One quick look around the headlines surrounding the SEC, and the majority focus on the quarterback changes.

Fall camp opens up in a matter of days – with some teams already having opened camp – and quarterback changes and competition will take a majority of the preseason ink. Much talk has surrounded the conference changing identities from the toughest defensive conference in the country to an offensive league, but the biggest reason for the conference’s offensive explosion the last few seasons has been the quarterbacks.

Johnny Manziel. Aaron Murray. Zach Mettenberger. Connor Shaw. AJ McCarron. They are all gone, and new faces highlight fall camp, as well as a few battles that weren’t solved during spring practice.

Let’s look at a team-by-team quarterback breakdown for each SEC team, shall we?

Already named starters:

Arkansas: Brandon Allen will be the starter, and his overall health and improvement has been a hot topic heading into fall camp. The offensive line and running game should be very good, and Allen needs receivers to step up and create some separation this year. Allen threw for 1,552 yards, 13 touchdowns, 10 INTs and completed less than 50 percent of his passes last season.

Auburn: Nick Marshall will once again command the explosive offense, but he could miss some time due to off-the-field issues. If so, Jeremy Johnson is ready to step in and play game one. Auburn may have the best quarterback situation of any team heading into August, and Gus Malzahn knows that. Marshall threw for 1,976 yards, 14 touchdowns and six INTs last year, along with 1,068 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns.

Florida: Jeff Driskel is finally healthy again, and he may just have an offense that suits his strengths. Driskel threw for just 477 yards, two touchdowns and three INTs before getting injured against Tennessee. Driskel has all the physical tools to be a great player, but the intangibles are still in question.

Georgia: Hutson Mason distanced himself from any of the competitors this spring, and Faton Bauta and Brice Ramsey are the primary backups. However, Georgia still hasn’t named ‘the backup’ yet and probably won’t do so until they would have to cross that bridge. Mason has all the tools and the players around him for the Bulldogs’ offense to be explosive yet again.

Mississippi State: Dak Prescott enters the season with the keys to Dan Mullen’s offense, and Damian Williams, who played pretty well last year, would be the first off the bench. Prescott enters the season on several Heisman watch lists; that tells you what is expected of him. Prescott is a big-time runner, and he showed he’s also a very talented thrower. Mullen hopes Prescott puts it all together for one thrilling show in 2014.

Missouri: Maty Mauk distanced himself from the other quarterbacks this spring, and Eddie Printz and Corbin Berkstresser are the primary backups entering fall camp. Mauk is a fun player to watch, and he could become one of the biggest impact and breakout players the conference has to offer this season. He threw for 11 touchdowns compared to just two INTs last season.

Ole Miss: Bo Wallace is looking to have his best season yet, and the SEC’s dean of quarterbacks has the players around him to make that happen. Wallace has thrown for 40 touchdowns and 6,340 yards in two full seasons. Turnovers have been an issue, but after two years in the league, Wallace’s growth and maturation should lead the Rebels’ explosive offense.

South Carolina: Steve Spurrier loves the look of his offense and quarterback Dylan Thompson. Although the primary backup is still in question, the Gamecocks can win the conference championship with Thompson. All the keys are in place around the quarterback for Thompson to have a big senior season.

Quarterback battles in fall camp:

Alabama
Jacob Coker vs. Blake Sims: AJ McCarron is out, and a new quarterback is in. Blake Sims ran with the first team this spring, but Jacob Coker is largely figured to become the immediate starter. These two will start their battle in a matter of days of who will be handed the keys to an explosive offense.
Projected starter: Jacob Coker

Kentucky
Patrick Towles vs. Reese Phillips vs. Drew Barker: Most think Towles and Barker are the main two signal callers battling this fall, but don’t forget about Phillips. Towles leads the battle currently, but Barker can make up ground in a hurry. Although I expect Towles to start game one, it wouldn’t surprise me if we see both Barker and Phillips at some point against week-one opponent UT Martin.
Projected starter: Patrick Towles

LSU
Anthony Jennings vs. Brandon Harris: Jennings showed promise last season by leading the Tigers to two straight wins, one a thrilling come-from-behind dodged bullet against Arkansas. However, Brandon Harris may be too good to keep off the field. We saw that this spring. The Jennings vs. Harris storyline may be one of the biggest in the country through fall camp, and let’s see which player emerges. My guess is we’ll see both players against Wisconsin anyway, no matter which quarterback is named the starter.
Projected starter: Anthony Jennings

Tennessee
Justin Worley vs. Josh Dobbs vs. Nathan Peterman: The two main contenders are Justin Worley and Josh Dobbs, who went off in the spring game. Nathan Peterman isn’t completely out of the race, but he trails the other three. So, who will Butch Jones start? My money is on the senior Justin Worley, with Dobbs waiting to scrap for the leftovers. My gut says we’ll see both quarterbacks during game one.
Projected starter: Justin Worley

Texas A&M
Kenny Hill vs. Kyle Allen: Many around the Aggies’ program feel great about Kyle Allen being named the starter, despite his lack of experience. Allen is polished and poised for a freshman. Hill may be most like Johnny Manziel, and we’ll likely not know who starts game one until right before the season.
Projected starter: Kyle Allen

Vanderbilt
Patton Robinette vs. Johnny McCrary vs. Stephen Rivers: Vandy’s quarterback situation became really interesting when former LSU signal caller Stephen Rivers stepped into the mix. Rivers is a straight pocket passer; Robinette is a dual-threat quarterback who has the most experience, and McCrary may be the most explosive player on the team. So, there’s a good mix of who Derek Mason and Karl Dorrell can choose from. Despite which player is named the starter, we’ll likely see all three at some point early in the season.
Projected starter: Johnny McCrary