With 12 of 14 teams returning starting quarterbacks, the theme for the 2017 SEC season is offense, offense, offense.

Eight returning SEC quarterbacks threw for at least 2,000 yards last season, with two – Arkansas’ Austin Allen and Missouri’s Drew Lock – surpassed the 3,000-yard mark.

Returning passing leaders – SEC quarterbacks
3,420 yards – Austin Allen, Arkansas
3,390 yards – Drew Lock, Missouri
2,780 yards – Jalen Hurts, Alabama
2,430 yards – Jacob Eason, Georgia
2,423 yards – Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State

Here is an inside the numbers look at the top five returning quarterbacks’ passing yards from last season.

Austin Allen – 1st-quarter yards

More than 31 percent of Allen’s yards came in the first quarter. In fact, Allen was the only quarterback in the SEC to throw for more than 1,000 yards in the first quarter (1,080).

Even more impressive was the fact that Allen’s 107 passing attempts in the first quarter was only tied for the fourth-most in the SEC. Allen’s eight TD passes in the first quarter were most among SEC players as well.

Drew Lock – Non-conference success

In four non-SEC games, Lock threw for 1,413 yards, or 353.3 per game. Lock’s two biggest passing games both came against non-conference opponents (450 yards vs. Eastern Michigan, 402 vs. Delaware State).

It was quite a contrast between conference and non-conference games for Lock. He had 13 touchdown passes and zero interceptions against non-SEC foes. Compare that with his performance in the SEC (248 pass YPG, 10 TDs, 10 interceptions).

Jalen Hurts – Great after halftime

Just a true freshman in 2016, Jalen Hurts was the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, surprising everyone with 2,780 passing yards and 954 rushing yards.

But Hurts did his most damage in the third quarter. Hurts led all SEC passers in third-quarter passing yards with 935, which was better than 200 more yards than any other player (next closest was Joshua Dobbs with 703). And, while critics might accurately point out that Hurts played two more games than any other SEC QB, it’s also worth noting that his passing YPG in the third quarter (62.3) was tops in the SEC also.

Add in an SEC-best 11 TD passes (to just two interceptions) in the third quarter, and it’s clear that Hurts did a better job than any other SEC QB coming out of the locker room after halftime.

Jacob Eason – third-down passing

Georgia put a lot of responsibility on the arm of Jacob Eason in 2016, and the true freshman responded very well. He was especially solid on third down, when he was arguably the best quarterback in the SEC.

Eason led SEC quarterbacks in passing yards on third down (968). He was also the SEC leader in pass attempts (126) and completions (63) on third down and threw an SEC-best eight TD passes on third down.

By the way, the last Georgia QB to lead the SEC in third-down passing yards: Aaron Murray in 2012.

Nick Fitzgerald – Yards in wins

Replacing a legend like Dak Prescott was no easy task for Nick Fitzgerald in 2016. But the sophomore responded with a spectacular season, particularly with his legs, as he finished second in the SEC in rushing yards and led the conference in rushing TDs with 16.

Fitzgerald also proved himself as a passer, throwing for 2,423 yards and 21 TDs. And his performance was vital to the Bulldogs success, as his passing numbers were quite different in wins and losses.

In Mississippi State’s six wins, Fitzgerald threw for 1,354 yards (225.7 YPG), with 15 TD passes and a 59 completion percentage. In the Bulldogs’ seven losses: 1,069 pass yards (152.7 YPG), six TD passes and a 50 completion percentage.