A springtime sprint through the country

Sporting News, The, May 1, 1995 by Ivan Maisel

Upperclassmen will tell you the only thing longer than spring practice is a chemistry exam. The drills go on forever. The heat goes on forever. Lord knows the coach goes on forever -- an at a high-decibel level.

But it gives the rest of us a springtime fix. As spring practice winds down around the country, let's take a look at who's doing what and why:

* Scott Frost, who transferred from Stanford to Nebraska, isn't the only bright young quarterback who moved over the winter. Freshman Branndon Stewart left the state of Texas a year ago for Tennessee, where he ran smack into another freshman phenom, Peyton Manning, who won the starting job. Stewart has transferred to Texas A&M. It's the perfect place for him. Corey Pullig will start for the fourth consecutive year while Stewart redshirts. In 1996, the job will be Stewart's to lose.

* This year's phenom, Chris Redman, transferred before he left high school. Redman got along so famously with Illinois offensive coordinator Greg Landry that he signed there. The next day, Coach Lou Tepper fired Landry. Redman requested a release from his letter of intent. Tepper endorsed it. The Collegiate Commissioners Association granted it. Redman signed with Oklahoma and Howard Schnellenberger.

* Schnellenberger, by the way, is in love with his current quarterback, Eric Moore. In the Sooners' first two scrimmages, Moore completed 27 of 43 passes for 289 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran seven times for 60 yards. Granted, many of the defensive starters weren't on the field. But don't kill the party. They're calling the Sooners' offense "Moore and Moore." Tailback Jerald Moore (no relation) is a returning starter.

* Virginia quarterback Symmion Willis, who got Wally Pipped last season by Mike Groh, appears to have accepted his fate. Willis bailed out of spring practice to play baseball. Groh solidified his hold on the starting job. Tiki Barber gained 137 yards in 15 carries in an early controlled scrimmage.

* Virginia Tech has the best one-two tail-back combination in the country. One of the few players anywhere who could prevent sophomore Ken Oxendine from starting is senior Dwayne Thomas. After an injury-marred junior year, Thomas has looked sharp. Oxendine, who had touchdown runs of 62 and 53 yards, has done so well that junior Tommy Edwards didn't participate in spring practice and is expected to transfer

The offense will look much different at quarterback. Maurice DeShazo and his multiple skills have been replaced by the more classic Jim Druckenmiller, a 6-4, 220-pound junior.

* Remember the name Joel Peschke. A 6-foot-5, 245-pound senior at Memphis, he had been the lonely tight end under vanilla Chuck Stobart. But new Coach Rip Scherer and offensive coordinator Sparky Woods, the former South Carolina coach, love a tight end who can catch. Peschke did that 14 times for 126 yards in four scrimmages.

* Mississippi State is making substantial changes in its secondary. Coach Jackie Sherrill moved two wide receivers and a running back to the secondary. All-SEC cornerback Walt Harris will be moved to free safety.

* Air Force, which quietly won eight of its last nine a year ago, will challenge for the WAC championship, especially with junior quarterback Beau Morgan feeling comfortable. Morgan replaced injured Preston McConnell in the final three-plus games and rushed for 600 yards and five touchdowns. Morgan told the Rocky Mountain News, "Getting thrown into it like that was tremendously helpful. I saw things I needed to see, experienced situations you just can't simulate in practice. I feel so much more relaxed now."

Even quicker hits

Most head coaches take the spring to chat up the alumni in cross-state or cross-country caravans. Texas A&M head coach R.C. Slocum went cross-hemisphere last week to speak to the Aggie Muster in Panama City, Panama. There are 140 Aggies in the local club. ... The Aggies open the season against LSU, where new Coach Gerry DiNardo has been pleased with the performance of senior middle linebacker Robert Deshotel, who missed all of last season because of an injury suffered in a car accident. ... New offenses at Kentucky and Vanderbilt befuddled their players. Wildcats quarterbacks Jeff Speedy and Billy Jack Haskins have struggled learning new coordinator Elliot Uzelac's one-back attack. Under pro refugee Rod Dowhower, the Commodores failed to score a touchdown in their spring game.

Tennessee has been pleased with 6-2, 210-pound junior-college transfer Travis Cozart at tailback. The Volunteers lost James Stewart, Mose Phillips and Aaron Hayden from the backfield. That leaves Manning as the lone experienced hand. ... Washington senior Damon Huard, who will battle Jake Plummer of Arizona State and Brad Otton of Southern Cal for Pac-10 attention at quarterback, is extremely sharp. In early scrimmaging, Huard completed 13 of 17 for 236 yards. ... Florida junior Tremayne Allen not only won the tight end job, he won a scholarship. Coach Steve Spurrier says Allen is "as big a surprise as anyone we've had recently."