By SCOTT FELTS
Welcome to the I-81 Sports 2026 SEC Spring Recap. Over the next three weeks we will look at the 15 teams in the Southeastern Conference not named Tennessee, look at how their spring practices have wrapped up, and evaluate where these teams are headed into 2026.
Let’s get right to it.
Alabama: The big story of the spring in Tuscaloosa was the quarterback battle. In the annual A-day scrimmage, Keelon Russell stole the show going 20 of 32 for 229 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Russell showed quick releases, impressive mobility, and generally looked like a star. The other quarterback, Austin Mack, started the game and went 7 of 13 for 95 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Head coach Kalen DeBoer expects the competition to go well into fall camp.
The Crimson Tide had massive turnover on its offensive line and struggled to gel throughout the spring. As a result, the run game looked shaky. Daniel Hill led the running backs with some solid effort throughout spring but will need the line to come together.
Wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams had a great A-day after changing his name and number. You might remember him as the youngest college receiver to ever lose a football game in Neyland Stadium. 😉
The defense has looked sharp and played and practiced with a lot of energy. The D-line and secondary looked especially potent on A-Day, shutting down the running backs, getting pressure on the QBs, and forcing turnovers.
Alabama’s kicking battle appears to be leaning toward its transfer, Lorcan Quinn, a first-team All-Sun Belt performer at Marshall last season.
There are only about five returning starters overall, meaning this Alabama team has about as many unknowns coming out of Spring as any since Mike Shula was head coach.
Florida: The Gators showed promise on the offensive side of the ball during the spring game under new offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and first-year head coach Jon Sumrall.
Florida is another SEC team with uncertainty at QB. Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo was 18 of 24 for 166 yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. Redshirt freshman Tramell Jones, Jr., looked even better at 13-for-17 for 210 yards and two touchdowns and no turnovers in the annual Orange and Blue game.
For all the questions at QB and an offensive line that gave up five sacks and 10 tackles for loss, the wide receivers stole the show in the scrimmage. Transfers Micah Mayes (Wake Forest, 4 catches, 22 yards, 2 TD) and Eric Singleton, Jr., (Auburn, 6 catches, 98 yards, TD) were just part of the group that hauled in almost 600 total yards receiving.
The defensive line looks like the strength of the team on that side of the ball. Jayden Woods, Emmanuel Oyebadejo, and freshman KJ Ford limited the run game and brought consistent pressure throughout the spring. As is always true of a Florida defensive backfield, the Gators are athletic and can certainly make plays but this group also looks vulnerable to allowing the big play when challenged by talented receivers.
Sumrall’s physical style and focus is taking hold and many around the program feel better going into the 2026 season than they have felt in a long time in Gainesville.
LSU: Of course Lane Kiffin is gonna do things a little differently than most everyone else in the SEC. According to Kiffin, the Tigers are skipping a traditional spring game to avoid showing off new players on TV and risking injuries. The Tigers have completed all but a handful of their spring practices and should wrap up by April 24.
Not surprisingly, the defense is way ahead of the new revamped offense. The defense kept most of its coaches and key players from last season while the offense has a ton of transfers including a brand new offensive line and new schemes to learn from scratch. In the one open practice on April 11, quarterbacks threw a combined five interceptions.
Speaking of their quarterbacks, projected starter Arizona State transfer Sam Levitt had a minor medical procedure to remove pins from a surgically repaired foot and has been on crutches most of the spring. Two more quarterback transfers, Husan Longstreet from USC and Landen Clark from Elon have been running the offense in his absence. Both have turned the ball over and struggled throughout the spring, so their battle for the backup spot will likely carry deep into fall camp.
As mentioned, the offensive line has so many new pieces that the running game has provided few highlights. The receiving corps has talented transfers like Malik Elzy (Illinois), Winston Watkins (Ole Miss), and Jackson Harris (Hawaii). When the quarterbacks can get the ball out, those three have been able to make plays with their athleticism.
On the defensive side of the ball, the front looks strong with guys like Princewill Umanmielen, Jordan Ross, Dominic McKinley, and Deuce Geralds all rotating through and bringing havoc. The talented secondary has had several days of multiple interceptions throughout spring as well.
Injuries are already shaping the 2026 season as sophomore DB Aidan Anding tore his Achilles in the open scrimmage and is out for the whole 2026 season. Linebacker and boy toy of Landry Kiffin (Lane’s daughter) Whitt Weeks has been dealing with a foot issue and hasn’t practiced much at all this spring.
The talent is certainly there in Baton Rouge and excitement abounds with Kiffin in town, but it’s yet to be seen if it can all be put together as quickly as hiding a wrecked Lexus with a coed in the front seat on a late 2000s Knoxville night in time for a successful 2026 season on the Bayou.
Kentucky: Another team, another new coach as the Will Stein era begins in Lexington. The 36-year-old Louisville native has built powerful offenses at Oregon and will look to bring his up-tempo, QB-friendly scheme to the bluegrass state.
Stein started work early bringing in 34 transfers to overhaul the roster with tbhe offense being a big priority considering the Wildcats’ 23 points per game ranked 101st in college football last season.
No depth charts for Stein, as he runs blue and white teams that are set up to compete every day against fresh bodies. Each practice includes live tackling early and then shifts to no tackling late. Kentucky’s spring game is this Saturday on Aisle 12 at the Lexington Super Kroger.
Notre Dame transfer QB Kenny Minchey has shown good accuracy, and a nice rhythm in the new system. At certain points in the spring, the offense has looked downright explosive.
Only two wide receivers returned to a wide receiver room full of transfers from around the country. Those additions include LSU transfer Nic Anderson, Louisville’s Brock Coffman, Arkansas‘s Ja’Kayden Ferguson, and Shane Carr from Southern Utah.
A three-headed monster exists at tight end. Willie Rodriguez is a triple threat who can block, catch, and create yards after contact. Henry Boyer, a 6-6 transfer from Illinois, has made several downfield grabs. Mikel Skinner is so versatile that he can be lined up anywhere on the offense.
The line looks as good as any teams we’ve covered in this report. Minchey has gotten the time to find open receivers and while the line created holes for running backs. Running back depth got a boost when safety Martels Carter, Jr., moved over to offense with his size and athleticism.
On the defensive side of the ball, new coordinator Jay Bateman is installing an aggressive style with even fronts. The edge group features returning Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace and transfer Antonio O’Berry, who has shown to be a disruptive force. Their linebackers are young, but talented, including one of the best portal gets for the team in Elijah Barnes (Texas) who possesses sideline to sideline speed. Cornerback will be the biggest question mark on the roster for a team hungry to show big improvement.
The vibe is completely different at Kentucky as outgoing coach Mark Stoops didn’t even have a spring game for the last several seasons. Stein and his young staff bring high energy, high tempo, and demand physicality.
South Carolina: The focus this spring has been installing new offensive coordinator Kendal Briles’ system for QB LaNorris Sellers and a Gamecock offense that ranked near the bottom of the SEC in yards and scoring in 2025. They did so with a new practice structure, which was heavy individual work early in the week then offense versus defense later. Head coach Shane Beamer approved of the change as he believes it built fundamentals without burning his players out.
The main headline coming out of Columbia is definitely the offense as Briles brought an aggressive, tempo-based attack. Sellers has looked sharp with coaches raving about his back-shoulder fades, and overall command of the new offense. The running back room has healthy competition with Isaiah Augustave leading the way. The wide receiver rotation is still being sorted out, but has shown some signs of life. As with most of the teams we’ve covered this week, offensive line seems to be the biggest concern as the Gamecocks lost key players to the portal, and have had some key injuries such as Josiah Thompson, who is out for the year after starting all 12 games at left tackle last season and earning freshman All-American honors in 2024.
Defensively things have been a little more steady as the secondary and linebacking corps have had some young players stepping up; freshmen J’Zavien Currence, Noah Clark, and Aidan Harris have impressed with their early toughness. Edge rushers and the overall front seven have had good reps with no major new injuries.
Overall, the vibe in Columbia is steady progress, especially on offense, which learning the new scheme while defense has held its own. Beamer and his staff came away from spring feeling like the team is working hard and building the right habits. It’s no doubt a rebuilding year, but the Gamecocks are at least heading into summer with a clear picture of their depth chart and know what work needs to be done to be more competitive in close games this season.