Two of the biggest surprises in the SEC this season have been Justin Worley and Brandon Allen. Both quarterbacks have exceeded expectations this season and rank among the top passers in the conference.

“(Worley) is playing like a stud and I thought he was a scrub. He was quasi-decent last year before he got hurt, but he’s been very impressive,” said Brian Edwards, a Vegas handicapper with a focus on the SEC. “Him and Brandon Allen at Arkansas. Those two guys have really proved a lot.

“That’s what I was saying in August: it’s a tough year to predict the SEC because of all the quarterback turnover. These two guys have really surprised me. I think Tennessee and Arkansas are a lot better football teams than I pegged them in August.”

Entering the season, Worley had to compete for the starting quarterback role. The senior’s career has been plagued with injuries and inconsistencies that left doubt in the minds of many fans. He saw sporadic playing time during his first two seasons, but was thrust into tough matchups with little preparation. In 2013, Worley appeared in eight games last season before injuring his thumb late in the season.

Year School Conf Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2011 Tennessee SEC FR QB 4 48 87 55.2 604 6.9 5.6 1 3 110.4
2012 Tennessee SEC SO QB 5 15 23 65.2 134 5.8 1.9 0 2 96.8
2013 Tennessee SEC JR QB 8 109 196 55.6 1239 6.3 5.5 10 8 117.4
2014 Tennessee SEC SR QB 5 119 194 61.3 1190 6.1 5.9 9 5 123.0
Career Tennessee 291 500 58.2 3167 6.3 5.5 20 18 117.4

This season, Worley is on pace to surpass his previous season totals with a solid performance against Chattanooga this weekend. With an improved wide receiving corps, Worley has looked like an efficient passer when given time in the pocket. But that’s his biggest problem, he has no time to throw.

Tennessee has one of the worst offensive lines in the nation. Worley has been sacked 18 times and hurried 33 times. His numbers would be even better if he wasn’t spending the majority of the game either on the ground or running for his life. Still, Worley has done enough to be considered one of the nation’s most improved players and is on pace to have a stellar senior season.

Brandon Allen leads the SEC’s most improved team. Coming off a 3-9 (0-8 SEC) season, the Razorbacks have already matched their win total  and look to be an improved program moving forward. Despite Arkansas’ run-heavy offense, Allen has excelled as an efficient passer and– like Worley– is on pace to match his touchdown total in the coming weeks.

Year School Conf Class Pos G Cmp Att Pct Yds Y/A AY/A TD Int Rate
2012 Arkansas SEC FR QB 5 21 49 42.9 186 3.8 1.4 1 3 69.2
2013 Arkansas SEC SO QB 11 128 258 49.6 1552 6.0 5.3 13 10 109.0
2014 Arkansas SEC JR QB 5 58 97 59.8 751 7.7 9.1 9 1 153.4
Career Arkansas 207 404 51.2 2489 6.2 5.7 23 14 114.8

Like Worley, certain factors take away from Allen’s individual statistics. Playing alongside a running game that has accounted for 1,583 yards, Allen is far from the centerpiece of the Razorbacks offense. However, a strong run game has helped the junior quarterback flourish and take advantage of defensive mismatches.