But the promotion of Moore was well-deserved, and the Wolverines are excited about what comes next.

Unfortunately for Big Blue, the title run and McCarthy's go-or-stay uncertainty kept them out of the quarterback market during the first transfer window. While there's another window post-spring practice, Moore is going to be anxiously seeing if his next signal-caller may already be in Ann Arbor.

Juniors Alex Orji and Jayden Denegal may have the brightest spotlights this spring, but Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle was granted a seventh year of eligibility by the NCAA and could factor into the decision. Davis Warren and talented mid-term enrollee Jadyn Davis could mix things up.

"Everybody's No. 1," offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell quipped recently, according to The Michigan Insider's Alejandro Zuniga. "I'm not at a place to dictate who's definitely going to get the first snap [in spring ball]."

It's going to be a wide-open race and one of the highlights of spring football anywhere.

Other Programs Hit the Coaching Reset Button...

Most of the headlines will center on DeBoer and Moore this spring and into the season, but there are plenty of other significant coaching changes.

Some watched as their frontmen left for supposedly greener pastures.

After DeBoer bolted for 'Bama, Jedd Fisch decided what he was building at an Arizona program heading for the Big 12 wasn't quite as fancy as the one DeBoer left at Washington with the Huskies heading to the Big Ten.

Brent Brennan was a major player in the Wildcats' coaching search when they hired Fisch, so he got the job on a three-year deal, leaving his post at San Jose State. Now, he inherits the uber-talented tandem of quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.

Mike Elko transformed Duke into an ACC program every team had to get up to play every week, and that was evident to Texas A&M, which convinced its old defensive coordinator to return to College Station to replace Jimbo Fisher. Elko worked wonders in recruiting, and now he will try to build the Aggies in his own image.

In a bit of a shocker, Chip Kelly left UCLA's head coaching spot to be Ohio State's offensive coordinator, and the Bruins promoted former running back DeShaun Foster, who hasn't ever even been a coordinator.

Manny Diaz at Duke, Bill O'Brien at Boston College, Willie Fritz at Houston, Curt Cignetti at Indiana, Jeff Lebby at Mississippi State, Jonathan Smith at Michigan State and Fran Brown at Syracuse are just a few of the most intriguing coaches starting new jobs this spring.

While Others Try to Lower the Seating Temperature

Billy Napier's first three seasons at Gainesville leading a proud Florida Gators program that has been wandering in the wilderness largely since the end of the Urban Meyer era have been far from sterling.

A stellar '24 recruiting class was a major step for Napier, but with one of the toughest schedules in the country and a roster full of uncertainty, that hot seat may make Napier feel a little, well, Swampy.

It feels like he must make some major strides to keep his job.

SEC brethren Sam Pittman at Arkansas and Clark Lea at Vanderbilt are facing similar uphill battles, and they have to find some answers beginning this spring. For Napier, it perhaps starts with balancing time between veteran quarterback Graham Mertz and talented incoming freshman DJ Lagway.

At Baylor, Dave Aranda was a hot name in coaching circles a couple of seasons ago when he took the veteran-laden Bears to a Big 12 title, but things spiraled since then. The defensive-minded coach led a team that ranked No. 113 in total defense a season ago.

Is it possible that USC's Lincoln Riley is on the hot seat? Is that crazy to even think about? The bottom line is the Trojans must make some defensive adjustments (more on that later), or he will be.

Scott Satterfield at Cincinnati was on the hot seat at Louisville before leaving for the Bearcats, but he must finish better than 3-9 and 1-8 in the Big 12, or his time will be short-lived in the Queen City.

Teams Everywhere Prepare for Conference Realignment

Last year, the Big 12 saw the first infusion of new blood when UCF, Houston, BYU and Cincinnati joined the league, and only Gus Malzahn's Knights made a bowl game.

Conference realignment will hit us all in full-swing this year, and you need to get reacclimated to who is going where in '24. That starts this spring.

Texas and Oklahoma have the biggest, most-publicized leaps, as the former Big 12 powers are heading to the SEC. The Longhorns are a rising juggernaut with playoff aspirations, and the Sooners are back on the come-up, too.

Everybody wants to know how that will translate in the premier conference.

By the way, is the SEC the premier league still? The Big Ten has the defending national champion, Ohio State isn't going anywhere, and now the league will add national runner-up Washington (with new coach Jedd Fisch), powerhouse Oregon, as well as USC and UCLA.

Not to be outdone, the Big 12 also benefited from the Pac-12's breakup, adding upstarts Arizona and Utah, along with Arizona State and Colorado.

California, Stanford and SMU are heading to the ACC—and, yes, if you're puzzled by the Cardinal and Bears heading to the Atlantic Coast Conference, join the club.

Everywhere, there are new teams in new leagues with new players (thanks to the transfer portal). You'd better start your homework and memorization work this spring.

Does Ryan Day Have a Contender at Ohio State?

When Ohio State bowed out against Michigan for the third consecutive time and then failed to muster any offense whatsoever in the Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri, it felt like a last straw.

At that point, the Buckeyes seemingly decided to get serious (again) about going from a terrific program back to an elite one.

They went portal-hunting and came away with some of the top pulls in the sport, shocking Georgia by landing Alabama star safety Caleb Downs. When Quinshon Judkins left Ole Miss, the Buckeyes added the star running back to go along with TreVeyon Henderson.

After Kyle McCord left the starting job at Ohio State to be the new quarterback at Syracuse, the Buckeyes bolstered the quarterback room by adding Kansas State rising senior Will Howard and Alabama 5-star signee Julian Sayin to go along with Devin Brown and signee Air Noland.

Alabama center Seth McLaughlin and Ohio tight end Will Kacmarek round out Ohio State's portal haul, and with everything the Buckeyes have returning, this looks like a potential national champion.

On top of all that, Ohio State made a seismic move by convincing UCLA head coach Chip Kelly to leave Westwood where he was on the hot seat to be the offensive coordinator in Columbus. He teams with elite defensive coordinator Jim Knowles to give them two terrific coaches.

This team is built for big things, and the first step to making it all mesh starts now.

Which 'Mad Scientist' Transfer-Happy Teams Jell?

Ohio State wasn't the only team that bolstered its roster with major transfer portal additions. The self-proclaimed Portal King Lane Kiffin decided to go all-in for the '24 title run, too, adding to a team that pieced together a quality recruiting class but hasn't proved it can compete for a top-10 class.

In the portal, though, that's a different story.

With Jaxson Dart returning to Oxford, the Rebels have national championship hopes, and they added potential playmakers like defensive tackle Walter Nolen Jr., edge-rusher Princely Umanmielen, Washington offensive linemen Nate Kalepo and Julius Buelow, LSU running back Logan Diggs, North Carolina offensive lineman Diego Pounds and South Carolina receiver Antwane "Juice" Wells, among others.

Adding 17 players to your roster is a gamble, but Kiffin has proved he can piece everything together before, and the Rebels have a lot of talent on the roster already.

For Louisville coach Jeff Brohm, a 10-4 first season at his alma mater was a great first step, and he doesn't want a drop-off. With a roster of guys departing, the Cardinals are bringing in 26 new players.

Led by quarterback Tyler Shough, the Tennessee defensive trio of Tyler Baron, Wesley Walker and Tamarion McDonald, former Toledo star running back Peny Boone and Alabama receiver Ja'Corey Brooks and South Alabama receiver Caullin Lacey are some of the potential stars Brohm is bringing in.

At Colorado, Deion "Prime" Sanders' first season in Boulder fell flat after a strong start, but adding 24 new players could change the trajectory in '24. Liberty safety Preston Hodge, LSU defensive lineman Quency Wiggins, Arizona State defensive lineman BJ Green, Pitt defensive lineman Samuel Okunlola and Vanderbilt receiver Will Sheppard join a slew of offensive linemen who need to make a difference.

Will the pieces come together or fall apart for these portal-heavy teams?

Moving on From the 'Big Five' Quarterbacks

The 2024 NFL draft quarterback class is one of the most intriguing in a long time, and while there is a definitive top three, another couple of former collegiate stars are finding their way up the rankings.

They've left major voids at the places they left.

Almost certain No. 1 pick Caleb Williams left USC after a two-year Trojans career that included a Heisman Trophy after beginning his time in college at Oklahoma. While Lincoln Riley has plenty of concerns with the Trojans, he will need either Miller Moss or UNLV transfer Jayden Maiava to seize the job.

Last year's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels is no longer at LSU, but coach Brian Kelly is ready for the next couple of seasons with Garrett Nussmeier sliding into the position. Vanderbilt transfer AJ Swann will compete, but this seems like Nussmeier's job.

Things get really interesting after that. At North Carolina, life after Drake Maye won't be easy for Mack Brown, but Texas A&M transfer Max Johnson is a veteran who could be a steady leader.

For (former Pac-12 and current Big Ten) rivals Oregon and Washington, things are a little different.

The Ducks will have one of the most publicized quarterback battles in the nation (more on that in the next section) in the race to replace Bo Nix, and at Washington, Mississippi State transfer Will Rogers will try to replicate what Michael Penix Jr. did the last couple of years.

Which Duck Will Fly Highest?

The safe money in the Oregon quarterback race this spring to replace Bo Nix is on veteran Dillon Gabriel, who has been one of the best signal-callers in college football, no matter if he was at UCF or Oklahoma.

But Dante Moore delivered a curveball when the former 5-star prospect with three seasons of eligibility remaining decided he was going to head to Eugene, too, after one year at UCLA.

"They're going to compete, but Gabriel was signed to be the starter and both QBs understand their roles going into this arrangement," The Athletic's Max Olson wrote. "Considering how many quarterbacks transfer every year, the Ducks are going to be in an incredibly enviable position with their QB room if they can get this right."

Moore isn't just going to let Gabriel walk away with the starting job, though the four-year starter and first-team All-Big 12 selection is far and away the favorite to win the position. Gabriel is a winner and a stat-producer who is the perfect replacement for Nix who can help deliver a title.

But Moore's ceiling is super-high, and not only is he a highly rated and regarded security blanket, he's a signal-caller who could develop into a first-round draft pick down the road.

For that reason alone, Oregon's is the most intriguing quarterback race this spring. What if Moore makes it interesting? Ducks coach Dan Lanning is in a very enviable position, and it's even possible they've upgraded the position after losing a star.

Who Are the Playoff Threats?

Michigan could take a bit of a free-fall in '24 having to replace so much elite talent, which would open the door for a lot of other teams.

Already, we've talked about Alabama, Ohio State and Ole Miss being possibilities, but who are some of the others? There will start to be a buzz brewing this spring for those with a winning formula.

You'd be short-changing the Georgia Bulldogs to discount them as a title contender, especially considering they were likely a bad half in the SEC Championship Game loss to Alabama away from competing for a third straight natty a season ago.

Kirby Smart's team is loaded with Carson Beck under center, and the Dawgs have to be considered a favorite.

Arizona and Utah are moving over to the Big 12, and they will battle Oklahoma State and Kansas State for a shot at that league title. If things fell right for a couple of those teams, you could see them in the playoffs.

Florida State and Clemson are seeking the right concoction to emerge from the ACC, while some teams like LSU, Tennessee, Missouri and Oklahoma could be on the cusp of competing for the playoffs in the SEC. Texas, of course, looks like a potential playoff favorite.

You've got to love Oregon's upside as a possible No. 2 or 3-ranked team heading into the season, and even Penn State and North Carolina State are sleepers.

Can USC Find a Defense?

Things are dire on the defensive side for the USC Trojans, who had national championship aspirations such a short time ago.

The Alex Grinch experiment came crashing down with a resounding thud following a horrific tenure as the Trojans defensive coordinator, though, and now there are tons of questions surrounding once-lauded coach Lincoln Riley.

This offseason, Riley has taken drastic measures, paying D'Anton Lynn to leave UCLA to be the Trojans' new defensive coordinator. In two other power moves, he lured Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk to be the secondary coach and North Dakota State head coach Matt Entz to be linebackers coach and associate head coach for defense.

Finally, Riley landed arguably the top defensive line coach in the NFL to the same position with the Trojans, adding Los Angeles Rams Defensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator Eric Henderson to be the D-line coach and co-defensive coordinator.

In other words, Riley ain't playing around.

This is a now-or-never time for the Trojans to get much better on that side of the ball, and while Riley isn't on the hot seat now, his program is moving to the rugged Big Ten and needed to upgrade quite frankly what was a soft unit. The meshing begins this spring.

Freshman Phenoms Take Stage

These days, high school players commit to college early, enroll early and try to get on the field early. You're even seeing more and more players graduate a year before they're supposed to in order to start their NIL career.

College football is big business, and the players are getting a piece of the pie.

After a federal ruling in the states of Tennessee and Virginia's favor versus the NCAA leading to the NCAA halting all investigations involving name, image and likeness rules, it's the wild, wild West in college recruiting, and some of the biggest of big-name prospects will be showcased this spring.

Ohio State elite pass-catcher Jeremiah Smith will step into a talented Buckeyes receiving room and stand out right away, and everybody wants to see just how college-ready he is.

Quarterbacks on everybody's radar are Dylan Raiola (Nebraska), DJ Lagway (Florida), Julian Sayin and Air Noland (Ohio State), Jadyn Davis (Michigan), CJ Carr (Notre Dame), Luke Kromenhoek (Florida State), Walker White (Auburn), Elijah Brown (Stanford), Haus Hejny (TCU) and Danny O'Neill (San Diego State). All those guys will be battling this spring.

Pass-catchers Cam Coleman (Auburn) and Micah Hudson (Texas Tech) could be elite, as could offensive tackle Jordan Seaton (Colorado)

Throw in defenders like edge-rushers Jordan Ross (Tennessee) and Dylan Stewart (South Carolina), defensive linemen David Stone (Oklahoma), Williams Nwaneri (Missouri), Dominic McKinley (LSU) and LJ McRae (Florida), cornerback Ellis Robinson IV (Georgia) and more will be taking the field.

It's a huge spring for elite midterm enrollees.

All stats courtesy of CFBStats and Sports Reference unless otherwise noted. Recruit rankings courtesy of 247Sports unless otherwise noted.

Follow Brad Shepard on Twitter, @Brad_Shepard.