Predicting Every Starter for Top QB Battles Post-Spring Practice
It's usually the quarterback that is called upon to lead a team into a season-long war, so it probably helps that they've already been able to survive a battle along the way.
Many of the nation's top college football programs had openings at the most high-profile position on the field this offseason, which made for great competition between starting hopefuls during spring practice. Most couldn't be decided from spring ball alone, either because no clear leader emerged or because not all of the contenders were on hand, meaning a final decision on who gets the nod won't happen until sometime during preseason camp.
But why wait until then to see who ends up being the starter? We've got an idea of who they'll be now, predictions that are based on spring observations and an anticipation of what each team is looking for from its quarterback this fall.
Check out our picks for the 13 players who will win the country's top quarterback battles, then give us your selections in the comments section.
Alabama
1 of 13
Candidates: Blake Barnett, Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell, Jake Coker, Alec Morris
Last year's quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa couldn't be wrapped up until the fall because Florida State transfer Jake Coker wasn't around in the summer and he was going to be given every opportunity to win the job. There were no such handicaps to the competition this time, and Coker was again looked at as a top contender, yet other than being the player with the most experience, there's nothing else that puts him at the top of the list.
The Crimson Tide went by seniority when it came to reps during the spring, though often redshirt freshman David Cornwell was standing out from the pack. Nick Saban has never started a freshman at quarterback, but Cornwell's progress from early workouts will continue into the summer and provide Saban with an option that (unlike Coker, a senior) doesn't require having another competition in 2016.
The X-factor in this race could be the potential to land a graduate transfer quarterback, specifically Ohio State's Braxton Miller. While that might provide a better level of play than what Coker could bring, it again would leave Alabama without a returner at the position next season.
Saban has shown the willingness to adjust and modernize on offense of late, bringing in Lane Kiffin as his coordinator and recruiting dual-threat quarterbacks. Add skewing young at the position to that list.
Prediction: Cornwell
Florida
2 of 13
Candidates: Will Grier, Treon Harris
Treon Harris took over the starting job late last year as a true freshman, supplanting Jeff Driskel and prompting him to transfer to Louisiana Tech for his final season. But with a coaching change at Florida, Harris' past exploits aren't as important to his future chances as is his ability to adapt to a different offense.
Jim McElwain runs more of a pro-style attack, which fits better with redshirt freshman Will Grier's skill set. However, Harris showed a strong grasp of the offense during spring, according to Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee, particularly in the spring game.
"It proved that he can make the tough throws within the parameters of McElwain's pro-style system, has accuracy downfield, as well as the touch on shorter passes," Sallee wrote.
Having a quarterback with mobility could work out well for the Gators as they attempt to solidify an inexperienced offensive line. That will come with time and through major reinforcements this summer, including top-flight blocking prospect Martez Ivey, and because of that, Grier's more natural abilities in this system will win out over Harris' development.
Prediction: Grier
Florida State
3 of 13
Candidates: J.J. Cosentino, Deondre Francois, De'Andre Johnson, Sean Maguire
We at least know this much about Florida State's next quarterback: He has some huge shoes to fill. Jameis Winston's two-year run with the Seminoles was wildly successful, both individually and from a team standpoint, while it was also one mired in controversy and criticism because of Winston's off-field life.
Jimbo Fisher would love to find someone from his contender group who can come close to matching Winston's on-field performance, but he'll likely settle for one who is consistent and effective and stays out of trouble when not in action. And the player who fits those criteria best looks to be Sean Maguire, who was thrust into the fire for a start last season when Winston was suspended, and he performed admirably in an overtime win over Clemson.
Maguire has carried over that effort into this offseason, showing the most growth and promise of FSU's quarterbacks. The experience alone probably would have earned him the job, but Maguire has also looked better than anyone else, and unless that disappears in preseason camp, he'll be the guy.
"I feel very good about Sean," Fisher told Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel. "I like where he's at right now."
Prediction: Maguire
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Georgia
4 of 13
Candidates: Faton Bauta, Jacob Park, Brice Ramsey
Georgia's first true quarterback competition in years started as a two-man race, but redshirt freshman Jacob Park is probably a distant third after spring ball. That leaves junior Faton Bauta and sophomore Brice Ramsey as the front-runners heading into training camp, and coach Mark Richt is quite fine with not having a clear leader at this point.
"Has any [QB] mastered their craft yet? No, but that's not expected," Richt told Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee after the spring game.
All three quarterbacks looked good during that outing, but the most impressive was Bauta. While Ramsey connected on some big plays, he didn't show the consistency that Bauta had when given reps, and that more than anything is what Georgia needs. Thanks to Nick Chubb running the ball, the Bulldogs do not require an Aaron Murray-type quarterback, at least not at the outset.
Bauta also provides the added element of being a runner, something Ramsey and Park don't have, one of many reasons Bauta will end up winning the job this August.
Prediction: Bauta
LSU
5 of 13
Candidates: Brandon Harris, Anthony Jennings
On the surface, the numbers both quarterbacks put up in LSU's spring game were stellar. But look closer, particularly at how each fared when facing the toughest competition—read: the first-team defense—and instead what was learned was what was already known. And that's that neither junior Anthony Jennings nor sophomore Brandon Harris has what it takes to win this job on their abilities alone.
Les Miles does some odd things, and he might need to pull out a commemorative coin with a tiger on one side and the LSU logo on the other to choose who starts the opener Sept. 5.
Harris and Jennings combined to throw for 420 yards and four touchdowns on 24-of-37 passing, but the numbers against the first-team defense were far less impressive. Harris was 4-of-10 for 37 yards and an interception, while Jennings was 5-of-6 for 27 yards.
Of all of the teams on this list, LSU seems to be the one most likely to bounce back and forth between its quarterbacks. But it will be Jennings' side of the coin that comes up first.
Prediction: Jennings
Michigan
6 of 13
Candidates: Alex Malzone, Shane Morris, Jake Rudock
Michigan's offense didn't look particularly good during its spring game earlier this month, but most of the results from that scrimmage were going to get thrown out anyway when it came to determining the Wolverines' quarterback situation. That's because the competition wasn't going to be able to get into full swing until Jake Rudock showed up.
Rudock, a graduate transfer from Iowa with 25 career starts in 2013-14, will arrive in Ann Arbor as the favorite over Shane Morris, a scenario that Rudock likely was expecting when he chose Michigan as the place for his final college season. Rudock might not have been the most popular guy in Iowa City, where he lost his job to backup C.J. Beathard after the TaxSlayer Bowl, but he didn't exactly perform poorly.
With 4,819 yards and 34 career touchdowns (and just five interceptions in 345 pass attempts last year), Rudock has the experience first-year coach Jim Harbaugh wants at the position. Much like Houston transfer John O'Korn, who must sit out this season, these quarterbacks are meant to bridge the gap before Harbaugh can develop one of his own recruits for the job.
Prediction: Rudock
Notre Dame
7 of 13
Candidates: Everett Golson, Malik Zaire
Everett Golson was mentioned as a Heisman contender for the first half of last season, before his penchant for giving the ball away negated everything else he brought to the field and triggered Notre Dame's late-season swoon. It also caused him to lose firm hold on the job he'd won over Malik Zaire and led to the pair having to compete again this spring.
If Golson hasn't learned from that experience, he won't sniff the field again. But all signs point toward the senior emerging from all of this having become a better player because of it, and Keith Arnold of NBC Sports noted that Golson has learned to take better care of the ball while running with it. That's the area where Zaire had the edge because of his dual-threat abilities, but if Golson is comfortable and careful on the move, that advantage goes away for Zaire.
Zaire also frustrated and confused his coaches at times this spring, often checking out of plays at the line of scrimmage for no reason. Indecisiveness isn't a trait the Fighting Irish will want from their quarterback, so look for Golson to be in the backfield taking the first snaps when Texas comes to Notre Dame Stadium in September.
Prediction: Golson
Ohio State
8 of 13
Candidates: J.T. Barrett, Cardale Jones, Braxton Miller
With three quarterbacks who are capable of being the starter at almost every FBS school in the country, Ohio State has one of the biggest "problems" imaginable. It seems like the Buckeyes can do no wrong with either sophomore J.T. Barrett, junior Cardale Jones or senior Braxton Miller, but the fact is that a choice has to be made and it has to be a firm one.
"This can't be, 'Well, I’m going with him because it's my gut feeling,'" OSU coach Urban Meyer told ESPN.com's Austin Ward.
Numbers and observations will win out over feelings and hunches, and to this point only Jones has been able to provide fresh figures and accounts. With Barrett and Miller still recovering from injuries, neither participated fully in the spring, and that allowed Jones to establish himself as the front-runner.
That doesn't lock up the job, though, because Barrett looked so good before getting hurt last season and might be the most complete player of the three. Miller also brings more experience than the other two combined, and if the younger quarterbacks struggle, he'd be a great option to go to.
At this point, though, it's Jones' job to lose, and unless he slips up mightily and Barrett or Miller look masterful, the man who started all three of the Buckeyes' postseason games will be the one beginning their title defense.
Prediction: Jones
Oklahoma
9 of 13
Candidates: Justice Hansen, Trevor Knight, Baker Mayfield, Cody Thomas
With a new offensive coordinator and a complete overhaul of the playbook, Oklahoma's quarterback battle is less about what each contender has done in the past and more about how they can perform in the present. But Baker Mayfield's prior experience running the Air Raid will end up being what puts him at the top of the depth chart in September, assuming he doesn't regress between now and the opener.
Mayfield started eight games in 2013 for Texas Tech before transferring and sitting out last year. He was amazing in last year's spring game, and earlier this month he was good (but not great) in a second spring scrimmage. But none of Oklahoma's passers were particularly stellar in that outing, so that doesn't hurt Mayfield's case.
Trevor Knight would figure to be the top challenger for Mayfield, but Knight also symbolizes the offense that Oklahoma ran the past two years that wasn't very effective and prompted coach Bob Stoops to make massive changes to his staff and his system.
Prediction: Mayfield
Ole Miss
10 of 13
Candidates: Ryan Buchanan, Chad Kelly, DeVante Kincade
The junior college ranks produced a solid three-year starter for Ole Miss at quarterback, and coach Hugh Freeze was hoping to repeat history when he signed former Clemson passer Chad Kelly from the JUCO level this winter. Kelly came with baggage by virtue of being dismissed from Clemson and added more when he was arrested in Buffalo, but his abilities made it worth giving him another shot.
And it's why he'll beat out Ryan Buchanan, who had the best spring of the three contenders, in the long run.
Freeze is already setting the stage for having both play significantly in the Rebels' 2015 opener against Tennessee-Martin, saying "I could see us going a couple games making sure we have done due diligence in naming a starter," per Austin Miller of OleMissSports.com.
One of them has to be the official starter, though, and Kelly will get that nod because he has a much higher upside.
Prediction: Kelly
Oregon
11 of 13
Candidates: Vernon Adams, Ty Griffin, Travis Jonsen, Jeff Lockie, Morgan Mahalak
Oregon's quarterback competition hasn't even gotten through the first stage, as the Ducks have their spring game on Saturday. But that's just the beginning of the battle, since top contender Vernon Adams can't transfer from Eastern Washington until June.
Adams, who was arguably the most dominant offensive player at the FCS level over the past three years, is as close to what Oregon has lost in Heisman winner Marcus Mariota as anyone in the group. Though 2014 backup Jeff Lockie and freshmen Ty Griffin, Travis Jonsen and Morgan Mahalak were all recruited to the program for their capabilities as dual-threat passers, none have the kind of experience that Adams has.
And the fact it was at a lower level shouldn't matter because when Adams got shots against FBS teams (at Oregon State in 2013 and Washington in 2014) he was amazing. Put him in an offense where he doesn't have to do nearly all of it himself, and the sky could be the limit.
The only thing working against Adams in this competition is his lack of time to settle in, but Adams has been preparing for this move since announcing his transfer in January. He won't come in completely cold and will warm up quickly.
Prediction: Adams
Texas
12 of 13
Candidates: Jerrod Heard, Tyrone Swoopes
When Texas coach Charlie Strong announced this winter he was changing his offense to a spread attack, it not only symbolized an effort to stay relevant to in-state recruits but also seemed like a surefire sign that Strong wanted Jerrod Heard to be his quarterback this season. Heard ran the spread in high school, while Tyrone Swoopes came from a pro-style system and didn't seem capable of making the switch.
Yet both Heard and Swoopes showed progress during the spring, and Swoopes' development into someone who could handle the added responsibilities the spread brings kept him from getting surpassed by the fast-rising Heard.
"I don't know if Heard has done anything yet to unseat (Swoopes) as the starter," Strong told Mike Finger of the Houston Chronicle.
While Heard is the future, Strong seems unwilling to give up on Swoopes in the present. He's going to give him every possible chance to win (or lose) the job, and though Swoopes' performance to this point in his career hasn't been great, he also has the kind of experience that will make that opener at Notre Dame far less imposing than it would be for a redshirt freshman.
Prediction: Swoopes
UCLA
13 of 13
Candidates: Jerry Neuheisel, Josh Rosen, Asiantii Woulard
Even before committing to UCLA in March 2014, all of the stars have been aligning for Josh Rosen to be the Bruins' starter during his true freshman season. Brett Hundley stuck around for one more season, thus preventing anyone else on UCLA's depth chart from establishing themselves as a strong challenger this spring, and then when Rosen enrolled early he was able to step right in and be only minimally behind veteran Jerry Neuheisel at the start of camp.
Any lead Neuheisel—Hundley's backup last year—had a month ago has pretty much disappeared, Bleacher Report's Jason Fray wrote after Rosen completed 13 of 17 passes for a touchdown in last Saturday's spring game.
"He looked to be in full command of the offense, made the proper reads on zone-read situations and had undeniable power behind all of his throws," Fray wrote.
As risky as it is to start a true freshman at quarterback, particularly at a power program, Rosen is unquestionably the best choice.
Prediction: Rosen
Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
