At the conclusion of spring practice, we conducted a statistical evaluation of every projected SEC starting quarterback for the 2015 season, taking into account each program’s offensive philosophy and total production likelihood based on surrounding weapons and schedule.

Entering August, there’s one more quarterback you can add to that 3,000-yard club list this season — Tennessee’s Josh Dobbs. After talking with Dobbs at SEC Media Days, I get the feeling the Vols’ offense will not only center around the junior dual-threat this season, but Tennessee has the depth to try and limit his designed runs with another option in the backfield alongside Jalen Hurd.

Dobbs joins Texas A&M’s Kyle Allen, Auburn’s Jeremy Johnson and Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott as potential passers we’ve already projected to exceed the lofty passing mark this fall.

Projecting 3,000-yard passers in the SEC

  • Kyle Allen, Texas A&M
  • Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
  • Jeremy Johnson, Auburn
  • Josh Dobbs, Tennessee

Barring injury and an unforeseen quarterback competition loss to Kyler Murray, Allen is a 3,000-yard lock along with Prescott. He’ll facilitate Kevin Sumlin’s Air Raid, the only offense in the SEC that has averaged more than 300 yards passing per game each of the last three seasons.

As a result of that tempo-based spread, the Aggies have attempted 168 more passes as a team than their nearest competitor (Ole Miss at 1,327).

Looking at the list, did we leave anyone out? Kentucky’s Patrick Towles is on the verge, but there’s a good chance redshirt freshman Drew Barker takes away a few snaps (and pass attempts) at some point judging by Mark Stoops’ high praise of the touted recruit at SEC Media Days.

From a historical perspective, last season was the third consecutive year at least four SEC quarterbacks surpassed the 3,000-yard barrier. One of those players, Prescott, is back and a couple others finished a few hundred yards short (Towles, Maty Mauk).

Mauk faces an uphill climb after losing his top four leading receivers from last season while Allen remains stuck in a run-based offense. Most are expecting the Arkansas senior to toss it around more in Dan Enos’ balanced attack, but projecting 3,000 yards from the league’s top ‘game-manager’ seems a bit too hopeful — after all, the Razorbacks are the league’s only team to return two 1,000-yard rushers.

Whomever starts at Georgia between Brice Ramsey, Faton Bauta and Greyson Lambert has a shot under first-year OC Brian Schottenheimer, but considering the Bulldogs’ depth in the backfield, one would surmise this team’s running game having more of an impact. Equipped with the SEC’s top rushing offense at 257.9 yards per game last season, Georgia isn’t going to get away from its strength offensively.

The SEC record for most 3,000-yard passers in a single season is five, set in 2013. Four future NFL draft picks were featured as that fall — Johnny Manziel, Zach Mettenberger, Aaron Murray and A.J. McCarron.

That single-season high appears safe this fall as we enter a season with plenty of questions surrounding the quarterback position conference-wide.