Spring Games, April 14: Alabama, Auburn, Michigan Among Saturday Action

Here’s Clowney catching a touchdown -- by running off the sideline without a helmet -- out of nowhere. It’s the perfect spring game highlight.

The touchdown counted, despite the lack of helmet and pads, and the fact that he fell down. This was a spring game and there are no rules. The rules are made up as we go, and the point is to both have fun and not suffer an injury.

Anthony Averett, a defensive back recruit from New Jersey, committed to Alabama Saturday while visiting Tuscaloosa for the Tide’s spring game, per SB Nation’s Roll Bama Roll. Averett is a consensus four-star recruit and stars for Woodbury (NJ) Junior-Senior High School. Here are the thoughts of Roll Bama Roll:

Recruits of Harris’ caliber are also important for the image of the program in its attempt to compete with in-state rival Virginia Tech, who beat the Cavaliers 38-0 in 2011.

For more on Hoos football, visit Virginia blog Streaking The Lawn.

Dorian O’Daniel, a top linebacker recruit, has committed to the Tigers according to 247sports and numerous other reports. O’Daniel was in Clemson visiting the Tigers for their spring game. O’Daniel stars for Olney (Md.) Good Counsel. He also holds offers from California, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio State, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia. He is a consensus four-star recruit.

O’Daniel told 247sports:

Auburn also used the day to honor three legends. Statues of the program’s three Heisman Trophy winners -- Pat Sullivan, Bo Jackson and Cam Newton -- were revealed in a ceremony on the east side of Jordan Hare Stadium.

If you want a full scope of what happens, check out Elliott’s post because he analyzes it nicely, but a major positive takeaway was how good the defense looked. If Manuel can improve, an improved defense from last year’s group may mean the Seminoles can try to live up to the lofty expectations they fell short of last year.

For more on everything Seminoles, make sure to check out Tomahawk Nation regularly.

“One thing that never happens in college football is no one ever has a bad spring and no one ever has a bad spring game,” Saban said. “We didn’t have one either. We had a lot of guys who made a lot of improvement this spring.”

Even if Saban has no need for analyzing spring game performances publicly, it will be hard for Tide fans not to be encouraged by the performance of freshman running back T.J. Yeldon, who was named the game’s MVP after accumulating 179 total yards (88 rushing, 91 receiving).

“We obviously threw the ball and caught it better than any spring game,” Spurrier said. “The quarterbacks had time and the receivers caught about everything. They had good routes. Who’s to say if our coverage is suspect or not, but I know Coach Ward wasn’t happy about some guys getting behind them. It made the offensive guys look pretty good throwing and catching. Whatever it means, I don’t know. We’ll keep working and try to improve.”

“He’s doing fine,” Spurrier said. “He’s going to be ready to go. He’s right on schedule. Maybe even a little ahead of schedule. He’s doing fine.”

Saturday’s Missouri spring game has already paid dividends for Tiger recruiting efforts in the 2013 class after landing verbal pledges from two in-state prospects -- Kansas City (MO) Staley dual-threat quarterback Trent Hosick and Lee’s Summit (MO) West linebacker Nicholas Ramirez, who become the seventh and eighth commitments in the cycle.

Gary Pinkel and his SEC-bound Tigers have built on the in-state recruiting momentum generated by the Signing Day commitment of superstar wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham to pull each of the eight current 2013 pledges from the school’s home state.

The Nebraska spring game, originally scheduled to kick off at 2:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, has been canceled. The game was called off do to severe thunderstorms, which threatened large swaths of the plains and midwest on Saturday. Nebraska had asked fans to move to the concourse areas at Memorial Stadium as a precaution and then made the cancelation announcement shortly thereafter. Via @Huskers:

The game may be rescheduled for Sunday afternoon, but Nebraska will not make that announcement until Sunday morning. Via Steven M. Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star:

Toney stands 6’3” and weighs 225 pounds. That’s excellent size for a rising senior linebacker prospect. Toney plays big, and is not shy about taking on blocks. But he also shows he ability to play from sideline to sideline, relative to his size. In 2011, Toney tallied 120 tackles, eight sacks, four forced fumbles, three interceptions and three pass break-ups. He is the seventh commitment for the Auburn Tigers in the class of 2013.

For more on War Eagle football, visit Auburn blog Track Em Tigers, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills.

What makes this rising junior so coveted? His 6’1”, 195-pound frame doesn’t hurt. Nor does his playmaking skills and strength. Kitt also has top-notch run after the catch ability. Kitt has the ability to beat the jam and get himself open.

As one might expect with a player with two years left in high school, Kitt does need to polish his route running. Having caught 42 balls for 651 yards and 10 touchdowns, Kitt can only get better. He profiles as a high four-star recruit.

Via @stephenjnesbitt:

Brady Hoke doesn’t even like Twitter, especially not after Denard Robinson’s incident.

Newton is the most recent Heisman recipient for Auburn, winning the trophy the same season the Tigers won their latest National Championship in 2010. Jackson picked up his Heisman trophy after the 1985 season, while Sullivan won his Heisman trophy in 1971.

The statues are set to be revealed prior to Saturday’s A-Day Game.

There’s no word yet on what schedule adjustments may happen. In the meantime, let’s all read Crimson And Cream Machine’s guide on what to look for on Saturday, should Saturday work as planned:

For more on OU football, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson And Cream Machine.

Take heart, weary college football fan. We’re entering the sport’s busiest weekend until August, with something like half the country putting on spring games this Saturday, along with a spate of activity on Friday night. Bowling Green, Houston, San Jose State and Toledo wrap things up under Friday lights of one sort or another (the sun is a light), while something like 45 teams get after it on Saturday.

According to the best available list, those include [deep breath] Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas State, Auburn, Baylor, Boise State, Buffalo, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Clemson, Colorado, ECU, FAU, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, Miami, Michigan, Middle Tennessee, Mizzou, Navy, N.C. State, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northwestern, Oklahoma, Pitt, Purdue, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Stanford, Temple, UCF, UConn, USC, Vanderbilt, Virginia, Wake Forest, Western Kentucky and Western Michigan. Phew!

Those aren’t nine slouches, either, as UGA’s defense ranked No. 5 in the country last year. Assuming the Dawgs can keep from losing any more standouts due to suspensions, the SEC East could be a sluggish, suffocating endeavor again this year.

For more on UGA football, visit Georgia blog Dawg Sports, plus SEC blog Team Speed Kills and SB Nation Atlanta.