SEC Quarterback Situations: A selling point for tickets in 2015
By Kevin Duffey
Published:
There’s no conference like the Southeastern Conference in college football. While last year’s champion didn’t come out of the SEC, fans can generally expect the big teams in the nation’s toughest conference to make a good amount of noise. Alabama leads the way, with teams like Auburn, LSU and Georgia rarely far behind.
One huge change is coming for the SEC in 2015, and it could make for some inconsistency at the quarterback position. There are numerous quarterback battles to be won as August draws near and there are other new SEC starting quarterbacks already penciled in as the main man. Follow each of these quarterback battles with DISH Network sports packages that include the SEC Network so any SEC fan doesn’t miss a moment of their favorite team’s development through the summer.
Let’s break down each situation with a new face under center and see what we can expect out of SEC quarterback play in 2015:
Will Grier (Florida)
Already impressing the Gators staff in practice and during Florida’s spring game, Grier is slated to man the offense in 2015 and he just might excel. A steady presence under center could prove to be extremely key for Florida this year and if Grier is everything he’s been touted to be, Gator tickets could see a nice spike in price. Jim McElwain brings an up-tempo and numbers-friendly system from Colorado State, so there’s a decent chance things work out.
Patrick Towles vs. Drew Barker (Kentucky)
A lot of college pundits are calling for Barker to have a real shot at locking down the starting quarterback gig, which is why he’s definitely an SEC quarterback to watch going into 2015. Towles has the experience and seemed to progress this offseason, so he stands a good chance to at least begin the year as Kentucky’s main man. The Wildcats have struggled as a football team for much of their history, so a slow start could have the crowd calling for Barker later in the year.
Brice Ramsey vs. Greyson Lambert (Georgia)
Ramsey is the clear front-runner for the Bulldogs quarterback gig in 2015, but he could face a real push from Greyson Lambert. Lambert has the size and arm strength to be an interesting option, but has poor decision-making on tape thus far in college. Ramsey is currently in the lead, but it will be interesting to see how much Lambert threatens him as the summer marches on.
Jake Coker vs. David Cornwell (Alabama)
Is there a more important quarterback battle in the SEC (or college football) than this? The odds-on favorite to man the quarterback position for the Crimson Tide a year ago, Coker may again face competition for that role in 2015. That competition could be Cornwell, who has some ability and could very well win the job. Coker is the early favorite to finally take over under center and with all the hype around him, his presence could boost Alabama tickets on the secondary market this year.
Connor Mitch vs. Lorenzo Nunez (South Carolina)
There’s no doubt Connor Mitch has a serious edge against all of the other quarterbacks in South Carolina, but if there is one to keep an eye on, it’s Lorenzo Nunez. Mitch lacks polish, but he has some upside to his game and looks to be the guy under center when the Gamecocks get their season started. That being said, Nunez is seen by many as the best pure talent at the position at SC. He is rumored to have a shot at seeing the field as early as the opening week in some capacity, and he’ll be someone to monitor as a backup plan as the season wears on.
Johnny McCrary (Vanderbilt)
McCrary is an interesting case, as Patton Robinette was the locked-in starter before unexpectedly retiring due to injuries. That doesn’t mean McCrary is some slouch, though, as he looked solid at times down the stretch in 2014 and could be a name to watch in 2015.
Jeremy Johnson (Auburn)
Replacing the athletic Nick Marshall doesn’t seem like it’d be easy for Auburn, but with the big and speedy Johnson, it actually could be. Johnson looks like a natural fit for the Tigers’ offense on paper and has already expressed some massive goals. His main issue will be just taking what the defense gives him and making the smart play, rather than trying to play hero ball every week. How 2015 will go for Johnson and the Tigers is up in the air, but the potential is through the roof. If all goes well, Johnson could play a huge hand in adding serious value to Auburn tickets this season.
Chad Kelly vs. Ryan Buchanan (Ole Miss)
Another quarterback battle is going down in Ole Miss, where Chad Kelly and Ryan Buchanan should duke it out to see who wins the starting job. Kelly has had his run-ins off the field, but he seems to carry more upside of the two. Buchanan might be the safer play in terms of character, but Ole Miss looks built to make some noise if they can continue to get stellar play out of the quarterback position like they did in 2014 with Bo Wallace. Kelly is a risk, but he has enough upside to push Ole Miss to new heights.
A graduate of the University of Florida and founder of Saturday Down South, Kevin is a college football enthusiast.
