SEC Football: Biggest Surprises Midway Through Fall Camp
We've reached the midway point of fall camp, and that means there's depth-chart movement across the South.
Who's leading the quarterback battles? Which running backs are taking charge? Which true freshmen are pushing for playing time?
Some of those questions are starting to get answered. The most surprising fall camp storylines based on depth and scheme are in this slideshow.
Auburn RB Peyton Barber
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Junior Roc Thomas has the wiggle, 6'0", 230-pound junior college transfer Jovon Robinson has the size, and both were considered primary contenders to win the top spot on Auburn's running back depth chart this fall.
Redshirt sophomore Peyton Barber has other ideas.
The 5'11", 225-pounder from Alpharetta, Georgia, is neck-and-neck with Thomas, according to Charles Goldberg of AuburnTigers.com, and has earned the trust of the coaching staff midway through fall camp.
"You're talking about he's got more experience than any of the tailbacks that are here," head coach Gus Malzahn said. "He's getting to be a guy that we can really count on."
This is a "rich man's problem" for the Auburn staff. It'd like to have one main running back emerge as the go-to guy so it doesn't have to rotate running backs within drives and slow down its tempo. The reality, though, is that Barber and Thomas are both all-around backs who can do what Malzahn and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee ask.
If they both are thriving during fall camp, that gives the staff options—which should terrify opposing defensive coordinators.
Florida QB Will Grier
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The Florida quarterback battle between sophomore dual-threat returning part-time starter Treon Harris and redshirt freshman pro-style gunslinger Will Grier is the biggest remaining question for first-year head coach Jim McElwain to answer during fall camp.
So far, he's not saying much...at least publicly.
"They both have had really shining moments," he told Anthony Chiang of the Palm Beach Post. "They’ve both had some moments where you kind of scratch your head and wonder where that came from. It has been really good. I guess if you’re asking is there a separation yet, I haven’t really seen it."
Except that others have, including Chiang, who complimented Grier's ability to make the tough sideline-to-sideline passes that are expected in a pro-style offense.
I expected Grier to win the job, and certainly McElwain's coachspeak is to be expected. But if Grier is impressing and—dare I say—thriving in the face of a stifling Gator defense in practice and behind a patchwork offensive line, that's huge news for the 2015 Gators.
Will it get them back into SEC East contention? That remains to be seen. It's a good start though.
Tennessee WR Jauan Jennings
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It wasn't too long ago—spring, in fact—that Jauan Jennings was battling for the primary backup role at quarterback as a true freshman early enrollee at Tennessee.
Now, he's vying for playing time as a wide receiver at a position that's loaded with depth and options for the Volunteers.
So far, so good for Jennings. The 6'3", 201-pounder has improved tremendously in just a few weeks at the position and made several great catches during Tennessee's open practice on Saturday, including a stellar one-handed grab in traffic in the back of the end zone during red-zone work.
"He's been doing a great job," quarterback Joshua Dobbs said. "Every day, he comes in hungry and ready to learn. He might make a mistake, but he makes it full-go and corrects it the next time—which is great to see."
Standing next to Tennessee's wide receivers on Saturday night on the field, it's hard to imagine them as wide receivers. The size in that group makes them look more like a halfway decent NBA team than a college wide receiving unit.
Jennings is a big reason for that, and if he can get the intricacies of the position down over the next couple of weeks, don't be surprised if he makes an impact in 2015.
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Texas A&M DE Qualen Cunningham
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Everybody who pays attention to college football likely knows about stud sophomore defensive end Myles Garrett, who was one of the lone bright spots for the Texas A&M defense in 2014. If you've been paying attention, you've probably also heard of fellow defensive end Daeshon Hall, whom head coach Kevin Sumlin has been praising all offseason.
Qualen Cunningham, however, is more of an unknown.
That hasn't stopped new defensive coordinator John Chavis from talking him up this summer, though. When asked about Garrett and Hall, Chavis went out of his way to compliment Cunningham while also saying that Garrett and Hall were two of the best defensive ends in college football, according to Jeff Tarpley of 247Sports.
The mere fact that Cunningham made his way into that conversation speaks volumes.
The best defenses in the country are ones that have enough depth to rotate bodies for a full four quarters. Cunningham won't be a starter and might not even be a star for the 2015 Aggies. But he evidently has done enough to be a rotational contributor, which will help the Aggie defense as a whole and help the starting defensive ends thrive.
Alabama CB Minkah Fitzpatrick
5 of 8It's no secret that Alabama's secondary has given up far too many big plays over the last couple of seasons, including an SEC-worst 133 passing plays of 10 or more yards a year ago.
To fix the issue, head coach Nick Saban and defensive coordinator Kirby Smart could be turning to 5-star true freshman Minkah Fitzpatrick.
The native of Jersey City, New Jersey, was seen practicing with the first team on Monday, according to Charlie Potter of 247Sports. That could be just temporary or something that was only noticeable during the open-viewing portion of the practice.
It is significant, though.
As Matt Zenitz of AL.com noted earlier this month, the coaching staff already had plans to use the 6'1", 195-pounder in a variety of ways, and if he's earned enough trust to run with the "ones" midway through fall camp—even if it's only temporary—that's a tremendous sign that things have clicked for the freshman.
Georgia LB Roquan Smith
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Roquan Smith's recruitment—and national signing day in particular—played out like the script to a bizarre soap opera.
But the 6'1", 217-pounder from Montezuma, Georgia, found his way to Georgia after verbally committing to UCLA in February and is making it hard for the Bulldogs' defensive staff to keep him off the field.
"He’s fast, instinctive, he’ll put his face on you," inside linebackers coach Mike Ekeler told Seth Emerson of DawgNation.com. "Usually it takes time when guys come in to understand how to take on blocks and get on blocks."
Defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt isn't afraid to give freshmen big roles if they earn it, and with Georgia looking to replace middle linebackers Ramik Wilson and Amarlo Herrera, the door might be open. Sure, there are options like Tim Kimbrough, Jake Ganus and Reggie Carter, along with outside linebacker Leonard Floyd—who could move inside at times.
If Smith is "too good not to play," that's tremendous news for the Georgia linebacking corps and the defense as a whole.
Ole Miss OL Javon Patterson
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Injuries decimated the Ole Miss offensive line late last year, and the lack of depth was a big reason the Rebels faded down the stretch, dropped four of their last six games and aren't receiving the buzz that other teams within the division are this offseason.
That depth up front might be there now, and 6'3", 307-pound Javon Patterson is one of those who could be providing it.
The former 4-star prospect from Petal, Mississippi, played well this spring and has impressed his new coaches even more this summer.
"He’s been around (so long), I think he’s a sophomore or something," offensive coordinator Dan Werner told Riley Blevins of the Jackson Clarion-Ledger. "I forget that he’s a true freshman. He’s in there competing against Robert Nkemdiche and guys like that. Welcome to the SEC, I guess. He’s played very well. He’s in there in the two deep and battling. He’s going to get some playing time this year."
If the injuries hit again, it sounds like Ole Miss is better prepared to deal with them. If Patterson elbows his way into the starting lineup at some point, that'd be even better news for head coach Hugh Freeze and the Rebels.
LSU QB Brandon Harris
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No, LSU sophomore quarterback Brandon Harris hasn't won the starting job over junior Anthony Jennings just yet. But the dual-threat weapon from Bossier City, Louisiana—who entered fall camp with a slight lead due in large part to Jennings' suspension during summer workouts—hasn't done anything to suggest that he might lose it.
According to head coach Les Miles, B/R's Chris Walsh and just about everybody who has been around the LSU program this August, Harris has taken the next step, is making smart decisions with the football and made it known that he's the clear-cut No. 1 until proven otherwise.
Does that solve LSU's quarterback puzzle?
Not at all, because at this point, it's tough to just expect that a highly touted signal-caller will cure the Tigers' quarterback blues after nearly a decade of futility.
But it'd be a tremendous start.
Harris has a big arm, incredible athleticism and the potential to be a superstar as long as he can command the huddle and the coaching staff adjusts to his style.
Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83.
Follow Barrett on Twitter: @BarrettSallee.
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