Spring games provide the first glimpse of what a team will look like in the upcoming season. Realistically, things will change between the exhibition and the season opener several months later, with injuries and summer camps playing major factors.
But still, spring games can provide fan bases with optimism for the months ahead, especially if key players enjoy standout performances. Five SEC teams — Auburn, Florida, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt — have already participated in their respective spring games, many of which took place this past weekend.
While each team did its best to spread out reps among players vying for vacant starting roles, there were three standout performers who fans should expect to have continued success this fall. Here’s a look at the spring game performances that will carry over in 2016:
Jovon Robinson, Auburn
Jovon Robinson was expected by many to be Auburn’s primary back in 2015. Robinson ranked as the nation’s top JUCO running back and had both the size and speed to replace former SEC leading rusher Cameron Artis-Payne.
Instead, Robinson was limited early due to an ankle injury while Peyton Barber emerged as the team’s feature back. Barber was given a team-best 237 carries, 120 more than Robinson’s 117, and led the Tigers with 1,016 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Robinson still managed to rush for 639 yards, three touchdowns and a 5.46 average, but should see a much bigger role following Barber’s decision to declare for the 2016 NFL Draft. On Saturday, the rising senior rushed for a team-best 83 yards and nabbed co-offensive MVP honors along with wide receiver Marcus Davis, who had three catches for 88 yards.
Barring injuries, Robinson should be one of the SEC’s best backs in a run-heavy Auburn offense that produced back-to-back leading rushers in Gus Malzahn’s first two seasons (2013-14) as head coach.
Trevor Knight, Texas A&M
Trevor Knight’s college career can be best summed up in the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, “Life comes at you pretty fast.” One minute, you’re practically being begged by Katy Perry to call her on College GameDay before finding yourself watching Baker Mayfield become a Heisman contender in the starting job you held for two years at Oklahoma.
Knight, who transferred to A&M in January, is the favorite to win the vacant starting quarterback gig this offseason. It doesn’t hurt that — should he win the job — he will be throwing to the best group of wide receivers in the SEC, which includes three former 5-star prospects in Christian Kirk, Ricky Seals-Jones and Speedy Noil, as well as veteran Josh Reynolds.
Knight should be able to end his college career on a high note in the Aggies’ Air Raid offense. So Saturday’s 282-yard, two-touchdown performance should be a sign of things to come at College Station, rather than a glimmer of false hope.
Duke Dawson, Florida
Duke Dawson entered his college career with high expectations as a 4-star prospect in 2014. But Dawson quickly fell behind fellow 2014 prospects Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson, while he bounced around at the cornerback, safety and nickel back positions.
The rising junior was limited to 14 tackles in 2014 and five in 2015 playing behind senior Brian Poole. But Dawson has been impressive all spring at both the nickel and corner and capped off that success with two interceptions in the Gators’ spring game on Saturday. He should excel in an expanded role during his third season in Gainesville.
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