SEC Debate: Which road QB will have the best performance?
There are three quarterbacks who are going to need to step up in hostile environments in Week 6 with a lot on the line.
Arkansas QB Brandon Allen will face No. 8 Alabama in Tuscaloosa after coming away with a win in Knoxville, which is where Georgia QB Greyson Lambert will be this weekend to prevent the Bulldogs from falling to 1-2 in SEC play. And Florida QB Will Grier visits Columbia to take on two-time SEC East champion Missouri.
Our staff debates which of those signal-callers will impress the most.
WHICH ROAD QB WILL HAVE THE BEST PERFORMANCE THIS WEEK?
Christopher Smith (@csmithSDS): Brandon Allen
This one is by process of elimination. Missouri’s defense is No. 1 in the SEC in most major categories. Will Grier remains a freshman playing behind a suspect offensive line, so he’s out. Greyson Lambert got off to a fantastic start to the season, but looked more mortal in the rain last week against Alabama. His early-season completion percentage was part mirage, part due to the easy throws set up by the running game.
That leaves Brandon Allen, who has put together a nice statistical season for Arkansas. I don’t believe Allen will lead the Razorbacks to a victory, but even Arkansas shouldn’t be able to run the ball very well against the Tide. Allen is going to have to take some chances against a young but improving Bama secondary.
Talal Elmasry (@TalalElmasrySDS): Greyson Lambert
After seeing what Alabama did to Greyson Lambert and Georgia’s offense last week, there’s no way I can say with confidence that Brandon Allen goes into Tuscaloosa and has a great game. Plus, the Razorbacks seem to be reverting to last year’s run-first brand of offense, running it more than twice as often as they passed it last week against the Vols (50 runs to 24 passes). Will Grier, a redshirt freshman, will be facing a Missouri defense that leads the SEC in passing yards allowed per game (154.2) and tackles for loss (48.0) and is tied for the most interceptions (7).
That means I’m going with Greyson Lambert. His performance against a stout Tide defense isn’t going to define his season. And RB Nick Chubb isn’t going to be bottled up like that every week. Lambert is going to get back on track against a Vols defense that ranks 13th in the SEC in passing yards allowed (242.4) while allowing 9 passes for 30-plus yards (13th in the SEC).
Chris Wright (@FilmRoomEditor): Will Grier
Will Grier, and you can eliminate two others by default based on the opponent. Brandon Harris seemingly was a candidate given the way South Carolina has performed, but that game was switched to Baton Rouge, where Perry Orth will start. Can Greyson Lambert rebound? It’s possible, but why risk it when you have Nick Chubb? So that leaves Grier, who is merely coming off a four-touchdown game, just one fewer than Tim Tebow’s best day in Gainesville. He might be the best candidate if everybody were on an equal playing field this week, but he’s clearly the favorite given the obstacles ahead of the others.
John Brasier (@john_brasiersds): Greyson Lambert
The Georgia quarterback has Nick Chubb to keep Vols defenders from putting on a lot of pressure. We saw what Lambert could do with ample time on mostly short routes when he set an NCAA accuracy record against South Carolina. The Vols only have 8 sacks, 3 by linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin, who will be busy chasing Chubb.