Seven teams last season in the SEC passed for at least 2,700 yards, and four of those scored at least 27 touchdowns through the air, led by Missouri, with 4,012 yards and 44 touchdowns.

The Tigers topped 400 yards in four games, but they weren’t alone. Ole Miss added three of its own, and five more games with at least 346 yards.

Much like Jarrett Stidham’s arrival at Auburn last season, there are a host of new quarterbacks set to give a jolt to sagging passing games.

Here’s a look at the seven teams we expect to improve their passing game numbers in 2018.

Georgia

As Georgia rolled to the SEC East title last season fueled by a punishing running game, there was a consistent theme on the post-game radio call-in shows. No matter the margin of victory, callers often asked why the tight end wasn’t involved more.

Perhaps they had a point, as the Bulldogs were 12th in the SEC in passing as there was a noticeable dropoff after Javon Wims. Sure, Terry Godwin had the memorable catch at Notre Dame, and he is the most experienced returnee, but Georgia’s passing game overall still has plenty of upside in 2018.

Riley Ridley will draw plenty of expectations in his junior season as he looks to improve on those 14 catches, 218 yards and two touchdowns. Add in J.J. Holloman, Trey Blount and an upgraded contribution from running back D’Andre Swift, who had more catches last season than Nick Chubb and Sony Michel combined, and Jim Chaney along with new co-offensive coordinator James Coley will enjoy the additional play-calling options.

Chaney, of course, is the new tight ends coach after the Oklahoma departure of Shane Beamer, and experienced tight ends Isaac Nauta and Charlie Woerner will be popular options as the offense evolves with the promotion of Coley and the arrival of 5-star incoming freshman QB Justin Fields to mix with Chaney and incumbent starter Jake Fromm.

Tennessee

Tennessee could relate to Georgia’s issues with tight end targets and production as the Vols didn’t see much from the likes of Ethan Wolf in 2017, though he was second on the team with three TD catches. Throw in Jauan Jennings’ season-long wrist injury, and there’s an understanding as to why the Vols were next-to-last in the SEC in passing offense in 2017 at 174 yards per game.

This season, Marquez Callaway and Brandon Johnson appear to be the focus at the outset as Jennings returns from a knee scope that kept him out of spring practice. Touted early enrollee Alontae Taylor was moved to defensive back this spring, but he too would be an option if the Vols need someone to step up after a year in which Johnson led the team with 37 catches.

Callaway showed potential early with 4 catches for 115 yards and 2 TDs against Georgia Tech. But he only had 3 touchdowns the rest of the season. Johnson had similar games against UMass and Vanderbilt, with 7 and six catches for 123 and 107 yards, but didn’t crack 60 yards receiving in any other game.

Mississippi State

When Joe Moorhead arrived at Mississippi State, there was no question what he prioritized in recruiting. Three of the top four signees for Moorhead were tall, athletic receivers, and each 4-star prospects.

“If you’ve seen what we did offensively at Penn State and even before that, we’re a three-WR team,” Moorhead said after the early signing period. “… We certainly had a lot of success running the ball here, and I think one area we’re able to improve a bit is the passing game. Certainly with three playmakers, that’s certainly going to help us.”

While Mississippi State was last in the SEC in passing offense per game last season, Penn State’s offense coordinated by Moorhead led the Big Ten. The Nittany Lions had four players with at least 50 catches, including a big season from tight end Mike Gesicki, who had a team-high 57 catches. Gesicki had 48 in 2016; before Moorhead arrived after the 2015 season from Fordham, Gesicki had 13 in 2015.

Florida

Speaking of tight ends, Florida is another school where the tight end is expected to see an expanded role in Dan Mullen’s first season. The Gators were last in the SEC in passing yards (1,975) with just 10 touchdowns, tied for the lowest in the league.

C’yontai Lewis is expected to be the main target at that position. Mullen has continually preached that the Gators under his watch will have more fun, and how else is that done than by expanding the offense?

With a host of quarterbacks, Mullen, in the spring game, already unveiled a host of creative plays not seen often enough during the Jim McElwain era that makes the fan base giddy.

“I want to have fun,” Mullen said after the spring game, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “I mean, life’s too short. We’re going to have fun. Now I’m competitive and I want to win, but we’re going to have fun doing this.”

Not only does Mullen understand the culture in Florida, and has experience working there, his recent passing offenses at Mississippi State have dwarfed Florida’s in recent years. The Bulldogs in the past six years have been ranked 113th, 89th, 14th, 23rd, 54th and 59th. Compared to Florida, which in the same category, was ranked 102nd, 79th, 86th, 106th, 109th and 118th.

Kentucky

The Wildcats might be the only team to discuss goals of improving its “explosive” plays this season, which the coaches define as a pass play longer than 17 yards, or a run play of at least 12 yards. Offensive coordinator Eddie Gran wants an explosive play every eight plays. Much of the passing game this season will depend on who wins the quarterback competition, Gunnar Hoak or Terry Wilson, and coach Mark Stoops has admitted that the position in general is already an upgrade over the caliber of athlete when he arrived in Lexington.

“Well, without a doubt,” he said. “I’ve said this most of the spring, that whoever gets under center and takes the first snap that I have a lot of confidence in them. I have confidence in all these guys. You know, each of them have some strengths and some weaknesses, and we’ll make it work. We’ll make sure we build a package around them and have them have success.”

Lynn Bowden is among the most experienced of a young receiving corps. He had 7 catches in the spring game for 42 yards. Other candidates to step into key pass-catching roles are Zy’Aire Hughes, David Bouvier and Isaiah Epps, who each had 4 catches for at least 44 yards in the spring game. There were 11 players who caught a pass in the spring game, so numbers aren’t the issue for Kentucky. It’s developing two or three players to be playmakers.

Arkansas

One of the largest transitions among all of the coaching changes is at Arkansas, where Chad Morris is trying to model the Razorbacks after his SMU offense that last season was No. 13 in the country, including 294 passing yards per game to average 37.8 points per game.

The Mustangs last season ran 74.9 plays per game while Arkansas averaged 66.8. Sure, there was room for polish, but in the recent spring game, Arkansas ran 104 plays, including 69 snaps with the first and second teams in the first half.

That’s why the quarterback competition between Cole Kelley and Ty Storey is not the only thing fans kept an eye on this spring. It was how Morris installed that offense and which QB took to it best.

One player, who initially bristled at the coaching change, shined in the spring game, and perhaps offered some foreshadowing going forward. Tight end Cheyenne O’Grady caught 2 touchdowns, including one for 53 yards. There’s no shortage of other options, including La’Michael Pettway, who had a team-high 6 catches in the spring game, and Tyson Morris, Michael Woods and De’Vion Warren.

LSU

The change in offensive coordinator from Matt Canada to Steve Ensminger is expected to come with a simpler approach. The Tigers last season were in the bottom half of the SEC in most passing categories, including attempts, where they were last. They were also last in red zone conversions. That’s brought wholesale changes to the approach as the Tigers move ahead, especially near the goal line, given the departures of running backs Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams.

The expectation is the specific offense will be tailored to the quarterback who wins the starting competition, between Myles Brennan, Lowell Narcisse and Justin McMillan. The difference is a more pro-style unit that will rely on more passes with Brennan, while zone reads and quarterback runs will be more prominent if the other two are on the field.

As for the receivers, the position was hit hard by departures and will rely on new faces like Texas Tech transfer Jonathan Giles, highly-ranked recruit Terrace Marshall and Stephen Sullivan, Drake Davis and Derrick Dillon.