Projecting Every SEC Team's Quarterback for 2015 Season
It wasn't a particularly landmark season for SEC quarterback play in 2014. It wasn't horrible, but it fell well short of what we saw from the league's passers in 2013.
What will come from the 2015 SEC quarterback club? It depends on who ends up winning the many open jobs across the conference.
Only half of the quarterbacks who started their teams' final games are back, but not all of those starters are guaranteed to be in the same spot on the depth chart in September. We're expecting several wide-open competitions, a few including players who've yet to even practice with their new teams, and are projecting only five repeat starters.
Who will those be, and who will be starting elsewhere in the SEC? Check out our projections for every team's starter, and give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Alabama: Jake Coker
1 of 14
Year (in 2015): Senior
Height, weight: 6'5", 230 lbs
2014 stats: 38-of-59, 64.4%, 403 yards, four TDs
Alabama gets to break in a brand-new quarterback for the second year in a row, and Jake Coker will be a part of the competition yet again. But after getting beat out by Blake Sims in a neck-and-neck race in 2014, he figures to be the front-runner over a slew of inexperienced prospects.
Coker, a transfer from Florida State, appeared in five games last year but only once in the final two months, when the Crimson Tide faced FCS Western Carolina. He had been Jameis Winston's backup at FSU before getting injured late in the 2013 season.
"In all the games I've been in, I've had some good things happen, and I've had some bonehead moves," Coker told Marq Burnett of the Montgomery Advertiser. "It's a learning experience."
But experience of any kind is a good thing—and something the rest of his challengers don't have. Junior Alec Morris, sophomore Cooper Bateman and redshirt freshman David Cornwell all have yet to throw a pass in a game, and incoming 5-star recruit Blake Barnett—who is already enrolled—could end up passing that entire group to become Coker's top competition.
In the end, expect Coker's experience to help him win out...at least at first.
Arkansas: Brandon Allen
2 of 14
Year (in 2015): Senior
Height, weight: 6'3", 212 lbs
2014 stats: 190-of-339, 56%, 2,285 yards, 20 TDs, five interceptions
Though his numbers were only better than two other full-time starters in the SEC this past season, Brandon Allen operated as effectively as any quarterback in the league in 2014. And with almost all of his offense returning, Allen figures to get even better with another offseason of preparation.
While Arkansas was a predominantly run-oriented team, Allen got his chances and mostly came through. His accuracy needs to get better, but he went his final four games (90 attempts) without an interception and threw two touchdowns in the Texas Bowl win over Texas.
There's not much need to throw a lot with a massive offensive line blocking for a pair of returning 1,000-yard rushers—senior Jonathan Williams and junior Alex Collins—but when the Razorbacks need to go to the air, Allen will be ready for the opportunity.
Auburn: Jeremy Johnson
3 of 14
Year (in 2015): Junior
Height, weight: 6'5", 230 lbs
2014 stats: 28-of-37, 75.7%, 436 yards, three TDs
To be technical, Jeremy Johnson was Auburn's starting quarterback to begin the 2014 season. The fact this was only for one half, and only because Nick Marshall had been suspended for a violation of team rules, is beside the point.
More notable is how comfortable Johnson looked in those two quarters, completing 12 of 16 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns against Arkansas. Marshall came on after halftime, breaking a 21-21 tie and leading the Tigers to a 24-point victory, and then held on to his job for the rest of the season.
Johnson got into five other games, throwing a TD pass against Louisiana Tech and continuing to show efficiency in his limited reps.
With Marshall graduating, there's no reason to think Johnson doesn't move into that spot full-time. The Tigers have four other quarterbacks on the roster, as well as two commitments in the 2015 class. They're also hot on the trail of Ohio State commit Torrance Gibson, per Wesley Sinor of AL.com, but none of those prospects figure to be able to unseat Johnson from the job.
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Florida: Will Grier
4 of 14
Year (in 2015): Redshirt freshman
Height, weight: 6'2", 190 lbs
2014 stats: None
New coach, new quarterback in Gainesville in 2015.
Jim McElwain's hiring provides the opportunity for the Gators to wipe the slate clean from the past few uneven seasons, and that starts at quarterback. McElwain granted Jeff Driskel's release from his scholarship, and the graduate has since transferred to Louisiana Tech for his final year of eligibility.
That leaves Treon Harris, who replaced Driskel as starter but wasn't spectacular, and Skyler Mornhinweg, who started Florida's last three games in 2013 but didn't see the field last fall.
The path is clear for Will Grier, a 4-star prospect who was the No. 2 pro-style passer in the 2014 recruiting class. Outgoing coach Will Muschamp redshirted him, and after sitting out last season, Grier will be eager to show McElwain what he can do.
McElwain helped turn Colorado State's Garrett Grayson into a star—and likely NFL draft pick—and he can do the same with Grier.
Georgia: Brice Ramsey
5 of 14
Year (in 2015): Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'3", 216 lbs
2014 stats: 24-of-39, 61.5%, 333 yards, three TDs, two interceptions
Much like his predecessor, Brice Ramsey got his audition earlier than expected. But while Hutson Mason thrived after stepping in late in the 2013 season, Ramsey didn't impress when he took over for Mason just before halftime of Georgia's blowout Belk Bowl win.
Granted, the scenarios weren't the same, as Mason ended up playing most of his first full game and then started two more. Ramsey had only seen mop-up duty this past season before Mason suffered a head injury and needed to leave the game, and Ramsey looked like someone who wasn't expecting to get into the game, completing four of nine passes for 51 yards and getting intercepted on his first throw.
But that's all in the past, and Ramsey gets the benefit of having a new coordinator (Brian Schottenheimer) who will evaluate him solely on what happens this spring. He'll have some stiff competition, both from mobile junior Faton Bauta and redshirt freshman Jacob Park, but in the end, Ramsey will get the nod.
Kentucky: Drew Barker
6 of 14
Year (in 2015): Redshirt freshman
Height, weight: 6'3", 216 lbs
2014 stats: None
Kentucky was a player or two away from making a bowl game in 2014, something that was evident as the Wildcats stumbled down the stretch with six losses following a 5-1 start. Drew Barker could have been that player, but head coach Mark Stoops wisely held him out to preserve his future.
The future is now for Barker, a 4-star pro-style passer who was the crown jewel of Kentucky's 2014 recruiting class. 247Sports ranked that group 22nd in the country despite the Wildcats coming off a 2-10 season.
Barker battled for the job last season but lost out to sophomore Patrick Towles, who went on to start every game. Towles threw for 2,718 yards but only completed 57.4 percent of his passes and had just 14 touchdowns to go with nine interceptions. He failed to top 176 yards in five of the six games during the season-ending losing streak and failed to throw a TD pass in his final two games.
Kentucky has a new offensive coordinator in Shannon Dawson, who comes from West Virginia after Neal Brown left to become Troy's head coach. Dawson told reporters (h/t Louisville Courier-Journal) that "whoever is the most efficient guy and whoever is the best guy is going to get the job," and we're pegging Barker to be that guy.
LSU: Braxton Miller
7 of 14
Year (in 2015): Senior
Height, weight: 6'2", 215 lbs
2014 stats: None
Even with a surgically repaired shoulder, if Braxton Miller decided to end his college career in Baton Rouge, he'd be LSU's best quarterback option for 2015, hands down. If the Tigers can't land him, expect another year of underachieving production similar to this past fall.
Neither Anthony Jennings nor Brandon Harris showed much promise in 2014, combining for the SEC's worst passing offense at less than 163 yards per game with only 17 touchdowns.
Miller seems destined to head elsewhere after missing this past season due to a shoulder injury suffered late in the preseason. In 2014, he watched two different Ohio State backups become world-beaters. Both J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones will be back in 2015, which figures to push a three-year starter with more than 8,300 yards of total offense toward another destination.
As a graduate student, Miller could transfer and play right away. Florida State, LSU and Oregon are among the schools he's been linked to, according to Doug Lesmerises of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. If the Tigers can acquire his services, there's no reason to think he wouldn't automatically be the starter in September.
Mississippi State: Dak Prescott
8 of 14
Year (in 2015): Senior
Height, weight: 6'2", 230 lbs
2014 stats: 244-of-396, 61.6%, 3,449 yards, 27 TDs, 11 interceptions; 986 rushing yards, 14 TDs
The only way Dak Prescott would not be Mississippi State's starter in 2015 is if he'd chosen to turn pro early. But after he made his intentions to return to school public on Thursday, that discussion is officially over.
Prescott was more responsible than anyone for the Bulldogs' rise to No. 1 in the country in November, starting 9-0 and posting an unprecedented three straight victories over Top 10 teams at one point in the season. MSU faltered down the stretch, losing three of four, yet Prescott continued to produce and ultimately racked up 42 touchdowns, including a receiving score.
After splitting time at the job in 2013, Prescott took over full-time this past fall, and he was as good as anyone in the country at times. An early Heisman contender (he finished eighth in voting) before the Bulldogs started losing, he figures to be on the short list again this season.
Missouri: Drew Lock
9 of 14Year: Freshman
Height, weight: 6'4", 205 lbs
2014 stats: None
Maty Mauk hasn't gotten the job done, and with a very talented recruit on his way to Columbia, look for coach Gary Pinkel to pull the trigger and go younger in 2015.
Drew Lock is a 4-star prospect who's considered the fifth-best pro-style quarterback in the 2015 class. The in-state product has the skills that should work in the offense the Tigers turned to often this past season.
"He's got the ability to push the ball down the field vertically, which is something we've seen Missouri do a lot," Bleacher Report college football analyst Michael Felder said. "I think it's going to be tough to keep him out."
Though Mauk had some success in that area late in the 2014 season, he struggled mightily overall. He completed only 53.4 percent of his passes, threw 13 interceptions and had a stretch where he averaged only 105.5 passing yards per game over four starts.
Mizzou somehow won a second straight SEC East title despite Mauk's play. To win a third, it needs a new guy throwing the ball.
Ole Miss: Chad Kelly
10 of 14
Year (in 2015): Junior
Height, weight: 6'1", 210 lbs
2014 stats: None
The roller-coaster Bo Wallace era was a fun one at Ole Miss, but the three-year ride is over. And with the Rebels lacking a promising replacement on the roster, they've again turned to the junior college route for instant impact.
Enter Chad Kelly, who comes to Oxford with a checkered past but also some impressive JUCO stats from the same school where Wallace starred.
Kelly threw for 47 touchdowns this past season at East Mississippi Community College, where he won a national title only months after getting dismissed from Clemson. The nephew of NFL Hall of Famer Jim Kelly attempted 17 passes for Clemson in 2013 but couldn't climb the depth chart before his departure last spring.
Kelly also ran afoul of the law not long after signing with Ole Miss, eventually pleading guilty to disorderly conduct in connection with an altercation outside a Buffalo restaurant.
Wallace threw 89 percent of Ole Miss' passes in 2014, with redshirt freshmen Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade each getting minimal reps. One of them could end up getting the job, but assuming Kelly can stay out of trouble, it's his job to lose.
South Carolina: Connor Mitch
11 of 14Year (in 2015): Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'3", 211 lbs
2014 stats: 2-of-6, 33.3%, 19 yards
South Carolina always seems to have someone waiting in the wings or right there on the sidelines, ready to step in at quarterback when coach Steve Spurrier comes calling. That wasn't the case last season, when senior Dylan Thompson handled nearly all of the snaps for the Gamecocks.
Now he's gone and Spurrier has a chance to start fresh and hopefully push beyond the disappointing 7-6 record. But who should he go with?
At this point, Connor Mitch looks to be the best choice.
Though he hardly touched the field in 2014 as a redshirt freshman, Mitch was Thompson's backup and will get the first shot. But he'll have to fight off third-stringer Perry Orth, incoming 4-star commit Lorenzo Nunez and others.
Tennessee: Joshua Dobbs
12 of 14
Year (in 2015): Junior
Height, weight: 6'3", 216 lbs
2014 stats: 112-of-177, 63.3%, 1,206 yards, nine TDs, six interceptions; 469 rushing yards, eight TDs
Tennessee's 2014 season was fueled by the efforts of more than 20 freshmen, who contributed to the program's first winning record since 2009. But a sophomore quarterback turned the year around and will lead the Volunteers toward higher ground this fall.
Joshua Dobbs didn't play until the eighth game of the season, but in his five-plus performances he had 1,675 yards of total offense and was responsible for 17 touchdowns. Oh, and Tennessee went 4-2, rallying to beat South Carolina in his first start and then dominating Iowa in the TaxSlayer Bowl.
"This is the start of a foundation for something big going on in Tennessee, momentum we can carry into the off season," Dobbs told reporters after rushing for two TDs and throwing for another in the 45-28 win.
The Vols have signed or received commitments from three passers in the 2015 class, and there's also third-stringer Nathan Peterman to contend with. But the way Dobbs handled the job once he took it over, he's almost a lock when the next season starts.
Texas A&M: Kyle Allen
13 of 14
Year (in 2015): Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'3", 205 lbs
2014 stats: 118-of-192, 61.5%, 1,322 yards, 16 TDs, seven interceptions
Inserting Kyle Allen as Texas A&M's starter didn't turn the season around, but it salvaged things and set the course for what should be a much better 2015 campaign.
Allen had seen backup duty in the first eight games, but then he replaced Kenny Hill in the Aggies' ninth game and never looked back. Part of that was because Hill had been suspended, but also because Allen showed improvement in every start. He capped that run a stellar performance in A&M's 45-37 win over West Virginia in the Liberty Bowl, when he threw for 294 yards and four touchdowns.
Hill has since announced he is transferring from the school, eliminating one of the few obstacles that would've kept Allen from sewing up the starting job for 2015. The other barrier hasn't arrived, as 5-star dual-threat prospect Kyler Murray hasn't signed yet and won't get on campus until the summer.
Vanderbilt: Johnny McCrary
14 of 14
Year: Sophomore
Height, weight: 6'4", 230 lbs
2014 stats: 78-of-152, 51.3%, 985 yards, nine TDs, eight interceptions
The problems that led to Vanderbilt's horrible 2014 season weren't limited to its quarterback play, but that was a big part of it. First-year coach Derek Mason used four different passers, none of whom played in more than seven games and who collectively completed just over 50 percent of their throws for 13 touchdowns and 19 interceptions.
Three of those players are back for this season, giving new offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig some options. Though that's probably the last thing he wants after spending this past year shuffling between Joel Stave and Tanner McEvoy at Wisconsin.
Though he got benched during the finale against Tennessee, Johnny McCrary looks to be the best choice from what is available. He completed just 42.5 percent of his passes in the final three games, but his youth and enthusiasm might make him Ludwig's most malleable option.
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
