Predicting Winners for Top Remaining College Football QB Battles
It's hard to argue that the quarterback position isn't the most important in college football. A great quarterback can lift his program's fortunes, elevating the talents of the offensive players surrounding him and boosting his teammates to heights they'd never have experienced without him.
The exact converse is true for a below-average signal-caller. Even if you have talented receivers, tailbacks and offensive linemen, their value is minimized when they're paired with a quarterback who can't execute the offense efficiently. Finding the right guy is paramount.
This summer, a number of prominent programs across the nation face that quandary. Powerful programs like Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State and Oregon are all running quarterback competitions, and the face of the College Football Playoff could change depending on who emerges victorious.
Here's a look at the projected winners of each major quarterback battle. Coaches' desire to keep information close to the vest and performance fluctuations could change these calls by the time September rolls around, but these are the best guesses as to who'll lead these prominent teams onto the field as 2015 begins.
Alabama
1 of 10
When Jake Coker transferred from Florida State to Alabama last summer, it would have surprised no one if Jameis Winston's former backup claimed the Crimson Tide's starting quarterback role. It never happened. Fifth-year senior Blake Sims outplayed Coker, won the job and led Alabama to an SEC title and College Football Playoff berth, throwing for 3,487 yards and 28 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
But as the 2015 season opener nears, Coker's final chance at a leading role seems to be eroding before our eyes. He failed to lock down the job in spring while competing against a group of young quarterbacks led by freshmen Blake Barnett and David Cornwell, and according to Alabama coach Nick Saban, no one has seized the job this fall. Saban told reporters, including AL.com's Matt Zenitz, as much following a scrimmage Saturday:
"From a quarterback standpoint, I can't really say that one guy was better than another. I think all did good things, and I think all did some things not so well. And I think that I would love to see one of these guys sort of take the bull by the horns and play with a sense of urgency that affects everybody else, that shows leadership and sort of the command and the confidence that our team needs.
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In addition, Zenitz reports that Coker will be sidelined "several days," according to Saban, with a foot injury which is expected to heal completely. We're still two-plus weeks away from the season opener against Wisconsin, but that isn't good news for the senior.
Cornwell has excellent size at 6'5", 240 pounds, and played well in spring. Barnett is a 5-star recruit and the nation's No. 2 pro-style quarterback recruit, per 247Sports, with great pocket presence, feet and potential.
Would Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin prefer three consecutive seasons of quarterback competitions, or would they rather develop a freshman? Here's guessing they go with Barnett unless Coker comes back quickly and finishes strong.
Winner: Blake Barnett
Florida
2 of 10
Florida is making a fresh start this fall with new coach Jim McElwain, and that includes the quarterback position. With 2014 starter Jeff Driskel gone to Louisiana Tech following a disastrous season, McElwain has two choices to lead an offense that could struggle behind an inexperienced offensive line: sophomore Treon Harris or redshirt freshman Will Grier.
Harris was pressed into service last fall and made seven starts, throwing for 1,019 yards with nine touchdowns against four interceptions while completing only 49.5 percent of his passes. He is a dual-threat passer, but he has been pushed hard by Grier, who is a more natural pocket passer and a better fit for McElwain's pro-style system. The competition remains close, per Jesse Simonton of the Miami Herald, but given McElwain's offense, it won't be a surprise when Grier emerges as the starter.
Winner: Will Grier
Florida State
3 of 10
Following controversial quarterback Jameis Winston's departure to the NFL as the top overall pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tallahassee is a quieter place, but Florida State isn't necessarily better for his exit. Despite his ability to attract trouble off the field, Winston was a star on it, winning the Heisman Trophy, going 26-1 for his career and leading the Seminoles to a national title and two ACC championships.
Replacing him is no simple task. Junior Sean Maguire emerged as the leader following spring practice. He led FSU to an overtime win over Clemson last fall with Winston suspended for yelling a vulgarity on campus, and he finished with 304 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
But the arrival of Everett Golson, who left Notre Dame as a graduate transfer following an up-and-down 2014 season, complicates matters. Golson is a talented dual-threat quarterback, but poor decision-making and turnovers paved his way out of South Bend, Indiana.
The two are splitting reps during fall camp, but Orlando Sentinel reporter Brendan Sonnone, who watched a recent open practice, gives Maguire the edge to win the job.
"Maguire looked good. Real good. He was making passes all over the field, and he seems to have the respect of his coaches and teammates," Sonnone wrote. "If he can be consistent and avoid long slumps like he did in the spring game, he will be hard to unseat."
Golson has the bigger name, but Maguire seems like the man in Tallahassee, at least to start 2015.
Winner: Sean Maguire
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Georgia
4 of 10
This fall, Georgia has a new offensive coordinator and a very open quarterback competition. Brian Schottenheimer has the reins of the Bulldogs offense following Mike Bobo's hiring as Colorado State's head coach, and he has the task of picking a new quarterback to replace one-and-done signal caller Hutson Mason.
With standout tailback Nick Chubb—a Heisman Trophy candidate—and six offensive starters returning, UGA's offense is in good shape. It just needs a capable leader under center. Sophomore Brice Ramsey and junior Faton Bauta competed throughout spring, which ended without either holding a clear advantage. Ramsey was Mason's backup last fall, completing 24 of 39 passes for 333 yards with three touchdowns against two interceptions. Bauta, who is more mobile, completed four of five passes for 48 yards in a mop-up role.
The situation has been complicated by former Virginia quarterback Greyson Lambert's arrival as a graduate transfer. Lambert threw for 1,632 yards with 10 touchdowns against 11 interceptions while completing 59 percent of his passes last season. Like Bauta and Ramsey, he's starting fresh with Schottenheimer.
Per Jason Butt of the Macon Telegraph, Schottenheimer says no one has taken the lead two weeks into practice and determining a starter will "take some time."
That said, Ramsey has the most experience working with the first team, albeit minimal. He should be the guy who emerges and leads the way into 2015 with a talented group.
Winner: Brice Ramsey
LSU
5 of 10
LSU's offense has many strengths: a Heisman Trophy candidate in sophomore tailback Leonard Fournette; a stacked receiving corps that includes Malachi Dupre, Travin Dural and Trey Quinn; a solid offensive line. All the Tigers need is a capable quarterback.
They didn't have that in 2014, with Anthony Jennings and Brandon Harris each providing inconsistent play. Jennings was unimpressive as a sophomore, throwing for 1,611 yards with 11 touchdowns against seven interceptions while completing just 48.9 percent of his passes.
Harris was equally inconsistent as a freshman. He threw for 452 yards with six touchdowns against two interceptions, completing 55.6 percent of his passes.
The two battled through spring practice with no resolution, and the competition has spilled into August. However, a resolution could be near. Per Chad Sabadie of Fox 8 New Orleans, Harris has received more first-team reps and appears to be the favorite.
Jennings had virtually all of last season to prove himself and has yet to establish a foothold. It's time for Harris to get his shot at leading the Tigers. If he's even competent, LSU will be an SEC West contender.
Winner: Brandon Harris
Michigan
6 of 10
New Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has drawn more than his share of headlines during this offseason, but one of the more underrated storylines is his need for a capable quarterback. With Devin Gardner gone, the job was very open entering spring practice.
Junior Shane Morris struggled last fall, completing 14 of 40 passes for 128 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions. He threw only one pass in the final seven games after suffering a concussion against Minnesota and drawing national attention after then-head coach Brady Hoke left him in the game.
Morris left spring in the lead for the job ahead of freshmen Alex Malzone, Zach Gentry and Wilton Speight.
But he's now competing against Iowa graduate transfer Jake Rudock, who spent most of 2014 as the Hawkeyes' starter, throwing for 2,436 yards with 16 touchdowns against five interceptions.
Rudock has a solid arm and can run a little, and he is a steady if unspectacular field general. He left Iowa after coach Kirk Ferentz installed junior C.J. Beathard ahead of him on the depth chart following a 7-6 season.
Rudock is a solid leader, and he's the perfect guy to lead Michigan into a season of transition. While news has been scarce out of Michigan's camp regarding the quarterbacks, it'd be smart to install Rudock as the starter.
Winner: Jake Rudock
Ohio State
7 of 10
One of the most intriguing quarterback competitions in recent memory is unfolding at Ohio State. Last fall, a pair of key injuries (Braxton Miller's shoulder injury and J.T. Barrett's broken ankle) allowed the Buckeyes to enter 2015 with three competent quarterbacks in Miller, the two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Barrett, who led the offense for the entire 2014 regular season, and Cardale Jones, who finished the job in the College Football Playoff after Barrett suffered a broken ankle.
Miller's switch to an H-back/receiver role has allowed head coach Urban Meyer to concentrate on choosing between Barrett and Jones, and it'd be hard to go wrong here.
Barrett threw for 2,834 yards with 34 touchdowns against 10 interceptions and rushed for 938 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall. Jones led OSU to a national title and drew comparisons to Cam Newton while throwing for 860 yards with seven touchdowns against two interceptions and rushing for 296 yards and a touchdown.
New offensive coordinator Tim Beck told USA Today's Nicole Auerbach that "it's just two heavyweights going at it right now," and every piece of data is being analyzed to make a decision. Either quarterback could start virtually anywhere in the FBS, but Jones might have a slightly higher ceiling than Barrett, which could make all the difference.
Winner: Cardale Jones
Ole Miss
8 of 10
Last fall, Ole Miss had a breakthrough season, going 9-4 with a Peach Bowl bid. The Rebels return 16 starters, but one of the biggest questions will be at quarterback. 2014 senior Bo Wallace was inconsistent, but he was the SEC's most experienced quarterback, so his departure will be felt in Oxford.
Coach Hugh Freeze is choosing between former Clemson quarterback Chad Kelly and sophomores Ryan Buchanan and DeVante Kincade, and he told reporters heading into the spring game that Buchanan had a "slight edge" for the job. It appears as though one signal-caller is asserting himself, as Freeze told Riley Blevins of the Clarion-Ledger Tuesday that "I kind of have in my mind who's the leader right now" but didn't specify who it was.
Clemson kicked Kelly off the football team following an on-field confrontation with coaches during the spring game, and an altercation in a bar got him arrested over the winter, but he has an excellent blend of mobility and passing skills. If he can prove that he's ready to be a leader, he's the Rebels' best choice.
Winner: Chad Kelly
Oklahoma
9 of 10
Oklahoma was perhaps 2014's biggest disappointment. The Sooners began the season ranked in the Top Five nationally but ended it well out of the Top 25 with an 8-5 record. Coach Bob Stoops cleaned house on his offensive staff, bringing in East Carolina offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, a proponent of the pass-first Air Raid system.
Riley's biggest charge is finding a starting quarterback. Trevor Knight is the returning starter, but he was underwhelming last fall, throwing for 2,300 yards with 14 touchdowns against 12 interceptions. He spent spring competing against Texas Tech transfer Baker Mayfield, who threw for 2,315 yards with 12 touchdowns against nine interceptions for the Red Raiders in 2013.
Sophomore Cody Thomas, who made three starts last fall while Knight was sidelined with a neck injury, throwing for 342 yards with two touchdowns against four interceptions, is also in the mix.
Oklahoma needs a fresh start at quarterback, and Mayfield has experience in the Air Raid system from his days at Texas Tech. Riley told Jason Kersey of the Oklahoman that a quarterback has yet to emerge from the pack, and Stoops' history says a starter will be named a week and a half before the opener. Expect that guy to be Mayfield, given his familiarity with Riley's offense.
Winner: Baker Mayfield
Oregon
10 of 10
Oregon's quarterback competition got truly interesting last week. When Vernon Adams officially graduated from Eastern Washington and joined the fray, a race that had become one-sided gained a serious challenger.
The Ducks spent all spring searching for a successor for Heisman Trophy-winner Marcus Mariota, who led Oregon to a national runner-up finish before leaving for the NFL draft, where he was the No. 2 overall selection. His backup, Jeff Lockie, finished spring as the leader, but he has yet to contend with Adams.
Adams left FCS Eastern Washington as a graduate transfer and hopes to make the most of the move as Oregon's starter. He is a two-time Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and threw for 10,433 yards with 110 touchdowns in three seasons at Eastern Washington, completing 64.8 percent of his passes. The dual-threat quarterback also rushed for 1,232 yards and 11 touchdowns in his FCS career.
He has a skill set that fits perfectly with Oregon's fast-paced offense, but Lockie has much more experience in it. Adams has been studying the playbook, but there's no substitute for practice and comfort with the first-string offense. Expect Lockie to get the start against Eastern Washington on Sept. 5. Adams' learning curve could be too much to overcome.
Winner: Jeff Lockie
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
