(Photo by Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops made a comment earlier this month in regard to SEC defenses where he said that it was "easier to play better defense when you aren't playing against great quarterbacks...when the guy behind center isn't special, it's always a little easier."
Gee Bob, what was that buzz-saw you ran into last January at the BCS Championship? It looked like you and the Sooners had your hands full, or was I mistaken?
He should have gone to youbeatthespread.com to see who was going to win. They predicted OU's next BCS loss.
So the SEC doesn't have "special" quarterbacks?
As we approach the autumn ritual that is college football, I thought we might take a closer look at this particular myth.
The SEC boasts some pretty good established quarterbacks heading into the 2009 season, two of which will more than likely be a part of Heisman discussions as the season progresses.
The conference also boasts several promising up-and-coming talents at the quarterback position who may be making national headlines by mid-season.
Let's look at how the quarterbacks in the SEC stack up.
1. Tim Tebow (Florida)
Tebow is obviously the No. 1 quarterback coming out of the chutes this season. A former Heisman winner and a virtual Florida football God, Tebow does many things well and more than likely will lead the Gators back to the BCS Championship game.
With a quarterback rating of 172.4, he doesn't have the highest rating in the SEC. But if I were picking a guy who could do it all and be a leader, he would be my guy.
2. Jevean Snead (Ole Miss)
Snead is my next pick. After transferring from Texas and the Big 12 to Ole Miss and the SEC, he acquitted himself well in his first year of experience in the conference.
Considering that this is a league that consumes quarterbacks with dominating defenses, Snead put up some good numbers with a completion percentage of 56.27 and a quarterback rating of 145.5 while throwing for the second-most touchdowns in the conference.
The problem is he also led the league in interceptions with 13, five more than the next-highest quarterback.
Ole Miss hopes he will improve on those numbers this year and help them win a SEC West title and a trip to the SEC Championship Game.
Many around Oxford think they have found a quarterback worthy of the Heisman. They may be right.
3. Ryan Mallett (Arkansas)
My third pick might be a little suprising to many.
Mallett, a Michigan transfer, reportedly has a cannon for an arm, as the rumor has it that he can throw the ball 80 yards in the air.
If that is true, he certainly has a strong arm. But the question remains as to whether he can repeatedly thread the needle in coverage and under pressure at 20 yards.
Mallett's numbers at Michigan were not impressive, but he has spent the last year and a half learning coach Bobby Petrino's system and being schooled in quarterback mechanics.
His style of play and reported strong arm should fit well in Petrino's power spread offense.
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