Takeaways from College Football's spring games: Alabama has its work cut out for it, Ohio State's defense steals the show

During a Saturday full of college football spring games, Alabama's “A-Day” showcase took center stage. The Crimson Tide concluded their first spring training in nearly two decades without legendary coach Nick Saban in charge as new boss Kalen DeBoer made his debut at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

DeBoer unveiled his electric, high-flying offense — the same one that propelled Washington to a College Football Playoff National Championship appearance — and a new defense led by former South Alabama coach Kane Wommack. While Saturday's spring game was not lacking in exciting moments, there is still a lot of work to be done before DeBoer can feel comfortable about the transition.

Notably, the defense raised some early concerns. The line of scrimmage, often a staple under Saban, was pushed around at the point of attack and allowed Alabama's running backs to collect three consecutive touchdowns on the first three offensive drives. The Crimson Tide's secondary, which is in the process of replacing four starters, gave up a plethora of big plays and looked disjointed at times.

Quarterback Jalen Milroe got off to a good start but faded as the game progressed, dealing with the same inconsistency that plagued him last season and expressing visible frustration amid a late stretch of three-and-outs. Of course, it makes sense that things are still a work in progress – this is only DeBoer's third month on the biggest job of them all – and Saturday provided plenty of reason for optimism.

Despite his inconsistency, it's clear that Milroe has worked hard to improve his throwing moves this offseason. That will pay off as the calendar turns into fall, and he already seemed quite comfortable in DeBoer's big offensive system. The defense looked better as the game went on, with a number of young defensive backs making plays and standing out in a room that desperately needs help.

Overall, it's hard to get too much out of a spring game.

Now let's take a look at some more insights from some notable spring games that took place across the country on Saturday.

Ohio State's defense steals the show

Ohio State's seismic changes on the offensive side of the ball, including the hiring of incumbent UCLA coach Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, dominated the offseason news cycle. But when the 2024 Buckeyes first took the field in Saturday's spring game, it was the defense that stole the show. Ohio State's combined offenses combined for just four touchdown possessions all game, despite an inflated final score of 34-33; Defensive coordinator Jim Knowles' unit did an excellent job of controlling the tempo and limiting explosive play.

The secondary in particular looked very impressive. The Buckeyes' defensive backs allowed a combined 357 yards and one touchdown to Ohio State's four quarterbacks while going up against one of the nation's deepest and most talented wide receiver rooms while recording four interceptions. Starting cornerbacks Denzel Burke and Jordan Hancock more than held their own against the likes of Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate and Ballyhooed freshman Jeremiah Smith. In fact, Burke and Hancock largely dominated. It was another sign of huge progress for a group of defenders who have steadily improved under Knowles. This season could be their time to finally ascend to that elite level.

Florida has a lot of hope for the future

Make no mistake: Florida's offense belongs to Graham Mertz. After a very solid 2023 season, the veteran quarterback seemed right at home in the Gators' offense in the spring game. He finished with a solid stat line, completing 15 of 27 passes for 243 yards and one touchdown. Although he was intercepted, Mertz was comfortable at every level of the court and his veteran presence should pay off for an offense that is recruiting plenty of new players elsewhere.

Still, it's very difficult not to get excited about DJ Laway. The No. 1 quarterback in the class of 2024 enrolled early at Florida and made his debut in front of fans on Saturday, playing opposite Mertz on the Orange team. At 6-foot-4 and 241 pounds, Lagoway cut an imposing figure before even throwing a pass. He was able to show tantalizing versatility on his very first drive, moving the ball through the air and with his legs before capping things off with a 22-yard dart to wide receiver Aidan Mizell for a touchdown. Lagway later had another impressive touchdown throw and despite an interception of his own flashed the huge potential that had recruiting analysts buzzing. There is a lot of hope for Florida's offensive future as long as Lagway is in a Gators uniform.

LSU is looking for a smooth transition

Not to say that Garrett Nussmeier is going to have a Heisman Trophy-caliber season – it's obviously very difficult to reach that echelon – but LSU appears to be in good hands following the departure of Jayden Daniels. The Nuss Bus was firing on all cylinders in LSU's spring game and performed nearly flawlessly, completing all seven passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns. He led all quarterbacks in yards and touchdowns despite attempting the third-most passes among the four signal callers who touched the ball. He averaged nearly 27 yards per pass, and his two touchdown passes covered 45 and 59 yards, respectively. Given how comfortable Nussmeier has looked given his relative lack of experience, it seems reasonable to expect big things from him in the fall. Definitely a name to keep an eye on.

Utah's offense should easily transition to the Big 12

Cam Rising is definitely back. The now seventh-year senior missed the entire 2023 season while recovering from a knee injury and returned to Rice-Eccles Stadium on Saturday, completing 15 of his 19 pass attempts for 208 yards and two touchdowns. He showed excellent rapport with USC wide receiver transfer Dorian Singer, who caught almost everything in his area and finished with a reception of 92 yards. Money Parks showed off his ability to play big with a 57-yard touchdown. When tight end Brant Kuithe, who did have a short catch, is back to full health, Utah will have an offensive unit that can match up with anyone in a Big 12 Conference known for its offensive fireworks. If Saturday was any indication, the Utes will feel right at home on their new turf.