Breaking Down Top College Football QB Battles Following Key Spring Games
The 2016 crop of college football's starting quarterbacks is becoming clear after competitions ruled college football headlines during spring practice.
Returning starters, experienced backups and talented youngsters spent most of March and April in the spotlight. Following the workouts, though, just two or three real contenders remain at most programs.
Nearly every battle brought the anticipated result. While no clear-cut starter emerged at schools such as Michigan and Notre Dame, the spring still brought some separation on the depth chart.
A few coaches named leaders, but most others elected to refrain from tabbing post-spring starters. Those competitions will receive a majority of the nation's attention once fall camp arrives.
Alabama
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The Alabama Crimson Tide certainly don't lack options. Cooper Bateman, David Cornwell, Blake Barnett and Jalen Hurts are vying for the starting spot.
However, Bateman led the first-team offense throughout the spring and claims the most in-game experience of any player. Head coach Nick Saban told ESPN's Chris Low in mid-April that Bateman would start if the season began today.
But it doesn't.
According to Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Saban said "there really isn't any separation." Though Saban added Hurts is "in the conversation," per Low, Bateman, Cornwell and Barnett are the three main guys.
Fall camp will decide the No. 1 quarterback. Bateman is the safe choice, but Barnett will likely push for the starting role—especially once the regular season is underway.
Auburn
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Exiting the spring, it seems like Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn is banking on John Franklin III eventually winning the job.
When asked about the position following the spring game, Malzahn said he wasn't ready to declare a leader, per Matthew Stevens of the Montgomery Advertiser.
Yes, the JUCO transfer must overtake Jeremy Johnson and Sean White. But the spring game showed Johnson still hasn't outgrown his tendency to stare down a receiver, and White's lack of mobility simply doesn't fit Malzahn's ideal system.
Franklin isn't the starter yet, but he's the unofficial favorite.
Baylor
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The 2016 campaign wasn't kind to the Baylor quarterbacks. Heisman Trophy contender Seth Russell needed season-ending neck surgery, and a broken ankle sidelined Jarrett Stidham down the stretch.
Baylor monitored Russell this spring, but a torn pectoral muscle limited him further. Consequently, he and Stidham were co-No. 1s on the post-spring depth chart released by the school.
"Honestly we didn't have a chance to fully evaluate Seth," head coach Art Briles said, per Suzanne Halliburton of the Austin American-Statesman. "We're just going to carry [the competition] into fall camp. ... It's not really definitive on which way we're going to go yet."
Although Russell remains the player to beat, his health is a concern.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
Florida
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Florida's quarterback competition provided what was probably the most complete answer of these major battles.
The starting job was Luke Del Rio's to lose. He held it tight. Austin Appleby figured to stay close yet not jump Del Rio on the depth chart. That happened, too.
Kyle Trask is likely ahead of early enrollee Feleipe Franks, who could develop into a multiyear starter but would clearly benefit from a redshirt season. Trask should challenge Appleby for the No. 2 role.
Barring injury or a stunningly bad performance during the fall, though, Del Rio will start for the Gators.
Florida State
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Sean Maguire didn't participate in spring practice. He's still the projected starter at Florida State.
According to Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel, head coach Jimbo Fisher said he was pleased with the performance of Deondre Francois and Malik Henry, but Maguire is the No. 1 guy. He should retain that status, too.
Maguire guided FSU to four wins in 2015. He only lost to national runner-up Clemson and then fell to Houston while playing on a broken bone. Maguire can have a pass for that.
The summer and fall should feature a legitimate competition with all three candidates healthy. Maguire is recovering from ankle surgery, and Fisher expects the senior to be ready in June, per Sonnone.
Georgia
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The hype says 5-star early enrollee Jacob Eason should start at Georgia. His terrific showing in the spring game suggested he's just as ready as Greyson Lambert and Brice Ramsey.
Kirby Smart, however, isn't here to make friends. Fans who believe Eason is the guy "should go to Coaching 101," Smart said, according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach.
But let's be serious.
"At the very worst, [Eason] is equal to two veterans after just 15 practices as a college freshman," Bleacher Report's Barrett Sallee said.
There are few good reasons supporting the notion Eason won't open 2016 under center for the Bulldogs—no matter how much Smart tries to downplay the situation.
Michigan
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If the competition at Michigan were a political race, it would be considered "too close to call."
Head coach Jim Harbaugh said the Wolverines haven't decided on a starter, per Angelique S. Chengelis of the Detroit News.
But the candidates to watch are Wilton Speight and John O'Korn. Though Harbaugh hasn't said this, Shane Morris is pretty clearly behind the duo despite publicly remaining in the hunt. Plus, future star Brandon Peters is headed for a redshirt.
Speight is a pocket passer, while O'Korn offers a big arm and is a respectable scrambling threat. Truly, neither one has separated himself from the other.
We'll likely find out the winner of this battle when the Michigan offense heads onto the field for its first drive of the regular season.
Michigan State
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Mark Dantonio has done everything but officially name Tyler O'Connor Michigan State's initial starter for 2016.
A fifth-year senior, he opened the spring as the No. 1, remained there midway through April and is very likely still atop the depth chart.
Following the spring game, Dantonio detailed what he's looking for in MSU's quarterback, according to Matt Charboneau of the Detroit News.
"It comes down to decision-making, creating, making plays and leadership. Tyler, I think, has done a nice job of that. The other guys have too, but they need to be consistent. He certainly has the most experience, but we'll see how it all shakes out."
Damion Terry and Brian Lewerke are chasing O'Connor, who is inching closer to replacing Connor Cook—and hearing Dantonio announce it.
Notre Dame
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Notre Dame basically has the same predicament as Michigan—only with better quarterbacks.
DeShone Kizer led the Fighting Irish to a Fiesta Bowl bid after replacing Malik Zaire, whose season ended because of a broken ankle. He had played seven excellent quarters under center.
At least publicly, the coaches gave Brandon Wimbush a fair shot, but head coach Brian Kelly said he couldn't find enough reps for the sophomore, per Mike Vorel of the South Bend Tribune.
So, the focus returns to Kizer and Zaire. But if there's no clear winner, "I'm going to have to make a judgment call," Kelly said, according to JJ Stankevitz of CSN Chicago.
Maybe Notre Dame will use a dartboard. The Irish should be confident with either quarterback running the offense.
Stanford
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After three-plus seasons with Kevin Hogan under center, Stanford needs a new gunslinger. And the battle between Keller Chryst and Ryan Burns is tight.
While spring game statistics are just numbers, the box score accurately reflected how little separation there was on the field. Per the school, Chryst finished 16-of-25 for 156 yards and two touchdowns, while Burns was 17-of-23 with 153 yards and two scores of his own.
Chryst was the early favorite, but Burns has closed the gap. Fortunately for the Cardinal, though, it looks like the former No. 2 is rising rather than the No. 1 falling.
Head coach David Shaw said Stanford won't announce a starter until camp, according to Jon Wilner of the Mercury News.
TCU
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Trevone Boykin left a sizable void at quarterback at TCU. Kenny Hill and Foster Sawyer are fighting to fill it.
However, the practice sessions didn't provide much of an answer. They shared the No. 1 line on the post-spring depth chart, per Carlos Mendez of the Star-Telgram.
And we shouldn't expect a resolution anytime soon.
According to Kevin Lyttle of the Austin American-Statesman, head coach Gary Patterson said the team won't name a starter until late summer.
USC
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Max Browne entered the spring as the top contender at USC, but Sam Darnold is charging hard.
"I'll just be honest, I don't think there's a huge gap between the quarterbacks right now," head coach Clay Helton said, per Zach Helfand of the Los Angeles Times.
With that being said, the Orange County Register noted Helton admitted Browne owned a slight lead at one point this spring.
Browne needs to stave off Darnold, but the Trojans shouldn't be worried about replacing Cody Kessler.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
