Ohio State’s Will Howard, Texas’ Alfred Collins among college football players with most to prove in fall camp

Fall camp is here for schools across the country, and most programs are already a few practices into their prep ahead of the 2024 season.

It’s a fascinating time of year in college football. This is often the first chance coaches get to observe some freshmen and transfers in pads. Fall camp also serves as a weeks-long showcase for players locked in position battles.

Here are several players who need a strong showing in fall camp for a variety of reasons, including a few household names. Whether they are high-profile transfers trying to make an immediate impact, or program stalwarts looking for a breakout season, each of these players have something to prove. 

Alex Orji, QB, Michigan

There’s arguably no player under a greater spotlight in fall camp than Orji. Michigan opted not to take a quarterback during the spring transfer window, which indicated it was at least comfortable with its options to succeed J.J. McCarthy. Orji, McCarthy’s backup last season, is the most likely to earn the starting job. But it’s not assured. Orji had a good enough spring to ensure he will have a role in 2024. But will that role be the starter? Michigan OC Kirk Campbell recently said of Orji: “Alex is one of the best 11 players on offense. Is he the best quarterback? I don’t know. That’s yet to be determined. But he’s going to have to touch the football. We will have a plan for him to touch the football.”

Fall camp is when it will be determined if Orji, one of the best athletes at the quarterback position in college football, touches the ball on every snap or if he’s again utilized in sub-package roles with Jack Tuttle or perhaps Davis Warren starting. 

Domani Jackson, CB, Alabama

Jackson’s status is doubly critical for the Crimson Tide. First, he needs to be healthy and continue to show the form that made him a five-star out of high school. Injuries have hampered Jackson in his career, and he was still inconsistent as a sophomore last year with a better run of health. Second, Alabama needs him to emerge as a shutdown option on the outside. It’s basically Jackson, Wake Forest transfer DaShawn Jones and a trio of true freshmen in the mix at cornerback for the Tide. That’s an untested group. If Jackson can emerge as a difference-maker, the Tide’s secondary would go from major question mark to potential strength.

Alfred Collins, DT, Texas

Replacing a pair of All-American defensive tackles in Byron Murphy and T’Vondre Sweat, the Longhorns need an impact presence to emerge inside. There are plenty of bodies at that position. The Longhorns’ portal haul (Jermayne Lole, Bill Norton, Tiaoalii Savea) made sure of that. But nobody on the depth chart has Collins’ potential. A former five-star recruit who had a somewhat disappointing career until a mini breakout as a senior last season, Collins will be asked to play a bigger role in 2024. He’s a massive body with the explosiveness to collapse a pocket with ease. But consistency will be the question. A strong fall camp from Collins would be a welcome sign that he’s capable of replacing so much of what Texas lost to the NFL. 

Harrison Wallace, WR, Penn State

This spot could easily be occupied by Ohio State wide receiver transfer Julian Fleming, who is a more nationally known name. But Wallace is probably the more interesting receiver to track in fall camp. The Nittany Lions desperately need a high-end receiver to emerge, and Wallace showed flashes of that potential last year, including a 72-yard performance in Week 1 against West Virginia and a 67-yard performance against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl. The issue is injuries limited him for most of the season. Wallace had a strong spring, so much so that the Nittany Lions didn’t go chasing a WR in the spring portal even after losing KeAndre Lambert-Smith. If he can repeat that in fall camp, Allar might truly have a No. 1 option in the 6-foot-1, 194-pound Alabama native.

Charles Jagusah, OT, Notre Dame

There aren’t a lot of holes for Notre Dame in 2024. While there will be some questions about QB Riley Leonard’s health coming into fall camp — he missed most of spring practice recovering from an ankle surgery — I’d argue the O-line is a bigger potential concern. The Irish need to replace a trio of starters, including both left tackle Joe Alt (first round) and right tackle Blake Fisher (second round). Jagusah is a former top-50 prospect and seems to have the ingredients to be a breakout star as a redshirt freshman. But he had an up-and-down bowl performance in place of Alt and remains an in-development technical prospect. Few positions have featured the quality of play like left tackle for Notre Dame over the last decade. It’ll be interesting to see how Jagusah develops this fall, especially given that right tackle is also a big position battle for the Irish.  

Troy Stellato/Adam Randall, WR, Clemson

Clemson struggled to stretch the field last year, ranking No. 128 nationally in average air yards per throw. Part of that is on QB Cade Klubnik. Part of it is on the O-line. But many of the deficiencies in the pass game can be traced to less-than-stellar wide receiver play. That’s why Stellato and Randall — Clemson’s lead outside receivers now that Beaux Collins transferred to Notre Dame — are in the spotlight.

The Tigers need those two to step up after sub-par 2023 efforts that saw Stellato (337 yards, 1 TD, 55.6 PFF grade) and Randall (250 yards, 58.6 PFF grade) fail to make a big impact. They’ll need to step up this fall, too. Touted true freshmen TJ Moore (No. 21 overall) and Bryant Wesco (No. 57 overall) are on campus and will be pushing for immediate playing time. Randall and Stellato need to be better for Clemson’s sake, and for their own, as they could easily be passed by first-year freshmen.

Will Howard, QB, Ohio State

Howard is Ohio State’s presumed starter entering fall camp. But that’s the thing about presumptions: they don’t always come true. Howard, a transfer from Kansas State, is still going to have to battle Devin Brown and even true freshman Julian Sayin this fall to secure the starting job. Ohio State enters the season on a shortlist of favorites to win the 2024 national title. The Buckeyes went all-in this offseason to retain important parts of their roster, with players like Jack Sawyer, Denzel Burke and Emeka Egbuka spurning the NFL Draft.  

To take advantage of that talent, the Buckeyes need a quality quarterback option to take firm control of the job. Ohio State needs Howard to run away with the role of QB1 in fall camp. Otherwise, the choice to replace Kyle McCord might end up looking shortsighted. 

Cade McNamara, QB, Iowa

Iowa just needs McNamara to play. He’s coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries, the latest of which cost him all but five games last season. The Hawkeyes will look different on offense this year with the hiring of offensive coordinator Tim Lester, but the program’s offensive ceiling will still be limited by quarterback play. McNamara isn’t too far removed from leading Michigan to a Big Ten championship, but he needs to show this fall that he can stay healthy. There’s a reason the Hawkeyes added former Northwestern starter Brendan Sullivan from the portal — insurance — but Iowa would really benefit from McNamara having a healthy and productive fall camp. Those reps matter in a new offense, especially when you consider McNamara was limited this spring.

Tyler Van Dyke, QB, Wisconsin

Van Dyke is a high-profile transfer coming over from Miami, but he’s yet to lock up the Badgers’ starting job in his head-to-head battle with Braedyn Locke. The pair split reps during the spring, which was a bit of an up-and-down period for Van Dyke in his transition to Madison. That means Van Dyke, who is coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons with Miami, needs a strong fall camp to establish himself as the no-doubt starter. The Badgers took him with the idea he would be so in 2024. Now, he needs to show some consistency to grab firm control of the job.

Major Burns, Star, LSU

There’s a chance LSU’s entire secondary is turned over in 2024. Multiple starters have departed, transfers and freshmen have come in looking to make an impact, and the two most senior players in the room (Burns, Sage Ryan) are primed to play new positions. Ryan was forced to play a lot of cornerback last year, but he’s seemingly set for his more natural role at safety. Burns is also transitioning, moving from safety to nickel. Burns, who led LSU in tackles last year, needs to be much steadier in coverage. While Burns drew positive reviews this spring for his improved play, LSU could really use a strong camp from the only real proven veteran presence in its cornerback room.

Jacob Sexton, OT, Oklahoma

Take your pick along Oklahoma’s offensive line. Almost everyone is new with a bit to prove. But let’s focus on Sexton, who, after starting four games at right tackle late last season, is one of the few semi-proven pieces on the roster. That’s why Sexton having a strong, prove-it fall camp is so important. The Sooners and offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh need an anchor presence to emerge on the outside. If Sexton fails to make a jump — or even gets pushed by transfer Michael Tarquin or Spencer Brown — it could be a tough year for the Sooners’ offensive line.