Notre Dame (3-9)

Practice starts: March 26.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: A lot needs fixing after the first nine-loss season in school history. Offensive coordinator Mike Haywood will call plays for the first time, taking over the job from coach Charlie Weis. New assistant head coach Jon Tenuta takes over the defense. The Irish lose only five starters, but few positions are locked in; Jimmy Clausen at quarterback included. The offensive line gave up a school record 58 sacks last season, so it's practically open tryouts up front.

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Ohio State (11-2)

Practice starts: March 27.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: Buckeyes don't have many vacancies, although they may need a new sports psychologist after losing the last two BCS championship game by a combined 79-38. The Buckeyes started only three seniors in last year's title game and none of them are irreplaceable. QB Todd Boeckman is back, along with TB Chris "Beanie" Wells and WRs Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline. Almost everybody's back from a defense led by LB James Laurinaitis, but there's a huge hole where DE Vernon Gholston jumped to the NFL a year early.

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Oklahoma (11-3)

Practice starts: March 5.

Spring game: April 12.

Job openings: The early departure by Big 12 defensive player of the year Curtis Lofton to enter the NFL draft leaves the Sooners in search of a new middle linebacker. Lofton's 157 tackles last season were 66 more than anyone else on the team. Three recruits were brought in to add depth at linebacker, where the Sooners also lost senior Lewis Baker. Ryan Reynolds, Austin Box and Lamont Robinson will be in the mix for playing time. Other holes were left when WR Malcolm Kelly and CB Reggie Smith followed Lofton to the draft as juniors.

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Oklahoma State (7-6)

Practice starts: March 3.

Spring game: April 12.

Job openings: Transfer Beau Johnson could make an immediate impact in a competition to replace RB Dantrell Savage, who finished his career with 10 straight 100-yard games. He'll be competing against Kendall Hunder, Savage's backup last season, while Keith Toston sits out the spring with an injury. Six other junior college players, including two of Johnson's teammates from Butler County (Kan.) Community College, were brought in to bolster the defense.

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Oregon (9-4)

Practice starts: April 1.

Spring game: April 26.

Job openings: Ducks must fill two big departures: QB Dennis Dixon, a Heisman Trophy candidate whose injury scuttled the Ducks' push for a national championship berth, and RB Jonathan Stewart, who left early for the NFL draft. Redshirt freshman Justin Roper has the inside track to replace Dixon after he threw four touchdown passes in Oregon's 56-21 victory over South Florida in the Sun Bowl. RB Jeremiah Johnson returns for his senior season after a knee injury cut last season short.

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Oregon State (9-4)

Practice starts: March 31.

Spring game: May 3

Job openings: QB Sean Canfield is recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder, so Lyle Moevao will be the veteran QB this spring. The Beavers must replace standout RB Yvenson Bernard and reliable K Alexis Serna. But they could welcome back receiver Sammie Stroughter, who played in three games last season before injuring a kidney. Oregon State is seeking a redshirt year for 2007 and is awaiting a decision from the Pac-10.

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Penn State (9-4)

Practice starts: March 24.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: After a tumultuous year off the field, attention this spring will focus on the quarterback competition. Coaches have said they might spice up the offense with a more spread-style attack similar to the one used in 2005 with QB Michael Robinson? Daryll Clark and Pat Devlin will compete for starting job this spring. The wild card is whether the Nittany Lions can land undecided uber-recruit Terrelle Pryor.

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Rutgers (8-5)

Practice starts: March 11.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: Coach Greg Schiano's biggest task will be replacing Scarlet Knights career rushing leader Ray Rice, who left a year early for the NFL draft. Kordell Young is the fall favorite, but he will be limited in the spring coming off a knee injury. Sophomore Mason Robinson and redshirt freshmen Jourdan Brooks and Joe Martinek, New Jersey's all-time leading high school rusher, will get most of the spring carries. The offensive line has three openings and clutch K Jeremy Ito must be replaced.

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South Florida (9-4)

Practice starts: March 4.

Spring game: April 12.

Job openings: With 10 starters returning on offense, including QB Matt Grothe and RB Mike Ford, the focus is on retooling a defense that loses LB Ben Moffitt and CBs Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams but still features All-American DE George Selvie, who led the nation in tackles for losses. Jerome Murphy and Tyller Roberts are the leading candidates to step in at cornerback, while junior college transfer moves into Moffitt's spot.

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Southern California (11-2)

Practice starts: March 25.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: Fourth-year junior Mark Sanchez is the favorite to succeed QB John David Booty, but Mitch Mustain, a transfer from Arkansas who sat out last season after going 8-0 as a freshman starter in 2006, is an able challenger. Sanchez started three games last year after Booty broke the middle finger on his throwing hand and went 2-1. The Trojans also need to replace several linemen on both sides of the ball, including offensive guard Chilo Rachel, nose tackle Sedrick Ellis and defensive end Lawrence Jackson, all of whom figure to be drafted.

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SMU (1-11)

Practice starts: March 3.

Spring game: April 8.

Job openings: Every spot is up for grabs under incoming coach June Jones, who might as well turn things upside after last season. Jones suspended QB Justin Willis and S Bryce Hudman for an undisclosed violation of team rules. Willis set a school record with 3,643 yards of total offense last year and was Conference USA's top freshman in '06.

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Stanford (4-8)

Practice starts: Feb. 26.

Spring game: April 12.

Job openings: Michigan transfer Jason Forcier and Alex Loukas will challenge Tavita Pritchard for the starting quarterback job. Pritchard beat USC in his first career start last season, but won only one other game. Forcier was a heralded recruit coming out of high school and spent two years at Michigan before transferring last summer. Coach Jim Harbaugh has praised Forcier's leadership skills. The Cardinal have split spring football into two parts, hoping to make it more like minicamps in an NFL offseason.

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Tennessee (10-4)

Practice starts: March 11.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: After patiently waiting for three seasons, redshirt sophomore Jonathan Crompton gets his shot at quarterback with the departure of Erik Ainge, but could competition from sophomore Nick Stephens and redshirt freshman B.J. Coleman. Tennessee will have a new offensive look regardless of quarterback thanks to new offensive coordinator Dave Clawson. On the defensive side, the Vols must replace two linebackers in All-SEC Jerod Mayo, who skipped his senior year, and Ryan Karl.

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Tulsa (10-4)

Practice starts: March 11.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: After matching the school record with 10 wins last season, the Golden Hurricane will be trying to find a replacement for QB Paul Smith, who graduated after setting Tulsa's season and career passing records in the offense Gus Malzahn brought over from Arkansas. Candidates to replace him include longtime backup David Johnson, junior college transfer Jacob Bower and sophomore Clark Harrell, the younger brother of Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell.

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UCLA (6-7)

Practice starts: April 3.

Spring game: April 26.

Job openings: Three spots in the secondary, where the Bruins lost the outstanding trio of Ss Chris Horton and Dennis Keyes and CB Trey Brown. Michael Norris is considered the top contender to fill the corner spot, and Bret Lockett and Aaron Ware are among the leading candidates at safety. Corey Bosworth will likely take over for outstanding DE Bruce Davis. The biggest change is at the top, with new coach Rick Neuheisel and new offensive coordinator Norm Chow.

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Vanderbilt

Practice starts: March 11.

Spring game: March 29.

Job openings: The Commodores have some major rebuilding to do. The problem was inconsistent quarterback play from Chris Nickson and Mackenzi Adams who must hold off Larry Smith, a former Alabama player of the year. Vandy wants to settle on a starter coming out of spring practice. Coach Bobby Johnson also must replace the SEC's career receptions leader in Earl Bennett and LT Chris Williams, a likely first-round NFL draft pick

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Washington (4-9)

Practice starts: April 3.

Spring game: April 26.

Job openings: Head coach? Not yet, but Tyrone Willingham knows the stakes for the 2008 season are win or else. On the defensive side new coordinator Ed Donatell gets his first look at a unit that was the worst in school history last year. Offensively, dynamic QB Jake Locker enters his second year at the helm, but he needs to quickly build connections with a young group of skill position players. Gone are RB Louis Rankin and leading receivers Anthony Russo and Marcel Reece.

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Washington State (5-7)

Practice starts: March 17.

Spring game: April 12.

Job openings: New coach Paul Wulff says every position is open. But quarterback, where four-year starter Alex Brink will be a hot spot. Junior Gary Rogers was Brink's backup for two years, but will be challenged by redshirt freshman Marshall Lobbstael and incoming freshman Calvin Schmidtke. Look for junior college transfers to step into holes in the defensive line and secondary. Top returning rusher Dwight Tardy will miss the spring because of knee surgery. TBs Chris Ivory and Marcus Richmond will compete.

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West Virginia (11-2)

Practice starts: March 14.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: New coach Bill Stewart has promised to open up the offense a bit, but first he'll have to find some targets for all-Big East QB Pat White. Departed WR Darius Reynaud accounted for 35 percent of the team's receiving yards. WVU might lean more on WR Dorrell Jalloh. There's big potential in 6-foot-8 Wes Lyons. Noel Devine is the heir apparent to RB Steve Slaton. Seven of the top-10 tacklers are back on defense.

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Wisconsin (9-4)

Practice starts: March 8.

Spring game: April 19.

Job openings: Another year, another new quarterback for the Badgers, who now will rely on senior Allan Evridge, a transfer from Kansas State to replace Tyler Donovan. Good news for Evridge is the return of TE Travis Beckum. One of the best tight ends in the nation decide to put the NFL off for another year. Coach Bret Bielema must replace reliable K Taylor Mehlhaff and CB Jack Ikegwuonu, who left for the NFL draft.