This article is part of our Spring Practice Storylines series.
After the American Athletic Conference underwent a major transformation last offseason, the landscape of the conference has not changed quite as much heading into the 2024 campaign. The makeup of the conference will look slightly different as reigning champion SMU left the conference for the ACC. Army replaced the Mustangs, joining rival Navy in the AAC. Star players such as Michael Pratt, Frank Harris, Blake Watson, LaJohntay Wester, Luke McCaffrey and Ja'Mori Maclin have moved on, leaving most programs with big shoes to fill. With the transfer portal shipping players in and out, a plethora of teams will be competing for the AAC Championship, an accomplishment that could very well mean a place in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
With spring practices well underway as teams prepare for the 2024 season, here are the biggest storylines for the 14 AAC programs.
Army Spring Storyline
Navigating a conference schedule
After 19 seasons as an independent, Army officially joined the AAC this offseason as a football-only member. With the vast majority of last season's top offensive players returning, this offseason will focus on improving and preparing for a more difficult schedule. In addition to annual games versus Navy – which does not count as a conference game – and Air Force, the Black Knights have eight AAC games and play Notre Dame. The most significant change in the offseason was Cody Worley taking over the offensive coordinator job from Drew Thatcher. Worley, who coached quarterbacks and served as the run-game coordinator in 2023, is expected to run more of the offense from under center. This could mean an even more run-heavy approach for a team led by quarterback Bryson Daily that gained over 2,500 yards on the ground last season.
Charlotte Spring Storyline
One-QB system
During the 2023 season, the 49ers played a two-quarterback system with Jalon Jones and Trexler Ivey alternating starts and drives within games. The approach did not work, as evidenced by the team going 3-9 and Jones and Ivey combining to throw six touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions. Head coach Biff Poggi acknowledged that the quarterback position was the most important problem to fix this offseason, and it appears he found the guy to fix it. Max Brown transferred into the program after two seasons at Florida and looks set to take the starting job with Ivey backing him up. Having the consistency of a full-time quarterback could pay massive dividends for the 49ers' offense, especially for last season's leading receiver Jairus Mack (25 receptions for 453 yards and two touchdowns) and starting tight end Colin Weber (34 receptions for 362 yards).
East Carolina Spring Storyline
Houser versus Garcia
After a very disappointing 2-10 season rotating between quarterbacks Alex Flinn and Mason Garcia, the Pirates will have a fresh start in 2024 with either Michigan State transfer Katin Houser or Missouri transfer Jake Garcia. Initially, Houser was the presumptive starter, given he started the Spartans' last seven games, but Garcia – who did not play a single snap for Missouri last season – has thrown his hat in the ring with strong performances in spring practice. Whoever wins the job will play under new offensive coordinator John David Baker, who spent the previous two seasons as co-offensive coordinator at Ole Miss. With the return of last season's top two running backs and breakout freshman receiver Chase Sowell (47 receptions for 622 yards and one touchdown), the Pirates' offense looks ready for an improved 2024 campaign.
Florida Atlantic Spring Storyline
A whole new offense
After an underwhelming 4-8 record in 2023, the Owls will look much different in 2024. Starting quarterback Daniel Richardson is gone, as are last season's top two rushers and top five receivers, including LaJohntay Wester, who ranked second in the country last season with 108 receptions. Wester's production will undoubtedly be the hardest to replace, but his departure could result in a more balanced passing attack. The Owls brought in six receivers in the transfer portal, headlined by Buffalo's Marlyn Johnson, UMass' George Johnson and Marshall's Caleb Coombs. Coombs has an established relationship with presumptive starting quarterback Cam Fancher, who also transferred to FAU from Marshall. The pair combined for 37 completions, 296 yards and two touchdowns in nine games last season.
Memphis Spring Storyline
Replacing Blake Watson
Last season, Watson ran for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns as the Tigers went 10-3 and finished fourth in the conference. With quarterback Seth Henigan (3,880 passing yards, 274 rushing yards and 35 total touchdowns) and top two receivers, Roc Taylor (69 receptions for 1,083 yards and four touchdowns) and Demeer Blankumsee (53 receptions for 901 yards and seven touchdowns) returning, the Tigers' focus is on replacing Watson. The program made a splash in the transfer portal, landing South Carolina's Mario Anderson who ran for 707 yards and three touchdowns in the SEC last season. Naturally, he is the presumptive starter and could be in for a massive season if the offense revolves around him as much as it did last season around Watson. The program also has Sutton Smith and Brandon Thomas returning, a pair that combined for 477 rushing yards and seven touchdowns last season. Despite the loss of Watson, it appears the Tigers have the talent and depth to sustain elite production in the run game.
Navy Spring Storyline
Consistency under center
After a 2023 season where four different quarterbacks started at least one game, the Midshipmen are looking for some consistency in 2024. Blake Horvath and Braxton Woodson, who both started last season, are currently battling for the starting job. To make matters more complicated, new offensive coordinator Drew Cronic is establishing his hybrid Wing-T offense, which he said will "marry up" with the triple-option and the spread option. Ultimately, the quarterback competition will be decided by which player fits the new offense best and is able to understand its intricacies the quickest. At the conclusion of last season, it appeared Horvath would be in line to start given he was named the starter midseason before a season-ending thumb injury. However, then-freshman Woodson had a solid end to the 2023 campaign and now the competition appears to be quite open, especially with a new system being implemented. Luckily for whoever wins the job, the program is returning every non-QB who ran for over 25 yards last season, so while the system may be different, the personnel will be familiar.
North Texas Spring Storyline
Starting from scratch
Despite a 5-7 record in 2023, the North Texas offense had a fantastic season. Quarterback Chandler Rogers threw for 3,382 yards, 29 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Ayo Adeyi and Oscar Adaway combined for 1,855 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. Ja'Mori Maclin caught a touchdown in each of the first eight games of the season (11 total) and finished with over 1,000 yards. However, all four of those players unsurprisingly used their success to earn spots at more established programs with Rogers joining California, Adeyi joining James Madison, Adaway joining South Carolina and Maclin joining Kentucky. Although the program lost key players, the Mean Green also brought in talent in the transfer portal. Chandler Morris joined the program after three seasons at TCU and is expected to compete with Stone Earle for the starting quarterback position. Zach Evans joined the program from Minnesota to potentially be a one-two punch at running back with Ikaika Ragsdale, who sat out most of last season with an undisclosed injury. The program also brought in DT Sheffield from Washington State and Dalton Carnes from Houston to complement returning No. 2 receiver Damon Ward (39 receptions for 487 yards and five touchdowns). Only time will tell if head coach Eric Morris brought in enough talent to recreate last season's offensive success.
Rice Spring Storyline
Replacing Daniels and McCaffrey
The vast majority of Rice's skill position players from last season are returning, that is, despite the two most important ones. Quarterback JT Daniels medically retired from football after suffering another concussion during the season. His replacement was brought in swiftly, as two-year Temple starter E.J. Warner – son of NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner – joined the program in December. Warner has experience both being an Owl and playing in the AAC, and proved time and again that he's capable of monster games. The loss of Luke McCaffrey (71 receptions for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns) is not so simple. The program has not brought in any receivers in the transfer portal, but every receiver or tight end besides McCaffrey who gained over 100 yards last season is returning. It's unlikely that any individual comes close to replicating McCaffrey's production last season, especially given Warner's propensity to spread the ball around. Instead, the likes of Boden Groen, Rawson MacNeil and Landon Ransom-Goelz will likely all see a moderate increase in production.
South Florida Spring Storyline
Building off success
The 2024 Bulls' offense will look very similar to the 2023 squad, as the program returns quarterback Byrum Brown (3,292 passing yards, 809 rushing yards and 37 total touchdowns), top running back Nay'Quan Wright (797 yards and eight touchdowns) and top two receivers Sean Atkins (92 receptions for 1,054 yards and seven touchdowns) and Naiem Simmons (39 receptions for 637 yards and five touchdowns). After a 1-11 season in 2022, the team went 7-6 in 2023 under first-year head coach Alex Golesh and is now looking to build off of that success in 2024. Without any major changes to the offense – besides the addition of Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen from Purdue – Golesh said the focus this spring is on developing skill and focusing on the details. With a full offseason to build more chemistry and improve off of last season, the Bulls have a chance to contend for the AAC title in 2024.
Temple Spring Storyline
A new Owls QB
Following two solid seasons leading the Owls, E.J. Warner transferred to conference foe Rice, leaving Temple with a massive question mark under center. Former Rutgers quarterback Evan Simon transferred in – along with Clifton McDowell who subsequently re-entered the transfer portal – and he will battle it out with last year's third string Forrest Brock. In Simon's 2022 campaign, the only season he saw significant playing time, he completed 79 of 138 passes for 777 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions. Whoever wins the job has a tall task in front of them, with five of the seven Owls with over 150 receiving yards last season no longer with the program. However Dante Wright (39 receptions for 507 yards and four touchdowns) and Zae Baines (36 receptions for 442 yards and one touchdown) are both returning and have a chance to excel as the presumptive No. 1 and No. 2 receivers.
UTSA Spring Storyline
Filling the Frank Harris-Joshua Cephus void
Over the past three seasons, the Frank Harris to Joshua Cephus connection in the passing game has been among the best in the country. With Harris stepping away from football after four seasons as the starter and Cephus headed to the NFL Draft, the Roadrunners have two massive voids to fill. Under center, last season's backups Owen McCown and Eddie Lee Marburger are battling it out for the starting job. Both started at least one game last season due to Harris' injuries. For the sake of consistency, McCown may have the edge since he is a dual threat, whereas Marburger is more of a pure pocket passer. Like the quarterback position, the Roadrunners are staying in house to replace Cephus' production. Last season's No. 2 Tykee Ogle-Kellogg (33 receptions for 575 yards and seven touchdowns) is also gone, putting De'Corian Clark – who missed nearly the entire season with a knee injury – and Devin McCuin (42 receptions for 546 yards and three touchdowns) in line for significant increases in production.
Tulane Spring Storyline
Life without Michael Pratt
Michael Pratt spent the last four seasons leading the Green Wave's offense, helping turn the program around from a 2-10 finish in 2021 to back-to-back AAC Championship Game appearances in 2022 and 2023, winning the conference title and the Cotton Bowl in 2022. Replacing him will either be Ty Thompson – who transferred over in January after three seasons as a backup at Oregon – or Kai Horton, who started three games last season with Pratt out. The man under center is not the only major change either as Willie Fritz, who led the program since 2016, took the open job at Houston. Coming off two consecutive Sun Belt titles at Troy, Joe Sumrall is now leading Tulane and looking to build off Fritz's success. In addition to Thompson, Sumrall brought in four receivers in the transfer portal, headlined by Mario Williams who in two seasons at USC caught 69 passes for 936 yards and seven touchdowns. While the Green Wave's passing game will look much different in 2024, the team will still likely contend for the AAC title.
Tulsa Spring Storyline
Improving after disappointing 2023
In his first year as head coach, Kevin Wilson led the Golden Hurricane to a disappointing 4-8 record in 2023. With minimal changes to the offense in the offseason, this spring is about getting healthy and improving the guys already in the locker room. Cardell Williams had an up and down season before a shoulder injury ended his season, an injury that is forcing him out of the majority of spring practice after he underwent a minor cleanup procedure. He and Kirk Francis will likely duke it out for the starting job when both are healthy, though it doesn't help Williams' cause that he will miss time. Luckily, six of the seven top receivers from last season are returning in 2024, so only UTEP transfer Jeremiah Ballard will go into the summer lacking chemistry with Williams.
UAB Spring Storyline
Replacing top rusher and receiver
Last season, Jermaine Brown Jr. gained over 1,200 yards from scrimmage and scored 13 touchdowns and Tejhaun Palmer caught 47 passes for 858 yards and seven touchdowns. Neither returns for the 2024 campaign, leaving head coach Trent Dilfer with production to compensate for. At running back, Lee Beebe (52 carries for 360 yards and four touchdowns) and Isaiah Jacobs (55 carries for 249 yards and three touchdowns) are returning and will have to compete with LSU transfer Armoni Goodwin. As impressive as Brown was last season, the Blazers have the talent to make up for his production. That is also true at the receiver position, especially with the insanely accurate Jacob Zeno under center. While the program lost four of the five most productive wide receivers from last season, Amare Thomas (53 receptions for 437 yards and three touchdowns) and Iverson Hooks – who tore his ACL in September – both have the ability to pick up where Palmer left off. Chattanooga transfer Jamoi Mayes could also factor in for the Blazers.
