1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …

It’s 1 game, and a body bag game at that. But I feel better about the passing game at Alabama than I do at Georgia.

Who among us would’ve said that in April?

Yet here we are, heading into the most tenuous — and potentially revealing — September nonconference game for Alabama since the 2016 season-opener, and there’s a certain Jalen Hurts vibe to it.

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves.

“We’re going to have to separate against a little different caliber of guy in the future,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.

Meanwhile, we give you 2-time defending national champion Georgia: After routing Tennessee-Martin (that’s not a misprint), the Bulldogs move this week to Ball State (also, not a misprint).

About as exciting as Carson Beck playing quarterback. Which is to say, we need more juice from Beck — more emotion, more passion, more I’m the guy aura.

Because whatever that was in the first half of Georgia’s 48-7 win wasn’t exactly championship-worthy. When your quarterback isn’t feeling it, isn’t showing it, exuding it, the rest of the team isn’t, either.

Milroe may not have the quarterback talent of Beck. He may not be able to make every throw accurately or drop deep ball dimes (although it looked pretty good against the big, bad Blue Raiders), but he has a presence about him.

He was always Alabama’s best chance to win games this season, that was never really a question. Tyler Buchner showed little in a brief stint as Notre Dame’s starter in 2022 (before injury), and redshirt freshman Ty Simpson clearly hasn’t developed as quickly as Saban would like.

But Milroe also gives Alabama a Hurts-type quarterback. The raw, freshman season of Hurts in 2016 — when he was still finding his way but was a punishing runner and a deceptively good thrower when protected.

Alabama was the drive of a season by Deshaun Watson and Clemson from winning a national title with a quarterback like that.

Then there’s Georgia, which despite its obvious hammer on defense, needed overachieving QB Stetson Bennett to win 2 national titles. They needed his emotion, his moxie, his attitude.

They needed his I’m in charge mentality, delicately mixed with a screw-it curveball. They needed his deceptive speed as a scrambler, and his passion — at times, his euphoria — of playing and performing on a big stage for his dream school.

They now have Beck, a surgeon of a thrower and a guy who has been groomed since he played Pop Warner to be the quarterback of a major college program.

“He never gets too high or too low,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said of Beck in July.

And that’s just it, I need something to faze him. I need something to knock him sideways a bit, and force him to show emotion and find it again.

I need my quarterbacks motivated and aggravated. I want him barking at the offensive line when it’s underachieving (like Georgia’s did for the first half), or with a reassuring arm around a receiver.

Maybe Beck gets there, and Georgia is fine. Maybe Milroe continues to develop, and Alabama has a season like 2016 — and Alabama and Georgia are playing in Atlanta in December with a spot in the Playoff on the line.

We’re still a long way from knowing how either guy will play in a big conference game on the road. That’s where the season is won and lost — and where someone else (LSU, Texas A&M, Tennessee) could make a move.

2. The future, the past

This is almost perfect, really. Milroe grew up in Katy, Texas, a suburb of Houston and about 2 hours from Austin.

He had a Vince Young jersey as a child, and yeah, everyone in his family loves the Longhorns. And like VY, Milroe is a freakish athlete.

He’s built like a tailback, and runs like a wide receiver and — if the Middle Tennessee game is any indicator — is more polished this season as a thrower heading into the critical game against Texas. He’s showing touch on flat throws, placement on intermediate throws, and the ability to lead receivers on deep throws.

He has been the first player in the building every work day (and many off days) since January, his car parked right next to Saban’s Mercedes. There was never any doubt this was his job, and shouldn’t be moving forward.

He’d have to completely implode to lose the gig, and frankly, he looks like a different player this time around (not that he wasn’t a solid backup in 2022).

Some guys have it; they feel it and own it. That’s what Milroe looks like, no matter the opponent. What he looked like last year against Arkansas and Texas A&M.

You don’t need a big game against USC, and a coach pulling you off the bench in the first half to know what you’ve got. Milroe looks like Hurts did in 2016.

Everything could be falling into place for the Alabama offense. WR Isaiah Bond, whom Saban has singled out on multiple occasions in the past 16 months, looks like he’s ready for a big season. Maybe WR Jermaine Burton is, too.

The offensive line didn’t look like a jumbled mess, and there were zero holding, false start or procedure calls. It was a sharp, succinct machine.

“If (Milroe) has been practicing like he played (against Middle Tennessee), I think Nick has been sandbagging,” an NFL scout told Saturday Down South. “He’s not an elite thrower of the football, you’re not going to fool anyone about that. But you’re going to win a lot of games with that kid. Especially with what he has around him.”

3. The buildout with Beck

Maybe we’re making too much of this. It was Beck’s first start at any level in 4 years, and the offensive line didn’t look anything like the 2 previous seasons.

He did throw for 294 yards and had 2 TDs (1 rush), and completed 68% of his passes in less than 3 quarters. There were some communication issues with receivers, and time management problems from Smart.

The problem is, nothing about the operation was smooth — the exact opposite of what we saw from Alabama. Both programs had new quarterbacks and new offensive coordinators.

Only 1 played like it.

Beck was named starter midway through fall camp, but it was obvious from the spring game that he was the best quarterback on the roster. It was also obvious then that he could have a big season — and still might.

But there certainly is pause, if only until we see how Beck performs against South Carolina in Week 3. Or maybe Week 3 is another step forward in the process.

More weeks preparing as the starter in practice. More weeks waking up Saturday morning as the starter, and getting those — and building on — critical game repetitions.

Remember, Beck had the job 2 years ago after JT Daniels injured a core muscle — and then Beck practiced so poorly during the week, the staff decided to play Bennett. Beck says he was a little nervous before last weekend’s game, and how he could he not be?

He’s the quarterback of the 2-time defending national champions, and the chances of Georgia winning 3 in a row rests on his ability to play well. That’s a lot of pressure for a guy who never gets too high, or never gets too low.

Beck and Milroe are both at the beginning of their journey, its’s just that Milroe plays a game of significance 3 weeks before Beck does.

“(Beck) is exactly what you want for a pro system quarterback. Every throw is easy for him,” an NFL scout told SDS. “I have no doubt about his ability, but I want to see what happens when he’s staring at adversity. I want to see what happens when the team needs a play, and everyone is looking at him for the answer. I love that moment for every quarterback, because that’s when you find separation from those who can and those who can’t.”

4. The QB Stock report

We’re 1 game into the season, and this already could be the Year of the Quarterback in the SEC. It’s Buy and Sell time (with Milroe and Beck already firmly on the Buy list). As for the rest:

  • Jayden Daniels, LSU: Hard Buy. Can do so many things, and stress a defense is so many ways. Don’t judge him on the FSU game. This could be a rare season.
  • Joe Milton III, Tennessee: Hard Buy. The offense, the receivers, the run game. It’s all set up for success.
  • Conner Weigman, Texas A&M: Hard Buy. He’s uber-talented, and OC Bobby Petrino is as good as it gets with play-calling and play structure.
  • KJ Jefferson, Arkansas: Hard Buy. A perfect fit for what coach Sam Pittman wants to do: be physical, throw over the top. A tough, talented gamer.
  • Jaxson Dart/Spencer Sanders: Buy. Can we go an entire season without a controversy of who plays and who sits? Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin has played it perfectly for the past 8 months.
  • Will Rogers, Mississippi State: Buy. New offense, less reliance on all things Rogers will translate into a more complete thrower.
  • AJ Swann, Vanderbilt: Buy. Vandy is limited in what it can do on both sides of the ball. Swann’s talent will keep them in games they have no business being in.
  • Devin Leary, Kentucky: Soft Buy. The receivers are terrific, but I’m still not convinced about the offensive line — the very problem that ended Leary’s season early in 2022 at NC State.
  • Spencer Rattler, South Carolina: Sell. This has nothing to do with talent, and everything to do with South Carolina’s ability to protect — 9 sacks?!
  • Brady Cook, Missouri: Sell. Can he stay healthy, and can Missouri run the ball efficiently to keep him from predictable down and distance throws?
  • Payton Thorne, Auburn: Sell. A Hugh Freeze offense runs best when the quarterback can throw and run.
  • Graham Mertz, Florida: Sell. A career high 333 passing yards Week 1. How many of those yards were with the game in doubt?

5. The Weekly 5

Five games against the spread.

  • 1. Texas at Alabama (-6.5)
  • 2. Ole Miss (-4.5) at Tulane
  • 3. Texas A&M (-4.5) at Miami
  • 4. Arizona at Mississippi State (-6.5)
  • 5. Auburn (+6.5) at California

Last week: 4-0.

Season: 4-0.

6. Your tape is your resume

An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: Ole Miss WR Tre Harris:

“I’ve been on him for 2 years, and had little doubt he’d spike in numbers at Ole Miss with that offense. He’s an explosive receiver: at the jam on the line of scrimmage, out of breaks, after the catch. He has those 1-3 steps where the separation is immediate and obvious. A physical guy who averaged almost 15 a catch the last 2 seasons (at Louisiana Tech). Also a difficult cover because he has great body control to frame off defenders, and to go get the ball.”

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll, and 1 big thing: Week 1 overreaction (with some truth sprinkled in).

1. Georgia: The offensive line, the backbone of the offense the past 2 seasons, isn’t nearly as good as preseason hype. Protection will be an issue.

2. Alabama: The defense — specifically the linebackers — looks completely different after 1 game under new DC Kevin Steele.

3. Tennessee: New status (the starter), same results: Joe Milton III doesn’t throw interceptions at Tennessee (174 attempts with an interception).

4. Texas A&M: McKinnley Jackson and Walter Nolen are the best interior defensive lineman tandem in the nation. No one is consistently running on the Aggies.

5. LSU: Tigers have been physically pushed around in past 3 big games (Texas A&M and Georgia in 2022; FSU in 2023), and it’s becoming a trend.

6. Kentucky: DC Brad White is the most underrated assistant coach in the SEC. His defense (again) will be among the league’s elite.

7. Arkansas: The rebuilt secondary under new DC Travis Williams and new secondary coach Deron Wilson will be elite. The 4 INTs are impressive, built by a more risk/reward scheme and teaching from Wilson (a quality control coach at Florida last season).

8. Ole Miss: The Rebels’ pass game will be difficult to stop once WR Zakhari Franklin (knee) is completely healthy. Harris, Franklin and 2022 holdover WR Jordan Watkins (and TE Michael Trigg) could be the most productive unit in the SEC.

9. Mississippi State: Jo’Quavious Marks (127 yards, 2 TDs) will rush for 1,000 yards this season, the true barometer of philosophical offensive change at Mississippi State under coach Zach Arnett. The Bulldogs had 39 carries and 29 pass attempts in the season-opener.

10. South Carolina: The offensive line will get progressively better over the course of the season. OTs Sidney Fugar, Jaxon Hughes and Tyshawn Wannamaker aren’t that bad.

11. Auburn: Robby Ashford is the best option at quarterback. He forces defenses to account for the QB run — and running the ball is the best thing Auburn does.

12. Missouri: RB Cody Schrader is the most overlooked player in the SEC. He has 10 TDs in 14 career games, and last week won’t be the only 100-yard game of his Missouri career.

13. Florida: The Gators will be lucky to win 3 games. The better bet is Florida will be bowl eligible by the end of the season.

14. Vanderbilt: There’s a legit chance to be 4-0 before the start of the SEC season. The passing game will be a problem for opponents (defense will be a problem for Vandy).

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: It’s 1 game, and I know it’s a long season, but I might be done with Billy Napier. Am I crazy to think he might get fired? — Curtis Donald, Miami.

Curtis:

He’s not getting fired. I get it, 8 months of preparation, and this is the product? It looks just as bad if you’re comparing Napier to the previous 6 Florida coaches, and their overall record when they lost their 8th game:

Steve Spurrier: 27-8.
Ron Zook: 11-8.
Urban Meyer: 31-8.
Will Muschamp: 18-8.
Jim McElwain: 18-8.
Dan Mullen: 29-8.
Billy Napier: 6-8.

The defense does look better, but they were completely confused on 2 touchdowns — a quarterback scramble, and a zone-read QB keep. One of those problems was scheme (playing man coverage on 3rd-and-goal from the 5), the other was technique.

Neither is good. And they were against 2 backup quarterbacks.

The offense is a mess, special teams are worse.

All that said, the Gators will beat McNeese State by 50 and — I know this is hard to believe right now — will play well against Tennessee in Week 3 in Gainesville. Well enough to win the game if they protect the ball.

It will be a difficult lift this season, and anyone who thought it wouldn’t was buying into QB Graham Mertz being something he isn’t. The best part of the roster are the past 2 recruiting classes, and those guys have to play now.

Get them in the game, and get experience in big atmospheres and big moments. Because when 2024 rolls around and Napier has a quarterback — be it freshman DJ Lagway, or someone from the transfer portal — your best players won’t be intimidated by anything. Much less a road trip in a rowdy stadium, against a team waiting a year for payback.

9. Numbers

4. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said all offseason the next step for Tennessee is defensively — and that the Vols needed to be more difficult to block in the pass game.

Translation: They need to affect the quarterback.

Enter James Pearce Jr., a blue-chip recruit from the 2022 class who played as a reserve last season — but will likely get much more time on the field this fall. He had 2 sacks against Virginia, and he and senior DE Tyler Baron (2 sacks) combined for 4 sacks and were a consistent presence with pressures and hurries.

Tennessee’s most consistent pass rush set is when Pearce and Harrison are on the edge, and when Baron moves inside with DT Omarr Norman-Lott.

Edge Joshua Josephs and DE Dominic Bailey will also be critical to the Vols improving on 31 sacks from 2022.

10. Quote to note

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, on QB competition between Jaxson Dart and Spencer Sanders: “I thought both guys had a great (fall) camp. We had to make a decision who went first, and Jaxson did a really good job. People say a guy needs to be named starter for him to play well. He went 11-for-11 (to start the game), so I don’t think keeping the competition open is such a bad thing.”