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... Watch for Chris Rainey: One of the nation's fastest players could be the new Harvin. As a redshirt freshman, Rainey is expected to play the slot receiver role and line up in the backfield.
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The biggest star of the spring game ran 75 yards on one long run and scored on a 65-yard reception. Lined up against fellow students as part of a spring-game promotion, Rainey ran a 4.24-second 40. Wonder how fast he can go when pushed by SEC defenses?
The Tony Franklin System: When Auburn's Tommy Tuberville went looking for a replacement for offensive coordinator Al Borges, he found one of those savants who can figure the pass efficiency formula in his head.
The Tigers' new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin coached two future NFL quarterbacks while at Kentucky: Tim Couch and Jared Lorenzen. In two seasons at Troy, Franklin led the Trojans' offense from near the bottom of the NCAA stats to No. 16 in total offense.
On the side, Franklin developed a lucrative consulting business. "The Tony Franklin System Seminar", is a copyrighted offensive system implemented by approximately 275 high schools nationwide. Given eight days to install his offense at Auburn before the bowl game, Franklin's "system" was able to produce 423 yards (in 90 plays) in a 23-20 victory over Clemson.
Pretty soon Tuberville noticed high school coaches descending upon the Tigers' offices looking for film, advice -- and Franklin.
"He's kind of a cult ...," Tuberville said, adding about his offense. "It's a cult."
Junior Chris Todd goes into the fall even with sophomore Kodi Burns to be the next star of Franklin's platinum-selling videos.
Pickin', grinnin' and play callin'
It's no longer a bulletin, it's a trend: Head coaches giving up play-calling duties. Here are a few of the notables:
• Notre Dame's Charlie Weis (to offensive coordinator Mike Haywood).
• California's Jeff Tedford (to new OC Frank Cignetti)
• Steve Spurrier (to son Steve Spurrier Jr. who will call some of the plays. Huh?)
• Maryland's Ralph Friedgen (to offensive coordinator James Franklin).
It's no surprise that those four coaches finished a combined 22-28 last season.
Saban Rule: It has nothing to do with mere mortals having to bow in Nick Saban's presence. It has to do with a new NCAA rule that Saban thought was aimed at him. The rule bars head coaches from visiting recruits during the key spring evaluation period (April 15-May 31). It doesn't prohibit assistants from going out and it doesn't prohibit Saban from more recruiting genius.
According to the Birmingham News, Saban had an assistant convince a recruit at Athens (Ala.) High School to log on to a web address. The recruit, using a webcam, was able to chat with Saban without the coach actually being at his school.
"You could see Saban's facial expressions and hand gestures just as if you were sitting across the desk from him," Athens (Ala.) High principal Allen Creasy told the News. "It's the next best thing to being there in person."
Do we have to say it? By now, every coach in the country is having a webcam installed on his office computer.
Attendance: Sure, Alabama packed Bryant-Denny last year the same way Nebraska filled Memorial Stadium this spring, but let's not get crazy. It seems that every school is suddenly setting spring game attendance records. Short of filing a Freedom of Information Act to obtain ticket stubs, we can assume there is a little papering of the house going on.
The next time we hear, " ... a new spring-game attendance record ..." someone is going to get slapped.
Best backfields: Clemson looks loaded enough to win an underachieving ACC. The backfield of quarterback Cullen Harper, James Davis and C.J. Spiller might be the best in the country.
Here are other backfields to consider:
• Florida
• Georgia
• Ohio State
• Oklahoma
• USC
• West Virginia
Paul Johnson and the triple option at Georgia Tech : Can he succeed with it? The early line says yes. Johnson, the Yellow Jackets' first-year coach, has won 72 percent of his games as a head coach, developed the No. 4 passer in Hawaii history (Garrett Gabriel) and beat Notre Dame and Pittsburgh (both last season). All with the triple option.
Give P.J. two seasons, then stand back. Defensive coordinators will be tearing out their hair.
What about Bob(by)? In Jimbo Fisher's first season, the Seminoles were actually less productive than in Jeff Bowden's last season (80th in total offense vs. 69th in 2006). The difference is Fisher knows what he is doing. The offense actually got better by an average of 39 yards per game.
Yeah, it's baby steps but that's what FSU is taking these days. Backup quarterbacks Christian Ponder and D'Vontrey Richardson got time when starter Drew Weatherford went down with a knee injury. That should be perceived as a plus. Bowden is on his statewide tour saying all the right things about Weatherford but insiders say he loves Ponder's athletic ability.
Things were going along swimmingly until receiver Preston Parker was pinched for carrying a concealed weapon and having a small amount of marijuana. Six-to-eight players in the two-deep will miss the beginning of the season due to the academic scandal but, in general, optimism was breaking out all over this spring in Tallahassee.
