Last season only two SEC quarterbacks threw for more than 3,000 yards. It broke a streak of four consecutive years in which at least four SEC QBs threw for 3,000 yards in the same season.

Can you name the two from last year? Here’s a hint: It wasn’t Chad Kelly, or Joshua Dobbs, or even Jalen Hurts despite playing in 15 games. No, the only two SEC quarterbacks to throw for more than 3,000 yards last season were Arkansas’ Austin Allen (3,430) and Missouri’s Drew Lock (3,399).

Dobbs missed it by only 54 yards while Hurts and Kelly, who played in just nine games, fell short of the mark by a couple hundred yards each.

Will there be a return to normalcy in 2017 with multiple quarterbacks surpassing the 3,000-yard mark? And if so, who will they be?

Can next year’s crop of signal-callers challenge the SEC record of five quarterbacks with more than 3,000 yards in the same season (2013). That record-setting group included Johnny Manziel (4,114), Bo Wallace (3,346), Zach Mettenberger (3,082), Aaron Murray (3,075) and A.J. McCarron (3,063).

Many of the conference’s top receivers do not return for next season and the ability of some of the younger receivers to mature will be a huge factor in who does and who doesn’t reach those numbers.

Here’s a closer look at the possibilities and perhaps probabilities for SEC quarterbacks in the upcoming season, those who will reach 3,000 yards passing in 2017.

Austin Allen, Arkansas – On the surface this appears to be a no-brainer. The SEC leader last season in yards passing should have no trouble reaching 3,000 yards again in 2017. He’ll have a veteran line for the most part in front of him and appears to have every opportunity to at least duplicate last season’s totals. But the Razorbacks, more than any other team, was hit hard by graduation, losing its two top receivers. Keon Hatcher and Drew Morgan combined for 1,482 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 109 receptions. Those are huge numbers for someone to have to replace. Jared Cornelius will look to battle past an injury last season that limited his touches. Still, Cornelius will have to become the leader after totaling 515 yards on 32 catches.

Drew Lock, Missouri – Here’s a prime example of younger talent needing to step up in order to have a successful passing game. While Lock has proven to be a prolific passer, he will rely heavily on J’Mon Moore, the SEC’s top receiver last season averaging 84.3 receiving yards per game. Moore is also the only returning 1,000-yard receiver in the conference. If some of the younger talent develops and the offensive line holds up, Lock will be a lock to throw for 3,000 yards for a second consecutive season.

Jarrett Stidham, Auburn – Given the fact Auburn has produced just one 3,000-yard passer in its history, this is a bit of a wildcard pick. But as a freshman at Baylor, Stidham threw for 1,265 yards and 12 touchdowns on just 109 pass attempts. He completed 75 of those throws with just two interceptions. If he and new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey can jell, the sky is the limit for Stidham over the next few seasons at Auburn. Once again, youthful receiving talent will need to come through for this new project to work. If Auburn relies on its solid run game, with Kamryn Pettway and Kerryon Johnson in the backfield, Stidham’s touches could be limited. But don’t look for Lindsey to pull in the reins on this super-talented quarterback.

Close but not quite

Three additional quarterbacks could very easily reach that mark as well in 2017. All three were true freshmen in 2016. Georgia sophomore Jacob Eason is at the top of that list. He threw for 2,430 yards last season. But will he throw it enough times to reach that mark? Georgia was 10th in the SEC in passing attempts last season, though Eason was fifth among quarterbacks. With arguably the best running back tandem in the SEC — Nick Chubb and Sony Michel — will the Bulldogs be willing or will they have the need to throw it?

Add Ole Miss QB Shea Patterson to the list. In just three games last season, Patterson threw for 880 yards. He will step into a system that has afforded the two previous Rebels quarterbacks — Wallace and Kelly — the opportunity to surpass 3,000 yards. But the Rebels appear to be on a downward trend and that could very well keep the sophomore quarterback from accomplishing that feat.

Finally, let’s include Hurts in the conversation. The Alabama sophomore threw for 2,780 yards in OC Lane Kiffin’s final season with the Tide. Who knows what new OC Brian Daboll has in store for Hurts and the Alabama offense in 2017? If the Tide go back to the ground-and-pound offense that head coach Nick Saban is accustomed to, Hurts won’t have an opportunity to throw for that many yards. Only time will tell.