Bold Predictions for 2015 SEC Quarterback Battles
The offseason talk has already reached a crescendo—quarterback play in the SEC is going to be down in 2015.
As Dan Wolken of USA Today told Paul Finebaum of the SEC Network last month, "down" might be sugarcoating it a bit.
""Let's be honest, the group of QBs in the SEC this season is largely embarrassing" -@DanWolken
— Paul Finebaum (@finebaum) May 19, 2015"
What's the reason for the gloom-and-doom talk at the high-profile position? Nine remaining quarterback battles—some of which are at very high-profile programs—have a lot to do with it.
Let's examine those remaining quarterback battles with some bold predictions for the 2015 season.
Florida QB Will Grier Will Live Up to the Hype
1 of 7
Yes, offensive line woes might force dual threat Treon Harris into a more prolific role in the Florida offense due to his ability to operate a multidimensional offense in the face of offensive line uncertainty, but redshirt freshman Will Grier will be the primary No. 1 guy.
The 6'2" 200-pounder from Davidson, North Carolina, is more of a fit for the more traditional offensive scheme that head coach Jim McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier employ. The No. 2 pro-style passer in the class of 2014 is accurate and can stretch the field but has to work on the tough passes sideline to sideline in order to be successful at the college level.
He's the best option and the player the staff will be the most comfortable with in 2015. He not only will hold down the primary No. 1 job all season, but he will also solidify himself as the quarterback of the future in Gainesville.
Kentucky QB Drew Barker Will Spring the Upset
2 of 7
It should come as no surprise that Patrick Towles is the leader right now at Kentucky after throwing for 2,718 yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago.
Head coach Mark Stoops even said as much on Wednesday, according to Jen Smith of the Herald Leader.
"Mark Stoops on his starting QB: Obviously you guys can read between the lines, Patrick Towles “probably has a leg up right now."
— Jen Smith (@jenheraldleader) June 3, 2015"
But Stoops has made it clear that redshirt freshman Drew Barker is still very much in the mix to win the starting job under new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson.
"Drew Barker still has a chance to win the job in fall camp. Competition helps us at every position, Stoops said.
— Jen Smith (@jenheraldleader) June 3, 2015"
A "little bit different" has leveled the playing field a little bit, and it could be what puts Barker over the top.
The 6'3", 221-pound Kentucky high school legend has a big arm and can make the tough throws from sideline to sideline, and he is the future of the Kentucky football program at quarterback.
The future is now, and Barker will spring the upset on Towles during fall camp.
Georgia QB Greyson Lambert Won't Unseat Brice Ramsey
3 of 7It's no secret that Georgia was in the transfer quarterback market. Head coach Mark Richt and the Georgia staff hosted former Notre Dame signal-caller Everett Golson before he settled on Florida State, and ESPN.com's Joe Schad confirmed on Wednesday that former Virginia quarterback Greyson Lambert will transfer in this summer as a two-year graduate transfer.
It doesn't matter. Redshirt sophomore Brice Ramsey will be Georgia's guy in 2015.
Of the quarterbacks vying for the top spot on the depth chart—Ramsey, redshirt freshman Jacob Park, junior Faton Bauta and Lambert—Ramsey is the guy most likely to fix Georgia's primary problem at the quarterback position—he can stretch the field vertically. On top of that, unlike Lambert, Ramsey has at least some experience with new coordinator Brian Schottenheimer.
Hutson Mason was consistent last year but didn't stretch the field as much as Georgia needed. Ramsey can do that, which would take some pressure off running back Nick Chubb and Schottenheiemer.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Alabama QB David Cornwell Will Spring the Upset
4 of 7
Midway through spring practice, Alabama quarterback David Cornwell made a move. The 6'5" 240-pounder with a big arm from Norman, Oklahoma, exited spring practice as the clear No. 2 behind Jake Coker, which is very impressive considering his situation.
He enrolled at Alabama in January 2014 fresh off an ACL injury that prevented him from doing much last spring. Following spring practice, he had ankle surgery that, according to Marq Burnett of the Ledger-Enquirer, prevented him from being truly healthy until midway through his redshirt season.
Alabama simply hadn't had much of a chance to see the real Cornwell until this spring, and to make that kind of move in a crowded field that's five quarterbacks deep is a great sign of things to come.
Now as the primary opponent to Coker, expect Cornwell to thrive off the momentum and win the starting job late in fall camp.
South Carolina QB Lorenzo Nunez Will Earn Snaps in the Opener
5 of 7
You—yes, you sitting on the couch who has never played a down of college football—have almost as much experience as South Carolina's most experienced quarterback.
Connor Mitch is the front-runner over Perry Orth and Michael Scarnecchia in the race to replace Dylan Thompson but has a grand total of six career passes.
But Lorenzo Nunez is lurking.
The 6'2", 190-pound, 4-star prospect in the class of 2015 will participate in fall camp with a legitimate shot of not only pushing for backup reps but also finding a spot on the field for this season's Gamecocks.
"He'll be in contention to play a lot," head coach Steve Spurrier said at SEC spring meetings in Destin, Florida. "Whether or not he can start the first game of the year, that would be asking a lot. Who knows? We'll get him ready to play some."
LSU's QB Issues Will Linger
6 of 7
At this point, quarterback uncertainty in the offseason in Baton Rouge is about as predictable as the sunrise.
Ever since Matt Flynn led LSU to the 2007 national title, the first eight months of every year (and sometimes more) have been filled with uncertainty, questions and stress stemming from underachieving quarterbacks.
This year is no different, as Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings are vying for the top spot on the depth chart—just as they did a year ago.
Translation: More of the same frustration is heading to Baton Rouge.
At this point, Jennings is who he is. He completes less than 50 percent of his passes, takes too many sacks and isn't accurate on short and intermediate routes. If Harris can't beat him out, or even establish himself as the leader during the offseason, that should be very concerning.
Vanderbilt QB Johnny McCrary Will Bring Stability
7 of 7
Patton Robinette appeared to be the front-runner to win the starting job for Vanderbilt exiting spring practice, but he then threw a curveball to head coach Derek Mason when he announced his retirement due to medical concerns and a focus on medical school.
The staff is going back to the drawing board this summer, and redshirt sophomore Johnny McCrary should rise to the top of the depth chart over a crowded field that includes Wade Freebeck, Shawn Stankavage and incoming freshman Kyle Shurmur.
McCrary has the experience that will go a long way for this offense. He threw for 985 yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions last year after earning the starting nod for the majority of the second half of the season. He has a strong arm, can make the tough throws sideline to sideline and is comfortable with the speed of the SEC.
In a drastic 180-degree change from last year, the quarterback position in Nashville will be—gasp—stable.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All stats are courtesy of cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted, and all recruiting information is courtesy of 247Sports' composite rankings.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and college football video analyst for Bleacher Report, as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on Sirius 93, XM 208.
Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
