It’s the (spring) Saturday we’ve all been waiting for.

We’ve got 6 spring games, 5 of which you’ll need an ESPN+ subscription to access. Something tells me it’s by design that even Alabama can only viewed via a streaming service.

  • Arkansas, Noon ET (SEC Network+, ESPN+)
  • Mississippi State, Noon ET (SEC Network+, ESPN+)
  • Georgia, 1 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
  • Vandy, 2 p.m. ET (SEC Network+, ESPN+)
  • Alabama, 3 p.m. ET (SEC Network+, ESPN+)
  • South Carolina, 7 p.m. ET (SEC Network+, ESPN+)

But hey, spring football is better than no football. Yes, shots fired at you, 2020. You were the worst. Please never come back.

Here’s 1 question I have for each SEC spring game:

Alabama — Is the Jermaine Burton-Bryce Young connection evident?

If you’ve been following the discussion involving the former Georgia receiver, well, it’s been pretty positive. You’ve probably seen a tweet like this:

Burton is now in a role where he’s trying to do what Jameson Williams did last year. That is, become someone that Young develops instant chemistry with. With Williams, it was all the more impressive that he and Young were on the same page from the jump — that Miami touchdown was a pretty telling sign of what was to come — even though they didn’t get a spring together.

With Williams, John Metchie and Slade Bolden all gone, Burton is in a favorable spot to become Young’s favorite target. Sure, he doesn’t have the same experience in the offense that tight end Cameron Latu or emerging wideout Ja’Corey Brooks have. Guys like JoJo Earle and Traeshon Holden could also carve out a role as reliable pass-catchers. What they don’t have is 2 years’ worth of starts for a team with national title aspirations. That’s advantage, Burton.

Chemistry, or lack thereof, was a big reason why Burton didn’t want to return to be Georgia’s WR1 with Stetson Bennett IV. If Burton looks the part with Young, he won’t be able to avoid those Williams comps this summer.

Arkansas — Does Jadon Haselwood look the part?

Speaking of transfer receivers I have questions about, Haselwood isn’t trying to be Treylon Burks 2.0. Any expectation that he’s on the level of arguably the best receiver in program history is unfair.

Having said that, KJ Jefferson needs a new go-to guy. Haselwood would love to be that after he and Spencer Rattler never really developed that connection. Haselwood hasn’t necessarily proven to be a guy who can consistently get separation. That’s why spring is so important. Jefferson protects the football and doesn’t take those chances. Burks was really the only guy who had Jefferson’s trust in those 1-on-1 situations. That took time, too.

Haselwood has his first opportunity in a live setting to show Jefferson that he can be trusted in those tight spots. Kendal Briles already said that “you get anything close to him and he catches the football.” It’s one thing for an offensive coordinator to say that. It’s another thing for a quarterback to believe it. Of course, it’s also another thing for a receiver to earn that trust. Saturday should provide some good insight as to where that rapport is at.

Georgia — Will the Brock Vandagriff hype train reach excess speeds?

Because if it does, buckle up.

I say that knowing in a spring scrimmage, Vandagriff won’t be live. We won’t see the full arsenal with his dual-threat capabilities. That’s why he might not show off the 5-star potential that Georgia fans have been clamoring for. Alongside Carson Beck, there’s a decent chance that neither of them really show much separation. Shoot, that probably goes for Stetson Bennett IV, too.

Then again, who are we kidding? All it would take for the Vandagriff QB1 narrative to really take off is if he makes 1 highlight reel play. It’ll prompt a “see, Stetson can’t do that.” They might be right. They might also be wise to accept the reality that Bennett is starting against Oregon unless he gets hurt or suspended. Vandagriff can break a dude’s ankles in the open field for a touchdown, and it still won’t change that reality.

Having said that, Georgia fans are well within their rights to be excited about Vandagriff looking like he’s taken another step in Todd Monken’s offense.

MSU — Can the o-line hold up against that experienced defense?

I worry about an MSU offensive line that has to replace both offensive tackles, including future first-round pick Charles Cross. It was Cross who did an excellent job protecting Will Rogers’ blindside. That was a major reason why teams could no longer just rush 3 and expect to get home. To allow just 2 sacks on 719 pass-blocking snaps is insane. That’s the type of production that’s going to be a major challenge to replace.

This is not the setting wherein Rogers should be getting 1-hand touched to death. It’s a controlled atmosphere wherein guys aren’t going full speed through the quarterback. Rogers is entering Year 3 in the system, and even though Makai Polk is gone, he has a ton of production returning in the passing game.

The MSU defense ranks No. 8 in FBS in percentage of returning production but won’t have versatile linebacker Jett Johnson on Saturday. Still, it should provide the new pieces on the offensive line a good look at what to expect in a post-Cross world.

South Carolina — Does Spencer Rattler look like he’s won over the locker room?

That’s the question that everyone in Columbia is eager to figure out. A spring game won’t necessarily make or break that, especially for the ultimate “good vibes” team that the Gamecocks are right now. But we should still be able to get some insight into that dynamic.

Does it look like Rattler is joking around with his teammates and enjoying the atmosphere? Does he get fired up for the success of the other quarterbacks? Does he look confident without looking cocky? I ask that last question a bit tongue in cheek because that’s probably in the eye of the beholder.

Rattler should be able to separate himself from the rest of that quarterback room with the downfield passing ability, which was lacking for too much of Shane Beamer’s first season on the job. South Carolina was No. 11 in the SEC in passing plays of 20 yards. A few downfield shots would go a long way for Rattler, especially after that part of his game didn’t meet expectations in 2021.

Seeing Rattler live for the first time in his post-Oklahoma chapter should be plenty interesting.

Vandy — Does AJ Swann look ready to be QB1?

Usually, I push back on an early-enrollee getting that kind of buzz. Usually, though, I’m not talking about a passing game that ranked No. 126 in yards per attempt (5.6). While Mike Wright showed promise down the stretch, Swann has a chance to walk in and show that he’s the most talented quarterback of that group, and not just based on recruiting rankings.

Clark Lea said that Swann “flashed” and that he looked “fearless” in camp. I’d say that’s a good sign for an early enrollee at quarterback. Wright and Ken Seals are both entering Year 2 in Joey Lynch’s offense and Year 3 overall at Vandy. They should have the better feel for game speed, though both have proven to be limited for various reasons (some inside their control and some outside of it).

Seals was limited early in camp with lingering injuries. Perhaps that provided the extra looks Swann needed early to really make a lasting impression. It still might not be in the cards for him to be the opening day starter because of the potential risk of watching both Wright and Seals enter the transfer portal. However, Lea signed 3 quarterbacks in the 2022 class, including Swann. That might give him the freedom to roll the dice on the true freshman in his second year on the job.

A banner spring game showing would certainly help Swann’s case.