Gainesville coach Bruce Miller has never won a football game based solely on the outcome of spring football, but it sure does give some great insight into what next year's team is going to look like.

Likewise, position battles are not won and lost in May, but the coach certainly can pick up on the tone set by the players and determine which ones will have an inside track to start in the fall.

"Spring football is a good send off to summer," said Miller, whose Red Elephants have their annual spring football game at 6 p.m. tonight at City Park. "You get some answers to questions, maneuver and shuffle some players around, and start to learn what you need to do to make each position better."

Every coach has a different set of needs during spring football.

Most revolve around building depth for players that are projected to play in the fall. Some schools already have enough returning starters in place that getting depth in place is priority No. 1.

For the first time in his five years at East Hall, coach Bryan Gray is comfortable enough with his starters that he's got some solid backups in place too.

He's also got linebackers that have stepped up, like Dustin Rogers and Oscar Rangel, who have the coaching staff pleased.

Unlike most other schools, the Vikings are not going to hold a spring game.

"Spring is all about getting reps and teaching the fundamentals," Gray said. "During the season, you have the starters getting most of the reps, but right now during the spring, the young kids will get just as many reps."

Gray, like all coaches, keeps an eye open to see which sleepers are going to step up and push an expected starter for a position.

In the spring, change is tougher for some programs to absorb than others.

Gainesville is in the process of replacing nine defensive starters from last season's Region 8-AAA championship squad, most prominent of those is four-year starter A.J. Johnson at middle linebacker.

Of course, for others change can be a breath of fresh air. Chestatee is looking to improve off a disappointing 3-7 season from 2010.

War Eagles coach Stan Luttrell is watching to see how junior Jordan DeGraff responds to moving into the shoes of athletic senior Scott Chewning at quarterback.

Last season, DeGraff was a starter in the defensive secondary and also backed up Chewning at QB.

"Jordan's the guy now at quarterback, and spring is the time to see how he does handling that responsibility," Luttrell said.

At Lumpkin County, coach Tommy Jones just started working with the varsity drills Wednesday.

That means the Indians will have eight days of practice before their spring football game at 6 p.m. May 20 in Dahlonega. Between now and then, Jones will be looking at the cohesiveness, fundamentals and retention of the playbook.

"What we do in the spring gives us momentum for the summer programs," Jones said.

Coaches are going to try to make the 10 possible practices during spring as authentic as possible.

Players are also able to wear full uniforms and helmets, adding to the sense that football season can't be too far away.

"Every year, the team takes on a new personality and leadership," Jones said. "This is our first chance to see how they work together."