A post-spring prediction of who wins each SEC quarterback battle
As we sit here in the beginning of May, I feel pretty good about two things.
SEC quarterback play will be improved in 2018, and nearly half the conference doesn’t have a clear favorite to win the starting quarterback job.
Both things can be true. That’s not to say that there’s blind optimism that the unnamed starters will undoubtedly be better this year than last, but with offensive-minded coaches like Jimbo Fisher, Dan Mullen and Chad Morris running the show at some of these places, that’s not so crazy of a prediction.
Speaking of predictions, I realized I’m probably a touch overdue to predict how the quarterback battles will play out.
Here are the SEC quarterbacks who will be the unquestioned starters:
- Auburn — Jarrett Stidham
- Mississippi State — Nick Fitzgerald
- Mizzou — Drew Lock
- Ole Miss — Jordan Ta’amu
- South Carolina — Jake Bentley
- Vanderbilt — Kyle Shurmur
As for the rest, let’s take a stab at that:
Alabama
Candidates — Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts
Predicted starter — Tagovailoa
Why — If Hurts set the world ablaze in the spring and looked far improved as a passer, maybe this would be a different discussion. But the National Championship Game shed light on Hurts’ lack of development as a passer, and even with Tagovailoa essentially out for the spring, the southpaw is still the obvious favorite to win the starting job. The fact that we saw Nick Saban’s frustration with Hurts’ inability to move the offense through the air in the spring game probably didn’t help his case, either.
Arkansas
Candidates — Cole Kelley, Ty Storey, Connor Noland
Predicted starter — Kelley
Why — I’m not convinced that Kelley is the guy for the entire season, but to start the year, I think he’ll be the slight favorite to win the job. I understand that he and Storey basically had the exact same spring game stats. And obviously it’s a new coaching staff so last year doesn’t matter.
Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports
Still, Kelley has the ability to make all the throws. He still has to improve on playing faster, as Morris would say. But without an obvious fit to start in Morris’ offense with the current roster, Kelley makes the most sense.
Florida
Candidates — Feleipe Franks, Kyle Trask, Emory Jones
Predicted starter — Trask
Why — I’ve been saying since before the spring game that I think Trask is the best fit to run Dan Mullen’s system. After watching his performance in the spring game, I still think that’s the case. Even though Franks showed off his legs, I’m not convinced he’ll have the accuracy and understanding of the offense to be effective. Trask, while unproven, looks like he’ll be better in both aspects. Will Mullen potential pursue a grad transfer this summer? Possibly, but if we’re picking right now, give me Trask to emerge as Mullen’s guy.
Georgia
Candidates — Jake Fromm, Justin Fields
Predicted starter — Fromm
Why — I included this because the Fromm/Fields dynamic has been such a popular conversation, but to me, Fromm is still the obvious starter. Fields won’t be able to do anything in fall camp to vault ahead of the guy who was the SEC’s most efficient passer en route to a national championship berth. As talented as Fields is — he definitely looked the part at G-Day — he isn’t supplanting Fromm as the starter anytime soon. Will he keep pressure on Fromm? Absolutely. Fields will probably get into games during nonconference play and SEC blowouts, but that’ll be all for now.
Kentucky
Candidates — Terry Wilson, Gunnar Hoak, Danny Clark
Predicted starter — Wilson
Why — This is anyone’s guess based on how even the spring game was. Well, and the fact that Mark Stoops refused to tip his hand. I’ll give Wilson the nod because I think he gives the Cats a better option to pair alongside Benny Snell. Besides his ability to use his legs, Wilson also isn’t afraid to throw the deep ball. The former Oregon signal-caller might not have been able to beat out Justin Herbert for that job, but Hoak isn’t on that level as a passer. At least not yet. Hoak also doesn’t have the mobility that Kentucky’s offense usually covets. My guess is that the top JUCO recruit in the country isn’t coming to Kentucky unless he’s the obvious favorite to win the job. For now, Wilson has the slight edge.
LSU
Candidates — Myles Brennan, Justin McMillan, Nowell Narcisse
Predicted starter — Brennan
Why — McMillan played the best in the spring game, but it wasn’t like he was the vastly superior option. To be honest, Brennan hasn’t looked like the undisputed starter, either. But with a quarterback battle that lacks an incumbent starter, I tend to favor the guy who actually played the previous season and held the No. 2 spot on the depth chart. That’s still Brennan.
Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports
LSU fans hope that the former 4-star recruit thrives with the opportunity and ends LSU’s quarterback woes. Do I expect him to be named the starter publicly before the season opener? No. Do I expect McMillan or Narcisse to transfer? Yes. Could you still see LSU add a grad transfer? Absolutely. Even if Brennan is expected to win the job, we could have several developments the next few months.
Tennessee
Candidates — Jarrett Guarantano, Keller Chryst
Predicted starter — Chryst
Why — Obviously this is a big roll of the dice because Chryst hasn’t even arrived. Meanwhile Guarantano looked solid in the spring game. That painful 2017 season looks like it paid dividends for him. So why isn’t he the guy? He could be, but I’ll give the edge to Chryst because Tyson Helton saw him play and got him to come to Tennessee. The Vols were desperate to add a grad transfer because as tough as Guarantano was to finish 2017 in oe piece, the guy who starts half the season should probably have more than 997 passing yards and 4 touchdown passes. Chryst has had accuracy issues, which ultimately cost him the starting gig at Stanford. But assuming he shows up ready to roll, I think he winds up being the guy that Helton prefers to work with.
Texas A&M
Candidates — Kellen Mond, Nick Starkel
Predicted starter — Starkel
Why — The Justin Bieber-loving quarterback might be a little bit of a character, but he’s still going to give the Aggies the best chance to win. New coaching staff or not, it’s hard to ignore the boost he gave the offense after he took over as the starter down the stretch. Fisher already said that he “loves” Starkel and that his ability to make all the throws is key. I don’t think Mond is as developed as a passer, which limits what the offense can do with him. Fisher doesn’t want to be limited offensively. He wants his quarterback to be able to attack all over the field. I think Fisher does whatever he can to keep Mond at Texas A&M, but ultimately, Starkel will emerge as the guy.
I don’t care who starts for us because there both good and thats why were going to win the NC SIMPLE!
I know this is a fake account, but are the X’s supposed to signify being straight edge?
No im a uga fan…. and no I get the x’s from 2k I just like the way it looks.
can you imagine having as much free time as he does?…
I have as much free time as he does. However, I spend my time doing constructive things like smoking pot and masturbating.
stfu I have a life unlike you @UGA93
@DixonButts69 Yoooooooo you wildin lol
a life spent only posting on SDS? congrats
NC? UGA wont make it past week 2 in Columbia
you said this last year. was an @ss kicking then and will be again.
2 words Deebo Samuel.
two words. Will Muschamp.
how is it even a question.no doubt fromm will be the starter,I mean he led Georgia to the national championship game.They would be dumb to put fields in front of fromm
Simple question….which qb would you rather face Fromm or Fields?
Fields. He has the lesser experience.
Since neither has to face uga this year, you don’t count.
As a UGA fan, I actually rather face Fromm. Yes Fromm was extremely efficient, but he didn’t win any games either.
Fields is unknown. But that’s scary. He has the legs and body size to make players Fromm can’t. If we had proof Fields could protect the ball like Fromm could (most of the time) then Fields is the obvious choice.
Frommm honestly. He’s gettimg benched week 2
Hurts has taken Bama to the NC and he’ll be on the bench so it’s not a guarantee by any means. I actually think Fields could take the job this fall, he looked really good in the spring game. Fromm took the job as a freshman and did well, Fields could come in and do the same thing.
Eason had to get hurt to get Fromm in the game. Fromm didn’t take away the starting position until he went in and proved he was a winner.
Nick Starkel = Olive Garden breadstick. Stark can be a lethal passer with 2-3 seconds of time upright in the pocket. Whether the Aggie OL is up to blocking the better SEC-W DL’s remains to be seen.
You’re ignoring the obvious with Bama. Hurts will be the starter for one simple reason. Hurts is “good enough” and Tua is no threat to transfer. Saban can have Hurts start and bring in Tua in the rare occasion that they are in a close game. That way he gets a solid QB starter for the next 3 years guaranteed. If Tua starts and Hurts transfers, they’re only one injury away from being in deep. Besides, Saban could care less about getting yards through the air as long as he can’t keep moving it on the ground.
*can
But Hurts isn’t good enough. He was on course to be the only Bama QB in the Saban Era to play more than one season and not win a title. People always talk about his great record but all Bama QBs have had a great record and Hurts losses have been the NC and deciding the SEC West champion. So even though it’s only two losses, they were crucial. In the SEC you have to plan on being undefeated if you want titles. So he’s not good enough and Tua gives us exactly what Saban said we needed when he benched Hurts. Why would you go back to Hurts after losing faith in him to win the NC and when he hasn’t improved over two seasons?
Saban wants someone that doesn’t turn the ball over more than he wants someone who can pass for 300 yds per game. I didn’t say Hurts was the logical choice, but I would be surprised if Saban makes the change.
No, he wants someone who wins, and Tua showed he’s the guy to win the NC.
I think he may start Hurts to keep him around but as the season progresses Tua will start and Hurts be used in situations. He would be lethal in a wild elephant near the goal. He can run but 10-15yrd passes are about his max.
I don’t think he can afford to do that. If Tua is benched in week 1, he may leave. You can’t keep playing with these guys and expect them both to stay. At some point you just have to make a decision.
This is simply wishful thinking on your part. Hurts was abysmal in Alabama’s two biggest games of the season, and not overly impressive against Clemson either. He was NOT good enough to win the National Championship for Alabama either year. That won’t cut it at the Capstone. We’ve already seen the best that he has to offer. His stretch during the middle of 2016, when he was lighting up opponents with his legs each week, and Alabama was embarrassing top 10 opponents. He hasn’t been as effective since, and that isn’t going to change. Tua is the starter, and if Hurts wants to transfer, then so be it. Alabama has Tua’s brother and Bear’s great grandson coming in for 2019. They aren’t going to lose sleep if a quarterback with one year of eligibility leaves after the 2018 season.