Defense may win championships, but offense remains the hottest topic in college football, and any team's success hinges on its ability to get faster, stronger and score more consistently on the offensive end.
As the sport leans towards a more open, pass-heavy, attacking approach, coaches and scouts place a high value on players with the agile skills to move well in space and cover the field with ease.
Read more: College football teams to look forward to in 2024
And as is often the case, only a select few programs have the resources and ability to acquire the majority of that talent.
Which team is likely to perform best offensively this season?
Scroll through for an early look at the top offensive players returning to the field in 2024.
Jackson Arnold will enter as a potential QB1 with a rotation of veteran receivers including Jahlil Farooq, Nick Anderson and Andrel Anthony, along with tailback Gavin Sawchuk, who finished last season very strong, but the Sooners will need to get their offensive line rotation in order before facing the SEC's accomplished pass rushers.
After losing Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels to the pros, LSU acquired another potential game-changer in Garrett Nussmeyer, who rushed for nearly 400 yards and led a long, bowl-game-winning scoring drive. This year, Nussmeyer is working behind a strong line and against a talented roster of wide receivers.
Looking to a more open ACC title race, the Hurricanes are well positioned with the addition of elite transfers in dual-threat quarterback Cam Ward, tailback Damien Martinez and wide receiver Sam Brown, plus the return of their top two pass-catching backs in Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George and running back Mark Fletcher under center.
With record-holding quarterback Seth Hennigan back in the rotation, the Tigers are in position to compete for a spot in the Group of Five in the expanded College Football Playoff. Hennigan joins receivers Lock Taylor, Kobe Drake and Demere Brancomesy. Despite losing leading rusher Blake Watson, Memphis added Mario Anderson, a transfer from South Carolina who led the team in rushing last year.
The return of quarterback Carson Beck will be key for Georgia's offense, which will see the loss of top targets Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey, but will also see the return of Dominique Lovett and Lara Thomas, along with transfer targets London Humphries and Colby Young. After losing two rushers, the Bulldogs also added Florida transfer Trevor Etienne to the backfield.
The defending Conference USA champions could be favored to make a playoff bid in the Group of Five thanks to the return of a strong offensive line led by quarterback Kaydon Salter (44 all-purpose TDs) and tailback Quinton Cooley (1,400 yards, 16 TDs). The loss of wide receiver CJ Daniels to LSU could hurt the Flames, but their rushing power is so strong they could win their entire schedule.
That Texas remains a threat offensively is a product of Steve Sarkisian's acquisition and transfer strategy. Despite losing three top targets and a 1,000-yard back, the Longhorns kept quarterback Quinn Ewers and added some impressive receiving skills in the portal. Isaiah Bond, Matthew Golden, Cyrus Bolden and Amari Niblack are excellent replacements. And they're working behind a line that returns four starters.
The return of targets like quarterback Jackson Dart, three offensive blockers, wide receivers Tre Harris and Jordan Watkins and tight end Caden Pliscone is big for the Rebels as they seek to qualify for the expanded playoffs. The addition of tailback Henry Parish to replace Quinshon Judkins is also notable, but the transfer of wide receiver Antwain Wells is especially notable. Dart covered more than 3,300 yards through the air with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions last year and scored eight times on the ground.
Tez Johnson, Gary Bryant Jr. and Trashon Holden already make up one of the most talented wide receiver corps in college football, but the transfer of former five-star wide receiver Evan Stewart only makes this unit more promising, as does veteran quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who transferred to Oregon this offseason, and his presumed successor, Dante Moore. And they're all working behind a very strong line heading into the Big Ten.
Veteran quarterback Will Howard will step in for Kyle McCord after coming off the best year of his career in completions, yards and touchdowns. He'll be working with the most talented group of receivers ever, including Emeka Egbuka, Carnell Tate and rookie star Jeremiah Smith, who has had a great season so far this offseason. Not only did the Buckeyes retain leading rusher Treveion Henderson, they also acquired two-time SEC rushing champion Quinsion Judkins from the University of Mississippi, giving them the best one-two punch at the position in college football.
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