Better or worse? Describing every SEC team's QB situation in 2020
Nothing stays the same. That includes the state of SEC QB play in 2020.
The league just lost a trio of immensely talented QBs. All 3 won an SEC championship, 2 won a national championship and the other reached the title game.
Joe Burrow had the single greatest season in the sport’s history. We know LSU’s QB situation won’t come anywhere near his record-breaking 2019 campaign.
But what about the rest of the league? Should fans feel optimistic or fearful? Will the QB play be better, worse or very similar?
Alabama: Slightly worse (but much better than you think)
Here’s the thing: Mac Jones is fully capable of throwing for 35+ TDs in 2020. (He averaged a TD pass every 10 throws in 2019.) He doesn’t have Tua Tagovailoa’s NFL future, but he still has explosive wideouts, NFL-caliber running backs and one of the best lines in the country. This offense is set up to succeed … and it will.
Arkansas: Better
It can’t possibly be any worse than 5 guys sharing snaps and splitting starts — most of the yo-yoing a result of indecisiveness and poor play as opposed to injury.
Feleipe Franks will end every bit of that nonsense and throw for 25+ TDs in 2020.
Auburn: Slightly better
Bo Nix will be a year older, but I still don’t like his mechanics. His sidearm delivery reminds me more of a shortstop than an All-SEC QB. Accuracy will continue to be an issue. But he’s the guy and the offense will be built around him, so you can expect him to surpass his freshman numbers (2,542 yards, 16 TDs). The number that really needs to jump is YPA. It was just 6.7 last season. Real progress/development will push that closer to 8.0.
Florida: Better
I hear the Emory Jones talk and wonder: The only way that Dan Mullens considers switching from Kyle Trask to Jones is if he isn’t convinced Florida has the wideouts to keep throwing it 35 times a game.
Trask proved he is effective and efficient. That might sound like “average,” but he was better than that. Yes, the Gators will have an overhauled receiving corps in 2020, but it’s a much more troubling sign if Mullen, after 3 recruiting classes, hasn’t found answers on the outside.
I do, however, like the flexibility and schematic edge that the Gators have with 2 completely different QBs.
Georgia: Better
The knee-jerk reaction will be, “What?” Followed by expletives. All good. I’ve heard it all. A few more won’t bother me.
The simple truth is, for whatever reason, Jake Fromm regressed significantly in 2019. I’m convinced one of the reasons he left early was he didn’t think 2020 would be much different.
It will be though. Kirby Smart hired Todd Monken to overhaul/upgrade the passing game. It was a year too late for Fromm, but it will help grad transfer Jamie Newman.
I’ll be stunned if Newman doesn’t throw more than 24 TD passes (Fromm’s total) in 2020. Heck, he threw 26 last season for Wake Forest.
Kentucky: Better (but not nearly as much fun to watch)
Terry Wilson’s injury essentially ended Kentucky’s ability and willingness to throw the football. But then Lynn Bowden reminded us there is more than 1 way to win. Bowden was as fun to watch as Joe Burrow — just in exactly opposite ways.
Kentucky threw 9 TD passes in 2019. Obviously that total will grow, probably triple, in 2020.
Ideally, Wilson is fully healed and Joey Gatewood is eligible for 2020, giving Mark Stoops 2 capable options.
LSU: Worse
Burrow threw 60 TD passes in 2020. LSU threw 59 combined in 2015-2018.
I’ll be genuinely impressed if Myles Brennan gets to 25 in 2020.
Moving along …
Mississippi State: Better
Sorry, Joe, but this is what a real QB guru looks like.
Much like Dan Mullen, Mike Leach will scheme his way to 3,000 yards and 30 TD passes. Moorhead’s QBs totaled 2,333 and 19 — in 13 games — last season.
Missouri: TBA
Honestly, I don’t have a real good feel for the Tigers. New QB, new head coach — neither nearly as proven, either.
Eli Drinkwitz has a reputation as an offensive savant. His App State team certainly scored in bunches in 2019. It made just enough plays to knock off North Carolina and South Carolina, too.
I need to see a bit more, but if you’re a Tigers fan, you certainly are expecting more than 17 TD passes again in 2020.
Ole Miss: Better
Why? Lane Kiffin.
Sometimes it’s as simple the man calling the offense.
The interesting thing will be to see how Kiffin handles the QBs. John Rhys Plumlee and Matt Corral are so different, but both are effective.
Expecting the Rebels to throw more than 11 TD passes in 2020 is the easiest “over” in the league.
South Carolina: Better
Admittedly, the bar is low. The Gamecocks threw just 12 TD passes in 2019. (They threw 32 in 2018).
Injuries (Jake Bentley) and inexperience (Ryan Hilinski) no doubt contributed, but so, too, did the Gamecocks’ indecisiveness. They never figured out what exactly they wanted to be on offense.
That’ll change in 2020. Mike Bobo was hired to fix the offense, and he will.
Tennessee: Worse
That’s not necessarily a reflection of the QBs. Wide receivers play a key role, too, and Tennessee is losing its 2 best in Jauan Jennings and Marquez Callaway. They accounted for 1,600 receiving yards and 14 of the Vols’ 19 TD receptions last season. No other Vol had more than 1 TD reception.
Couple that with the star-studded offensive line returning, and I expect Jeremy Pruitt to lean even more heavily on the running game in 2020.
Texas A&M: Better
It’s go time for Kellen Mond and the Aggies.
The schedule isn’t as brutal. The learning curve should be complete. Quartney Davis and Kendrick Rogers are off to the NFL, but leading receiver Jhamon Ausbon returns after a breakout junior season. He’ll be joined by All-Freshman SEC TE Jalen Wydermyer. Isaiah Spiller, a natural receiver, proved to be a threat out of the backfield. He’ll have a prominent role.
Modest goals for Mond in 2020: 3,300 yards and 30 TD passes. If the Aggies truly hope to contend, Mond will need to contend for the SEC passing TD title.
Vanderbilt: TBA
Consider this an even murkier situation than Missouri.
Vandy has a new offensive coordinator in Todd Fitch and a QB competition following graduation and transfers. Fitch has a reputation of developing QBs, but it will be tested in 2020.
Who wins the job? It’s too early to tell. The Commodores signed JUCO Jeremy Moussa, who has the most game experience in the QB room.
It’s logical to look at their situation and say “worse,” but Vandy only threw 10 TD passes last season.
Expecting 1 TD pass per game isn’t unrealistic, is it?
UGA could easily be tabbed “TBA” at this point. We have had a lot of eye candy, but it’s still early days and there is a lot to sort out.
That was supposed to say we have added a lot of eye candy
Definitely agree. No sense in building a hype train over a bunch of unknowns on offense. Could be better, could be the same. At this point we don’t know what we don’t know. I am encouraged by the moves though.
It literally does not matter who you have at QB, Kirby Smart will ruin them. He cannot coach an offense and people are starting to figure that out
Better? Um…TBA please. If the QB stats improve next year, then it won’t be solely because of Newman’s play, same as Fromm’s regression doesn’t fully lie on his shoulders. I’m excited about Newman, but he’s probably thanking his lucky stars he’ll at least have the likes of Rosemy, Washington, and Burton to nip at the heels or surpass the likes of Simmons and Landers.
Plus he won’t have Coley calling plays.. I still wonder if Fromm would have left if Smart had hired Monken before he made his decision..
I think you will get about the same production out of the QB as last year, just hope you have a better WR corp.
So you’re saying his stats will probably be better, but that he’ll overall be about as good as Fromm?
Correct. Fromm regressed for sure in 2019, everyone saw that, but his receivers didn’t help. And the play calling. I think you will get about the same play from Newman, but hopefully better pass catchers and schemes.
Makes sense.
I don’t disagree that we will lean more on the run but that doesn’t make the QB situation worse. I would say it’s about the same or better. I would say the receiver position is worse.
Only Ga people so far. We must be worried.
How is that surprising. 50% of the comments on this site are Ga folks, and probably 70% of the clicks.
lol same goes for you folks. Where there’s UGA, there’s always UF brawling.
I could throw to LSUs skilled players and be 1st team all SEC qb.
Chase 5 star
Marshall 5 star
Palmer 5 star
Boutte 5 star
Emery 5 star
Gilbert 5 star
Stingley 5 star
Should I keep going or do you get the point?
But but but brady is gone lsu is doomed!
All brady did was design a few plays, that are still in the playbook, ensminger called em.
Brennan +1600 heisman odds is candy from a baby
LSU national champions 2021
Not just Brady, more importantly you lost Burrow. Your post sounds like your name: fantasy
And Stingley is a DB, what kind of fan are you
Stingley will be getting touches on offense next year… scary ain’t it?
And Brennan was a much higher ranked qb prospect than burrow coming out of highschool…
Let’s pretend Brennan is only 70% as talented as Burrow, that’s still 4000 yds and 45 tds!
Brennan will win the heisman… if Stingley doesnt.
Brennan won’t touch 25 TDs this season throwing and will throw 8 INTs. In order to have a good passing game, Brennan will need a great running game.
If Brennan was even moderately good, he would have started in 2018 when Burrow was mediocre.
Maybe Brennan will grow that much this off season.
Miss State and Ole Miss will be significantly better offensive teams in 2020. Should make the West stronger, although LSU takes a step back.
I just hope aTm takes a leap forward. I expect more from Fishers program, especially for what they are paying him.
Bo Nix has plenty of room to grow, but can his defense keep them in games next season?
The East is the East. So So QB play can win a weaker division.
I hope Fantasy isn’t a gambler
I hope he is a gambler and wants to place a bet with me. I’ll even give him good odds.
@theRealcojones Coach O promised Stingley he would play both sides of ball if he came to LSU. Thats why he said that. He returned all the punts this year and is expected to see the field at WR. Just an FYI from what we know.
@RollTide_N_Colorado and thats why youre not Coaching a Power 5 team, and Coach O is polishing his natty right now. Play your grad transfer that has a little more experience or throw your redshirt freshman to the wolves? Doesnt sound like a very complicated decision to me. Brennan has also gained a much needed 15 lbs since then.
All them Crawfish? Or swamp juice?
Pfarmer are you a college football coach?
I won’t go that far, but this guy will definitely be eating crow about Brennan by the time the season is done. Kid has a gun and will have arguably one of the best receiving corps in the country to throw to. His prediction is way harsh and won’t pan out, guaranteed.
Burrow does not have a particularly strong arm. What he does have is accuracy, physical toughness, scrambling ability and off the charts football IQ. Brennan may have a good year, but he will not approach Burrow’s production.
This is the most accurate statement said on this thread yet. Brennan will have a good year, and I stop at good. I believe he’ll throw 30-35 TD’s with about 8 int. He will not come close to Burrow’s production. Neither will anyone else in the country probably in the next decade either.
Burrow’s pocket presence was/is off the charts. I don’t know that I’ve ever seen a qb that knows when and where to go depending on the pressure while keeping his eyes downfield. Brennan may very well turn out to be a stud QB but a second coming of Burrow (or anything close)? Doubtful. *LSU has tons of talent in the fold, but inexperience is bound to have its usual effect on the 2020 season in Baton Rouge. *See bama this year-.
Please do not gamble. You do not understand college football.
And incidentally, while JaMarr Chase plays like a 5-star should, he is a mid-range 4-star. The only two names on your list who are truly special are Chase and Stingley. It takes 22 to plus roster depth to play the game.
LSU will lose two games next year; maybe three.
Gilbert is the highest rated TE prospect ever… and that ain’t special?
Chase is a mid range 4 star? You are joking right? He was the number 1 prospect out of Louisiana, and a top 4 or better wr in his class by all the national rankers. Biletnikoff winner.
Marshall has the 3rd most TDs in a single season in LSU history… and he only played half the year.
Did you even watch Chris Curry run all over Oklahoma in the CFP semifinal?
I believe if you check the 247 Sports composite, you will find that Chase was a mid-range 4-star coming out of high school. Curry was a lower end 4-star.
Now understand, these guys are exceptional players. But you’ve got you’re facts wrong.
Gilbert has exceptional potential but he’ll be a true freshman. Maybe he’ll pan out and maybe he won’t. For a true freshman tight end, catching the ball is only part of what he has to learn. We’ll see.
If you want to go by 247 we can… his final ranking on 247 was number 84 in the nation… hardly middle of the mall 4 star. And you probably didnt know he was a 5 star on 247 when he signed with LSU. Bet 247 wishes they would have left that 5th star on him.
And Curry started the year as the 4th team rb behind CEH, Price, and Emery… you were saying something about depth and it takes 22 players? Every starter on LSUs team next year will sign checks in the league… scary ain’t it? #back2back
You sound like a Georgia fan with all your focus on star ratings. A 3-star can play like a 5-star and a 5-star can play like a 3-star. You don’t know how they’re going to turn out.
Chase was a Florida commit for most of his junior and senior years in high school so I am very familiar with him. He was never a 5-star in the 247 composite. But again, he is an outstanding player.
I’m pretty sure 247 Sports couldn’t care less where they did or didn’t rank and individual player.
And no, LSU is not scary going into next year.
Dec 31 2017… fanbuzz article titledFive-star WR JaMarr Chase reveals three finalists, with two more schools currently sitting at “maybe”
Now for the excerpt…
“According to 247Sports — which has Chase rated as a five-star and the No. 4 wide receiver in the nation in their individual rankings — Chase still has official visits left to Auburn and LSU before he decides on his commitment.”
Anything else gator?
Hey band, play neck!
You don’t know what you don’t know. The 247 individual rankings and the 247 composite rankings are two different things. The 247 composite averages the ratings each player receives from all of the major evaluation services (ESPN, Rivals, 247 (which now includes Scout)).
So even though 247/Scout may have rated Chase as a 5-star in its own individual player rankings, he was never rated high enough by the other services to reach 5 stars in the 247 composite. The 247 composite ranking is what everybody goes by (except coaches, who make their own evaluations for the players they offer scholarships to).
But once again, for the umpteenth time, Chase is a phenomenal player. And there are a whole lot more 3-star and 4-star players in the NFL than 5-stars. Stars are an indicator of talent, but not a determinant.
Still “Talkin’ Out The Side Of Your Neck” eh gator?
Obviously there are more 3 and 4 stars in the nfl because only a handful of kids are awarded the prestigious 5th star.
Let’s just cut to the Chase… LSU has a better team than Florida and will come into the swamp next year undefeated, as the defending national champions, loaded with 5 stars, and whip your gators on their way back to the college football playoffs!
Curious do you watch basketball? How did those gators do tonight?
LSU will lose to Alabama and Florida next year. They may lose a third game to Texas A&M. They will probably beat Auburn.
I don’t really pay much attention to basketball until the NCAA tournament. But congratulations on the win. Or I guess I should say the wave-off of the Gators last basket.
Refs always wave off baskets that happen after the buzzer. Part of the rules.
Definitely sounds like a Georgia fan with all the silly emphasis on 5 stars. Should go argue with the pups about who has more
Lol LSU had a magical season this year But I’m pretty certain LSU drops 3 at least next year without burrow and his stupid super human play y’all wouldn’t have won 11 games this year
That wasn’t the point. Whoever the QB may be next season, he ain’t throwing 60 TDs. So worse.
That was the point being made by fantasy. He wasn’t responding to the “worse” prediction. He responded to the writer saying he’d be surprised in Brennan got 25 tds. With the best 2 WRs in the conf, stud backs and an experienced Title gm winning OC, I see Brennan getting at least 35 tds. The writer is an idiot.
Oh, bye, any tm in the History of CFB would be WORSE having to replace a WB who tossed 60 tds! Duh! Relative to the other SEC tms, I like LSUs QB situation just fine.
Btw…..
And therefore 35 does not equal 60, which is worse. He was demeaning your team or the potential starter. Don’t take it so personal.
The explanation as to why worse is what makes the column worse. Ha. 25 tds is a average expectation. For a top 10 team you’ll definitely bypass 25 throwing. Although I do think the bayou boys will be running a bit more than the tittle yr. An above average qb, we have, and a above average team, we have, makes for more than 25 tds
Player development is not a linear, logical progression based on recruiting rankings. Performance is not solely predicted on the quantity of 5 stars on a squad, especially if that talent is young. A new DC, new QB, overhauled WR corps, and starters to replace all over both sides of the ball mean it will be a steep hill to climb. LSU could very well make another championship run, but it is frankly laughably premature to confidently predict that replacing the losses from 2019 will be an easy matter of plugging in young 5 stars.
Overhauled wr corps? Starters to replace all over both sides of the ball? These so called experts need to dig a little deeper.
We will start with that receiving core. LSU loses 1 wr, but are bringing back the biletnikoff winner and have easily the best wr core in the nation for 2020. Name a better group… I’ll wait.
Moss showed out vs Clemson but he was a no show most of the season… Gilbert is a future 1st rounder but like Stingley he’ll have to wait 3 years… sure hope moss gets drafted for his sake… think gilbert arriving on campus had a part in him declaring?
Runningbacks? Curry Emery Price 3 headed monster
My favorite is reading about how LSU is losing 4 starters on the offensive line and how weak they will be there… I laugh. Rosenthal started 3 games at LT and played the majority of the snaps in 5 games, but he is not considered a returning starter like the RT Deculus. Now let’s move to the guards. Ed Ingram started 12 games as a true freshman. He played in 10 games this year, started vs ole miss and Arkansas,and played the majority of the snaps(68)vs Oklahoma, yet he isn’t considered a returning starter. Chasen Hines may start at the other guard, like he did as a freshman, but he will probably move to center, that allows the dog kardell Thomas to play at the other guard… he is probably the best of the bunch.
And Myles Brennan will only throw for 25tds… lmfao.
I love people who say “I’ll wait” on internet comment sections.
You have nothing else to do. Quite impressive.
No one’s claiming to be an expert, just that the narrative you’re pushing isn’t how college football works. Recruiting profiles and 2’s and 3’s on the depth chart flashing brilliance doesn’t automatically translate into dominant or even strong performances the following year. College football is littered with examples of this. UGA in 2019 is a prime example or the fact that Bama didn’t win 7 or 8 NC’s in a row is another. There are simply too many variables to account for. I’m not worried about convincing you as I have absolutely no doubt you’ll be met with reality in the 2020 season.
Come on man you have a Georgia symbol next to your name, don’t come here saying stars are not the end all, be all. Stick to the narrative
My God, the obsession.
Yes obsessed with 5 stars and stars alone
Gotta love the unbridled optimism of the off-season, right? LSU should still have a good team next year, but predicting a back-to-back at this point?
Gotta predict someone right? And I sure ain’t predicting Clemson who we just waxed or a tua less bama.
Should be a no brainer for you tamu fans… need I remind you… 50 to 7
So Bama loses Tua and it means we’re sunk, but LSU loses Burrow and no problem? Fan much?
Its equal in impact
@ Alatide, remember that Fantasy is part of his name. I think that explains it all
It’s not equal because Bama returns its coordinators and its star running back.
Bama returns the majority of its Oline, their entire backfield minus Tua their leading receiver from this past season and the OC… The WB actually got some experience this season as well… They are not equal at all in impact.
Bama returns some players from a team that got waxed by lsu
You do know LSU returned players this past season that got waxed by Bama the year prior right?
You must still be in your binge.
Thats not healthy dude but hey a dreamer has to dream
#put the bottle down
Ha ha that was good for a few laughs. You all will regress to the norm in 2021 and the cajuns will be calling for Ed O’s scalp!
LSU’s norm still beats Auburn the majority of the time.
Fantasyfootballgod, wow, didn’t take long for LSU fans to get cocky after winning one. Your idea of football seems to be rooted in a Madden video game.
Anytime you lose your coaching staff and Heisman winner, plus many early draft departures, it’s a big deal. You can try to focus on other aspects all you want, but you can’t ignore the elephant in the room. The first thing people point to when talking about Bama’s recent ‘struggles’ is coaching turnover. But when it happens at LSU (something Orgeron hasn’t even had to deal with yet) it’s not going to matter?
And as for Brennan, you just can’t have any idea what you’re going to get there. He could be great, terrible or somewhere in between. There can’t be any certainty there. Bama is better off with the QB situation because we’ve actually been able to see Mac Jones play in some meaningful games, and we have Tua’s brother and Bryce Young competing with him. LSU has Brennan and that’s it. No competition and no back-up plan.
Diminishing what Brady did is also dumb. If it was as easy as having a guy come in and give everyone a quick tutorial on how to throw a football, don’t you think every program and franchise would do that and be great forever? Ensminger suddenly figure out how to call plays? What happened last year when he called plays that led to a joke of an offense? Now he knows what he’s doing because he sat next to Brady for a few months? This is just low level thinking. Get with it.
The right place at the right time… Brady got lucky O came a calling or else he would still be an offensive assistant for the Saints. And if you think he is going to have that kind of success in Carolina think again. Carolina doesn’t have the athletes of an LSU.
Ed helped Brady by bringing him from the NFL down to the collegiate level? That doesn’t make sense. I think it’s the reverse: Ed got lucky that Brady came along. Ensminger and Ed were stuck in the mud offensively and now they look better because a guy with a brain in his head came along and bailed them out. Now he’s gone and you think somehow Ed and Ensminger will be fine on their own again. That’s a stretch.
So Alatide, you think Brady would be an nfl OC now if it weren’t for what he did at LSU? That’s as bad a take as any on this page.
Hmm, did I say that? Nope. Ed was lucky to get an NFL mind into his offense which was otherwise dead in the water. And now Brady is being recognized for completely pumping life into that corpse.
Same level of competition. It’s the SEC my guy haha. But you’re right that experience your guy Mac has is also that same film that will show he can’t throw the deep ball. So see you in the loser column next yr
I admire your optimism. I think that you are crazy, but I aire the confidence.
With all this talk about Brennan throwing 8000 TDs and being a shoo-in for the Heisman, I’m just curious, who is going to be protecting him and giving him all the time in the world to throw it all over the field? I think people seem to forget how important a veteran offensive line is. Brennan couldn’t beat out an unknown Burrow even though he knew the offense better, but suddenly he’s an instant Heisman favorite lol!
We have a veteran offensive line with 4 returning starters… anymore brainbusters?
Do you know anything about LSU? What 4 Starting offensive linemen are they returning?
I would like you to Name them… Because they’re not retiring 4 starting Offensive lineman.
Let me help you… LSU returns one starting offensive lineman…
You just showed you know nothing about LSU.
LSU does return four guys with significant starting experience. Deculus was the only full time starter from last season, but Ingram was a full time starter the season before and Rosenthal and Hines both started multiple games this season. The line certainly won’t have near the depth, but should be ok.
Starting a Backup because of a injury to the starter doesn’t all the sudden turn a player into a returning starter… Mac got some experience last season due to injury of Tua but he isn’t a returning starter either….
His post was clear in what he said…. LSU isn’t returning 4 starters from this past seasons offensive line..
All them wins and Heismen
Pump the brakes kid. We’ll be a solid team and no way we regress back to Miles era offense. But we ain’t winning back to back. No way. I’m just gonna sit back and admire this past season for what it was
IDK what fantasyland your living in but I would like to visit
Florida will be better and LSU will be worse no argument there.
Now if UT will be worse because they lost a couple of WRs but have the same QBs, saying UGA will be better is inconsistent.
They lost the QB, RB, WR and 3 O linemen.
You hope that’s what happens. Nothing at all tells me y’all will do any better than 10-2 or 9-3 In regular season per usual.
We will see but I’ll take the team with the same coaching staff, same QB and most starting players coming back over the one who lost a bunch of coaches, their QB and a bunch of starters on both sides of the ball.
Sounds a lot like everyone’s predictions before this season when the Gators were replacing their entire offensive line and a few key defensive stars, but somehow they went ahead and won 11 games. Now with a veteran team returning and statistically the best QB in the SEC on top of a much easier schedule, the Gators will suddenly regress back to 9 or 10 wins “per usual”? HILARIOUS! Some people are either really clueless about college football or just say stupid things for the sake of argument.
We will be better.
It seems like GA folks are more down on Fromm than FL folks are on Franks. Strange as Fromm will go down as a Georgia great and Franks will be remembered along the likes of John Brantley and Jeff Driskel.
Who’s down on Fromm? Fromm’s struggles were a result of Coley’s crappy system. I don’t blame Fromm for 2019. I think you just like to run your mouth since you keep getting run off the field.
No need to get nasty. Why can’t you just try and have an intelligent conversation
Intelligent conversation?? With GoW? LOL
There are plenty of UGA people who think a random ACC QB not named Lawrence is going to be more productive than Fromm, including the poster I replied too. I would reserve my opinion until at least the spring game.
Florida will be worse.
I’m sure you’re probably right. In his second year Trask will be worse than he was in his first year.
And a Georgia quarterback with a 2.2 TD to INT ratio against ACC defenses will probably be better against SEC defenses.
Trask led UF to three points after the 3rd quarter and 17 overall against UGA.
If UF wants to beat UGA, you better hope Trask is better.
What game were you watching? It’s amazing how many UGA fans are confused about how the game went down. Trask threw for 154 yards and 2 TDs in the second half and those TDs were in the 3rd and 4th quarter. Had the defense been able to stop one 3rd down play late in the game to get his hot hand back on the field, there’s no telling how that game ends. Trask will be better with a full offseason of preparing as the starter, you can bet that.
I don’t think Florida will be worse but I’m not sure they will be better either. Lost a lot of WR talent. Still need to prove that you can run the ball. I do think UGA will improve. Hell it’s hard to imagine us being any worse. I do think you’re looking at Newman wrong though. He played in the ACC I get it but he also played on one of the worst teams in the ACC. The talent around him was non existent. I’m not saying he’ll be a Heisman contender but he just needs to play smart and his ability to run and throw the deep ball will open up the run game which is what we want to do anyway.
I think UGA fans are overestimating how much talent the Gators are actually losing at the receiver position. This isn’t UGA coming into 2019. There’s still a lot of talent remaining in Pitts, Copeland, Toney, and Grimes. Seeing as the Gators rushed for 244 yards against UVA, it’s pretty obvious the o-line was starting to click and will only get better with a full offseason. The rushing game will get better, there’s no doubt about that. People seem to think losing Perine is some sort of death blow, but it really isn’t. Pierce was only 300 yards behind him with 2 less TDs and 78 less carries. He’s a beast.
Y’all were loaded at WR which is why I don’t think you will be worse. I just don’t see where the significant improvement will come from. Regardless of how many WRs are still on the roster you lost some veteran guys there.
Yeah but we basically relied solely on the passing game and were pretty one-dimensional. I have no doubt the running game will improve as it showed in the bowl game. It’s not easy replacing 4 offensive linemen, especially with how bad the recruiting of that position was before Mullen. It’s only natural to take a full season of growing pains. It’s rare to see linemen regress with more experience, especially with good coaching. There’s enough talent left at the WR position to have success in the passing game when it’s needed. I think the offense overall will improve and that’s where you’ll see the significant improvement.
I think FL folks are underestimating what we lost at FL. You can’t expect that Grimes and co can just fill in for Jefferson, Swain, and Hammond. These folks are some of the best route runners and catchers I’ve seen at Florida. The WR groups alternated drives and the offense dropped off a lot when the Grimes/Copeland group came in. Bob, can we get an article on this!!!
With that said, I think Trask has better numbers next year just because he’s going to learn and mature and he did leave a bit on the table.
I don’t think any Florida fans are underestimating what we lost. I think most are well aware of what’s actually returning. The UGA fans seem to think we’re depleted. We lose 1871 yards and 16 TDs out of Jefferson, Swain, Cleveland, and Hammond. We return 1607 yards and 11 TDs out of Pitts, Grimes, Copeland, and Toney. With the exception of Pitts, that production is from backups who will now be primary targets. To think their production won’t increase in that role is a little crazy. There’s some great talent behind those guys as well, like Wells, Weston, Marks, and not to mention some of the true freshmen like Henderson, Fraziers, and possibly Manuel if he qualifies. The team is far from depleted at the WR position. This isn’t a complex offense that puts a lot of stress on receivers to get open and requires 5 star players to have success.
Very Smart post.
Georgia: Better. That one is easy.
If Jamie Newman’s rankings-projections are anywhere close, he should be able to better Fromm’s 2019 numbers.
That’s not a knock on Jake Fromm. Fromm simply didn’t have anybody to pass the ball to. Then every defense stacks the box and slows the run down, and it gets hard to call an effective offense.
That won’t be the case in 2020, with much more receiver talent and depth, and it looks like Newman will get more passing attempts simply by design.
More receiver talent? Don’t you guys have the same ones from last year minus Cager
Rosemy and Smith should be able to contribute early. Bush and Robertson should be heathy again and Pickens will be able to take over as #1 with Washington at TE we should be better. And hopefully the new scheme will be the biggest improvement.
Chris Wright?, here’s a bone. QB Robinson looked good in his last college offense and he will look good in this one, which will have some common elements. QB Powell will be an automatic factor if Bazelak doesn’t heal before roughly July. QB Cook is already on Campus and don’t be shocked if he beats out one or all of the above as a freshman. Not because he was ready in Nov. of 2019 but because he has shown one of the fastest improvement curves over the past year. So do you think Missouri doesn’t have receivers, because they have some receivers, but they didn’t have a receiver’s coach last year, or a play-book that gave them a chance to perform, and Dooley is gone. Conclusion Drinkwitz has more than enough experience and proven record to expect Missouri’s passing attack to be back
Still riding that Felipe Franks train.
Hahahahahaha!
Meet the new Franks… same as the old Franks. The QB whisperer couldn’t coach him up.
Couldn’t coach him up? 2018 was Mullen’s first season at Florida. Here are Franks’ completion ratios:
54.6% 2017, season
58.4% 2018, season
64.9% 2018, last 4 games
76.1% 2019, first three games
LOL yeah I’d expect that out of anyone. Let’s break that stat down further
Last 4 games of 2018:
-Mizzou
-South Carolina
-Idaho
-Florida State
First three games of 2019:
-Miami
-Tennessee-Martin
-Kentucky
Not one of those teams were ranked by the end of the season nor at the time they played. Franks is Franks. He may have improved some, but how much of that was just due to maturity in the game and not influence from Mullen? I think Mullen is a fantastic QB coach (Nick Fitzgerald at MSU is a fine example) but those stats aren’t overwhelmingly convincing to that case
I get your point. But actually, the last four games of 2018 were South Carolina, Idaho, Florida State and Michigan in the Peach Bowl.
If anyone thinks Franks would’ve still taken as big of a jump statistically as he did from ’17 to ’18 under the coaching of Mac, then they’re about as delusional as it gets. I would’ve thought Trasks’ performance this season after not starting for 7 years would’ve been enough evidence for people to stop questioning Mullen’s abilities as a QB whisperer, but I guess not. Even with the long line of players that excelled under his tutelage, people still question him, so it’s quite obvious they always will unless he winds up coaching their team.
pfarmer–Speaking only for Kentucky, the team may have not been ranked at the end of the season, but that doesn’t reflect how good the Cats’ defense was. Here are a couple stats for the 2019 defense, mostly related to the passing game:
–Kentucky’s defense surrendered only seven touchdown passes all season, tied with Ohio State for the second-fewest in the nation.
–Opposing quarterbacks had a 112.3 QB rating (13th nationally) averaging 6.3 yards per pass (19th).
–Opponents averaged 172.2 passing yards per game against Kentucky’s secondary, trailing only Ohio State, Clemson and Notre Dame.
–In Brad White’s first year as defensive coordinator Kentucky held opponents to only 18.4 points per game, tied for 13th in the nation. That’s better than Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee and eight other SEC teams.
So yes, Kentucky has a way to go before they are any kind of elite team, but the defense is very respectable, even in the SEC.
I want some of what this writer is smoking.
Plenty of wide receiver talk in this analysis of quarterbacks, as there should be. So let me add this…
“…but it’s a much more troubling sign if Mullen, after 3 recruiting classes, hasn’t found answers on the outside.” says Wright.
Dan managed to recruit some standout defenders, some solid RBs and a couple of really talented QBs in his time in Starkville. But if there is one area where Mullen struggled in his recruiting efforts and one group where he left the cupboard fairly bare, its the wide receiver corps, says I.
I don’t know what he’s talking about. Pitts at tight end will be an All American next year. Toney in the slot is electric. Grimes at wide receiver is an elite nightmare mismatch. And Copeland at the other wide receiver spot is a star in the making, fast with great ball skills. All four of these guys –except Toney, who was injured– got lots of playing time this year. And there’s more talent behind them; most notably, tight end Keon Zipperer and incoming freshman wide receiver Xzavier Henderson.
All of those cats mentioned above dont have a prayer vs dbu…
Stingley the number 1 corner in the nation 2019 on 1 side, Ricks the number 1 corner in the nation 2020 on the other. Stevens Vincent Harris Flott NO FLY ZONE!!!
Remember when a 3 star wr torched 24 in death valley? If you don’t watch your homecoming game again.
I remember the only turnover in that 42-28 beatdown was an INT… by 24.
Thats because the refs didn’t call the hold on the primary read to Cleveland.
First drive of the second half Jefferson torched Stingley on 4 straight catches…
didn’t seem to help to stop the bleeding…
Sure Fantasy guy we all know LSU is going undefeated again and wins back to back. Sure
1. Back shoulder fades… hardly torching him.
2. Van Jefferson was a senior and wont be their next year… Stingley was a true freshman bub.
TD over the middle…we got plenty coming back. See you in Gainesville corndog.
Prior to this year, our WR recruiting was certainly lacking. This year has been standout and if we can get Shorter, we should be set for the next few years.
Love the off-season and unbridled optimism by fans for their teams..
Nobody actually knows what will happen, but there is no way that LSU is better at QB. If you are relying on a stud true freshman to lead you, look at Auburn and that is probably close to what you will be getting this year. Lots of talent on that team, but losing both coordinators and tons of talent cannot be fixed overnight.
I am with other Gator fans that Fromm may have struggled some this year, but why throw the ball around when you have Swift at RB. Tamper the optimism on your transfer QB. He is coming from the ACC and very few of those defenses would be ranked in the top 2/3’s of the SEC.
As for Trask and the Gators. If we land Shorter and he can play, you just added a 5 star experienced receiver to the mix. Add in that we do bring back 3 studs (Grimes, Toney and Pitts) and our OL will be greatly improved, I see us at being the same if not slightly better.
We will see..
Yeah I agree. We will certainly be taking a step back at QB. I find it funny how so many people on here and across the country are making predictions about LSU and simply haven’t even spent 5 minutes looking at facts. Some lady from Bama came on Paul Finebaum the other day talking about how Myles Brennan’s duel threat skills are going hurt our scheme because we need a pocket passer. Myles Brennan is a junior, pro style QB that has a cannon. He threw 165 TDS in 3 years of 6A football. It’s not like we have a true freshman walking in taking over the team.
Miles Brennan should be fine and LSU should win about 10 games in the regular season.
So let me see if I understand your logic on the QB situation. UT gets every QB back while adding H Bailey (a kid every school in the nation wanted) and our situation in the QB room is worse?
Chris Wright must be the pen name for Dave Hooker
How do you rank the Vols worse because of the wideouts? Isn’t it a story about the QB’s? Shouldn’t that wait for the story about the WR’s/TE’s?
Youre expecting too much from these lazy writers.
Everyone else was better or same so he had to throw a wrench in there somewhere. He wont be there so i feel like were good
You can’t predict QB passing performance without considering the guys he will be throwing the ball to. Look at Fitzgerald. While he is by no means an ace passer, I’d bet he watched almost as many good throws dropped by his wideouts as the number of stinkers he tossed. With good wideouts his completion percentage would have been far better than the dismal 51% he posted as a senior.
I disagree…good QB’s can make average WR’s look good at times.
Miss State and Ole Miss will be significantly better offensive teams in 2020. Should make the West stronger, although LSU takes a step back.
I just hope aTm takes a leap forward. I expect more from Fishers program, especially for what they are paying him.
Bo Nix has plenty of room to grow, but can his defense keep them in games next season?
The East is the East. So So QB play can win a weaker division.
Just ask the LSU players who the best team they played this year was… its unanimous… Auburn. The west will be won Nov 21 on the plains.
Just like this year, the best teams next year in the west will read LSU Auburn Bama
Auburn would have finished 3rd in the poor old east. L’s to Uf and UGA
Auburn finished 3rd in the west…
Tell that to your boy fantasy. He seems to think otherwise.
What makes a LSU troll my boy?
How you finish in the west doesnt mean you have the better team… you should know this as a bama fan… 2011?
Yet the bowls or NC doesn’t change the standings within a conference…
LSU won the SEC championship in 2011 and Bama won the NC…. That doesn’t take away the Conference Championship LSU won…..
You seem to know very little about CFB.. Just became a fan this month I take it?
Fromm would have been a different player in 2019 if he had had a different OC and decent receivers who could be relied on to play in every game-not even one receiver met this standard .
I’m over guys like this, and even supposed GA fans taking pot shots at Jake Fromm. Statistics are for losers as some have said. 12-2 is a great season- no matter how you slice it. Look at Jake’s great work in the bowl game- minus so many starters etc. Let it go. That being said, Newman is a great add along with Mathis, Bennet give us great options. Woof!
Interesting how trite the West is better than the East has become. In 2019 regular season, East vs West was a tie. In 2018, the East won by a significant margin.
Better at the top.
Exactly. Alabama, LSU, Auburn, A&M. Name four teams you would select from the east, put them in order, strongest to weakest, and match them with that four. See? (I put LSU behind Bama based on CFP/BCS history, not last season.)
Or how about this past decade the west had 9 SEC champions… the east had 1… it’s a no contest
It amazes me how these gator fans think they will be somebody next year. They honestly think they are going to beat the defending national champions LSU, yet they dont have any 5 stars on their roster and their qb didnt start a single game in high school. They can’t even beat lowly Georgia and win the lEast… how are they going to beat coach O and the defending national champions? LSU is just too physical and talented for the gators… anyone for that matter. Its gonna be many a moon before O loses another game, and it dangsure wont be to a team from the least.
We were all glad to see LSU bring the NC back to the SEC, and most know Coach Orgeron can get the job done and keep LSU a contender, but you really come across as an over-the-top bandwagon fan.
You apparently have no idea how naive you are. It’s one thing to be a fan of your program. It’s another to make ridiculous statements that are just goofy.
If roster strength based on high school talent evaluations worked in the real world the way you seem to think it does, Alabama and Georgia would have both beaten LSU easily this year, and Ohio State would have beaten Clemson.
In fact, Florida will have three to four 5-stars on their roster next year, or five to six using your JaMarr Chase rationale (a 5-star rating by a single rating service) for Derek Wingo. Not that it necessarily matters. Coaching and player development allowed a team like Clemson (9th in 247 Composite roster strength during its 2016 NC season) to win a national championship.
Learn a little more about college football before you come on here with your silly proclamations.
Just cause Joe Brady’s gone doesn’t mean LSU is going back to smashmouth football. Brennan won’t be anywhere near as good as Joe Burrow but he won’t be bad by any means I don’t think. Keep in mind that because of the often blowout wins that LSU enjoyed this year, Brennan got plenty of in-game reps. His stats:
-10 games
-24/40 for 353 yards and a TD
He also tore it up in HS in Long Beach, MS, set state records for total yards, passing yards, and td’s. I think he’ll be fine.