Spring practice starts March 11th and ends with the annual spring game on April 16th. Several newcomers will be on campus to make a push for a starting position and there are a ton of young guys ready to move into larger roles.

Russell Farris should have this spot locked down. One of Tech’s leading returners at linebacker, Farris could be moved to another position. More on that later…

Young guys like Donald Freeman, Dante Williams, and Collin Scott could also be in the mix.

Paul Turner moves on and leaves big shoes to fill. Marcus Gaines is the favorite to replace him after he finished his sophomore season with 315 yards. Fellow junior Marlon Watts will also have a chance as well as redshirt freshmen Rhashid Bonnette and Javonte Woodard.

Replacing Kentrell Brice will prove equally difficult as replacing Turner, but there just as many options. Junior Secdrick Cooper is the favorite, but junior college signee Damarion King will push him. Young guys Theron Williams and James Jackson also have a good shot at the job.

Conner Smith missed most of last season with an injury, opening the door for Kam McKnight to play as a freshman and contribute 268 yards. Smith came back late and added 45 yards in 3 games. Both players return, giving Skip Holtz solid options.

Aaron Brown is the returning starter after putting up 26 tackles as a junior. Jordan Bradford got a little playing time as a true freshman and showed a lot of promise. If Bradford continues his improvement, he could push Brown for more reps. Newcomers Keonatye Garner and KaDerrion Mason could also help here.

Brandon Durman is the best option here, which would allow Farris to stay outside. Collin Scott is another option and Quanta Moore will also get a shot. Scott and Durman have the size to handle the position, but Farris has the experience.

Joshua Outlaw comes in from Tyler JC and will battle Shane Carpenter from day one. Carpenter has shown a lot of promise in his two years in Ruston, but Outlaw was once a national recruit out of high school and brings major talent.

Transfers Ronald Lewis (Arizona State) and Jerrell Jackson (Hawaii) will battle with last year’s freshmen Trey Spencer, Ephraim Kitchen, and Aaron Roberson. Junior Roland Dunn will also be in the middle of things for one of the two spots.

Jarred Craft was the backup to Kenneth Dixon all season, but Boston Scott really turned heads in the New Orleans Bowl with Craft hurt. Jaqwis Dancy got a little experience returning kicks as a true freshman, but with Dixon moving on to the NFL; there will be plenty of chance for all three to show what they can do. All three players are very different and bring different talents to the table.

Will Ryan Higgins finally get his shot after waiting behind Cody Sokol and Jeff Driskel the past two seasons? Will one of the young guys, J’Mar Smith or Price Wilson, take the job and run with it? Can freshman signee Jack Abraham do enough early to force himself into the conversation?

Quarterback and running back are the two most visible spots on the team and both races are wide open. Spring football will be a lot of learning plays for the new guys; showing skills for last year’s backups; and learning jersey numbers for the fans. A lot of talent at Louisiana Tech in 2016 – it will be interesting to see how it all fits together.