SEC Football: Biggest Position Battles to Watch in 2016 Fall Camp
It's finally here: the most wonderful time of the year for those of us who love the annual five-month grudge match that is the SEC football schedule.
Fall practice begins this week and will culminate with the national championship game early next year. It's no surprise the conference boasts the defending title holder in Alabama; it's the eighth time in 10 years the champion has hailed from the SEC. Four of those times, it's been Nick Saban's Crimson Tide.
But in order for the conference to have a member hoist the trophy again in 2017 (for the '16 season, of course), there needs to be some positions battles decided. Most of those will come under center, where the league will experience a major upheaval at the quarterback spot yet again.
Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, South Carolina, Mississippi State and, to an extent, even Florida, Missouri and Arkansas will all experience battles for the starting signal-caller spots. LSU could see a change if Brandon Harris doesn't improve dramatically as well. Texas A&M transfer Trevor Knight isn't a sure thing in College Station, either.
The only truly settled quarterback spots are returning stars Chad Kelly at Ole Miss and Joshua Dobbs at Tennessee.
Beyond those, there are several spotlight positions such as running back up for grabs on several teams. Other spots that aren't as much in the limelight, like offensive and defensive linemen, need settling, too. As always, add your opinions in the comments, too.
So, with all that in mind, let's take a look at a handful of the biggest position battles that'll grab headlines during fall camp.
Alabama Quarterback
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As important and valuable as the quarterback position is in college football, Saban has proved time after time that it isn't essential to have a dynamic star or a seasoned veteran leading his offense.
The Tide normally win football games with smashmouth offensive and defensive dominance, so a game manager who doesn't turn the ball over normally suffices. As a matter of fact, perhaps the most amazing stat of Saban's brilliant run at the Capstone is his quarterback resume.
Three of 'Bama's past four first-year starting quarterbacks (Greg McElroy, A.J. McCarron and Jake Coker) won national championships. The other, Blake Sims, lost in the 2015 College Football Playoff semifinal to eventual national champion Ohio State.
So, pardon the confident-bordering-on-cocky Alabama fans if they tell you it doesn't matter who plays quarterback in '16. The most frustrating thing for opponents is they're usually right.
But with UA having to replace Heisman Trophy-winning running back Derrick Henry, it may matter a little more this year. Of course, with Bo Scarbrough, Alabama looks to have a star running back in the wings, but the Tide still needs somebody to step up under center.
Will that be fourth-year junior Cooper Bateman? Perhaps former star prospect Blake Barnett? Sophomore David Cornwell had the high school chops, too, but he's never sniffed the field. Jalen Hurts is an intriguing option who has big-time dual-threat ability.
All of them are doing good things this offseason, if tight end O.J. Howard is to be believed, per AL.com's Michael Casagrande: "I think each quarterback is doing a great job right now," he said. "They're running the plays. They're being great leaders. There's not one guy that stands out more than the other, but right now we're not doing as much."
It's anybody's guess right now, and while some may think Bateman has the upper hand, nothing's a given.
Auburn Quarterback
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While it may not matter who plays quarterback in Tuscaloosa, the feeling is much different down on the Plains of the Yellowhammer State.
Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn needs a maestro to make his offense go, and while he once worked wonders with a no-name like Chris Todd, last year proved he can't always make the magic happen.
The Tigers don't have a megastar such as Cam Newton running out of the tunnel this year, and if a dynamic athlete emerges like Nick Marshall did three years ago, the top candidate would be Florida State transfer John Franklin III.
But that's far from a guarantee.
Franklin is a speedster, and while he isn't a prototypical quarterback sizewise or in arm strength, he looks like the best dual-threat fit for Malzahn's read-option offense. But that doesn't necessarily put him at the top of the battle. He didn't look sharp for much of the spring, either.
Sophomore Sean White may fit the Malzahn mold least, but he showed some flashes in 2015 after replacing an ineffective Jeremy Johnson, who was a major reason AU was a dark-horse pick to make some noise a season ago. Instead, Johnson looked lost offensively and was eventually replaced.
The 6'5", 234-pound Montgomery, Alabama, native is still on campus, still a physical freak and if something clicks, he could surprise a lot of people around the league who have given up on him. But can that be depended on? Not at this point.
AU has recruited well enough recently to succeed if it can find a viable quarterback. There are a couple of talented running backs on the roster, led by senior Jovon Robinson. The offensive line has some key pieces, and though they're young, the receivers are ultra-talented.
Defensively, there are a lot of pieces for new coordinator Kevin Steele to mold.
But quarterback is a major worry. The Tigers need somebody to emerge and take control of the team if they're going to win enough games to keep the pressure off the Gus Bus.
Ole Miss Running Back
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Chad Kelly and his cast of big, physical wide receivers appear poised to keep the Rebels offense slinging the ball downfield and making misery for opposing defenses.
But there are plenty of questions in that other half of the offense to make folks nervous in the Grove.
Head coach Hugh Freeze is going to have to cultivate a running game essentially from scratch. So, while the title of this slide may be "Ole Miss running back," it may as well be the entire running attack. The Rebels must replace all five offensive line starters who lined up in the Sugar Bowl.
Stud freshman tackle Gregory Little has everybody excited, and several other linemen have starting reps under their belts, but it's fair to say this is a rebuild. As mediocre as Ole Miss' running backs have been in the past couple of years, the Rebels need a star to step up and help make the young line look better.
A nice option who wasn't around a season ago is redshirt freshman running back Eric Swinney, who rehabbed an injury and sat out last season. The Atlanta-area product killed it in spring practice, routinely trucking defenders and looking like the player who excited Rebs fans when he signed.
"He looked very good today," Freeze told the Ole Miss Spirit's Ben Garrett this spring. "He hasn't gotten a ton of carries, but today he looked quick, powerful and strong. He finished runs well. I liked what I saw."
Swinney may be the sexy pick, but a couple of bigger bruisers may have the upper hand. Akeem Judd and Jordan Wilkins are a pair of runners who may not break off a lot of long runs, but they look like every-down backs in a rugged league. With an offensive line that will likely learn on the go, they could be assets.
All three of those runners are over 200 pounds, though, so that should help Freeze as he tries to find some balance.
Nobody needs to go out and rush for 1,000 yards. Kelly is going to be the commander of the offense, and the Rebels have plenty of playmakers around. They just need a rusher to keep defenses honest.
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Florida Defensive End
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All eyes are going to be on head coach Jim McElwain's offense in Year 2, especially after the offensive-minded leader of the Gators saw that unit sputter so much down the stretch after the suspension of quarterback Will Grier.
So, while there is a billed "quarterback battle" in Gainesville, it would be a stunner if the starter was anybody other than transfer Luke Del Rio, the son of NFL head coach Jack Del Rio. This spring, he looked like the surefire guy under center.
JUCO transfer Mark Thompson is also expected to solidify a running game that was sluggish throughout 2015.
Those may be battles, but the clear leaders have already emerged. A better battle that may wind up being just as important is mounting on the other side of the ball. Yes, UF must find somebody to replace Vernon Hargreaves III at cornerback, but Jalen Tabor's stardom is evident if he can stay out of trouble.
Up front, the Gators need a few difference-makers to step up. They have plenty of talent thanks to recruiting successes, not only under McElwain, but also previous head coach Will Muschamp. But an important spot where the Gators need a havoc-wreaker is at weak-side defensive end.
With Alex McCalister gone to the NFL, Florida needs somebody to step up.
Everybody in orange and blue hope former star prospect CeCe Jefferson emerges as the dominant force he can be. He could be elite, but he is also big enough to play 3-technique if needed.
If that happens, Keivonnis Davis and Jordan Sherit could earn key reps. Davis is a sophomore and began to emerge this spring as a player who should excite. A couple of star recruits in Antonneous Clayton or Jordan Smith could shine, too.
There are enough potential playmakers on the line that Gator Country's Bailiegh Williams gave the unit a preseason 'A' grade:
"Florida’s stout defensive line has a chance to be one of the very best in the country this season, earning them an A. Even after losing a couple of key players, it seems the Gators have plenty of options as fall approaches. A few unproven guys with great potential will have to step in, but there will be no lack of talent or depth on the defensive line this year for Florida.
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McCalister was an underrated player who got consistent push up front. If UF can't replicate a legitimate pass rush in 2016, the defense will take a big step backward.
Georgia Quarterback
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Another quarterback battle everybody wants to know the answer to is brewing between the hedges as first-year coach Kirby Smart will see the spotlight focus squarely on whatever decision he makes under center.
Everybody in Athens, Georgia, is beside themselves with excitement over freshman midterm enrollee Jacob Eason, who may go through the regular first-year issues that most everybody does, but he has elite ability.
Given the struggles the Bulldogs' signal-callers had a season ago, there's pressure on Smart to let the kid see what he can do.
The hype surrounding Eason is extraordinary, and nobody is dousing the flames. Dawg Nation's Jeff Sentel spoke to Eason's longtime trainer, Lavelle Durant, recently following Eason's 19-for-29 spring-game performance.
"He's blowing the old Jacob Eason out of the water right now," Durant said. "I haven’t been as impressed at what Jacob can do throwing the football in a long time as I am right now. Probably ever."
But do you make a gamble like that at the beginning of the season, especially considering running back Nick Chubb's knee likely won't be totally healthy and backup (and 1,000-yard rusher from a season ago) Sony Michel will still be rehabbing his offseason injuries suffered in an ATV accident?
That's a major question mark.
The most likely bet is senior and former Virginia quarterback Greyson Lambert will start the season off as the first player under center. Under the tutelage of first-year offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, it's possible Lambert could take a nice leap.
Chaney mentored Drew Brees in his Purdue days, and recently helped develop Tyler Bray at Tennessee and Nathan Peterman at Pittsburgh last year.
But it seems Lambert is just keeping Eason's seat warm. How soon will it be until he's ready to go? All eyes are on Smart pulling that trigger.
LSU Offensive Tackle
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There's so much experience for the LSU Tigers in 2016 that the expectations for Les Miles' team are sky-high a year after Miles was minutes away from being fired.
With Leonard Fournette, Derrius Guice and Darrel Williams in the backfield, the Tigers already know where the bulk of their offense will come from. If quarterback Brandon Harris can ever match his physical abilities with his on-field play, LSU would be a load on offense.
Also, first-year defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has a lot of potential stars to work with on the other side of the ball, and the Tigers signed yet another loaded recruiting class.
But what about that offensive line? There are still several questions there. Like always, there is talent and plenty of ability, but there are a lot of spots up for grabs. That's surprising for a team that has as many returning starters as anybody in the FCS, but neither tackle spot is hammered down.
Back in the spring, the Tigers tried to continue their successful recent history of shuffling linemen around when they moved Maea Teuhema from guard to left tackle this past spring, but he struggled athletically stopping the pass rush. If he falters, somebody such as Chidi Okeke needs to step up.
If Toby Weathersby returns from his spring-ending injury and is back into form, the Tigers could be elite on the offensive front. Despite the position battles up in the air, Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman believes LSU's line is elite, ranking it second nationally:
"Ethan Pocic is a tall center at 6-6, 302 pounds. He's also an excellent one. He's strong, athletic and explosive. Better still, he's a gymrat. Left guard William Clapp is one of the best linemen in the SEC. He's just very solid. Right guard Josh Boutte may be the most physical O-lineman the Tigers have, according to Les Miles. He's a heavy-handed player and is a beast as a pulling guard. Maea Teuhema is a really athletic, fluid tackle at 6-4, 325-pound player who also can play guard and Toby Weathersby is physical sophomore from Texas battling for a spot at tackle along with Chidi Okeke, a nimble 6-6, 310-pound redshirt freshman from Nigeria. Also, remember the name Donavaughn Campbell, a 6-5, 350-pound freshman road-grader at guard that the staff is excited about.
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Miles must find the best five out of an extremely talented group to pave the way for Fournette and Co. They can make mediocre lines look good with their abilities, but if the Tigers are as good as they can be up front, it could be a huge season.
Mississippi State Quarterback
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There have been so many stories about replacing Dak Prescott it's almost become cliched, but you don't simply pluck the heir to a superstar out of thin air.
Prescott was one of the greatest players in Mississippi State history, and now, all of a sudden, he's no longer in Starkville, and there's a huge void to be filled.
It's expected Nick Fitzgerald will be that guy, but nothing has been proved yet. Fitzgerald is nowhere near as flashy as Prescott, and he never took any meaningful snaps because Prescott hardly ever came off the field. But he has the best grasp of the offense right now.
As far as who has the most ability, that may be Nick Tiano, a 6'4", 231-pound dual-threat quarterback from Chattanooga, Tennessee, who could wind up being the kind of physical and sneaky-athletic signal-caller head coach Dan Mullen loves in his offense.
Is he there yet? Probably not, but if you're looking for somebody who can make up some of that ability Prescott brought, Tiano could be the guy.
Elijah Staley and Damian Williams could have a say in the race, too, but Fitzgerald and Tiano are the guys everybody is mentioning right now, including ESPN.com's Alex Scarborough:
"In visiting with Mississippi State this spring and after watching the spring game, I got the distinct impression that Tiano is the quarterback of the future. He’s young, I know, but he’s talented and, more importantly, he has the earmarks of a leader. Coaches and teammates compare his intangibles to—and hold on for this—Dak Prescott. Is he going to be the second coming of Dak? Not likely, but that’s ridiculously high praise that should be worth something.
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In sports, we have a tendency to compare everybody to the "next [insert last great player from school]," and that's the era we're entering into in Starkville post-Prescott. Is Fitzgerald the guy to lead the Bulldogs through the rebuild in '16, or will Mullen go with Tiano or somebody else?
This fall will tell us a lot.
Tennessee Offensive Tackle
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The talent fourth-year Tennessee head coach Butch Jones assembled in Knoxville has a lot of people around Rocky Top thrilled about the possibilities for the Volunteers in 2016.
Last year was a fun 9-4 ride that was bittersweet because of all the close losses, but it was still yet another step in the right direction for a program that was dormant for a decade. Anything less than double-digit wins in '16 is a disappointment.
The Vols have playmakers up and down the roster, and there is depth and experience, too. Toss in new defensive coordinator Bob Shoop, and everybody is excited on Rocky Top.
But that doesn't mean every position is settled.
Tennessee must find some answers on the offensive front, and while that unit has the players to be better than it has through Jones' first few seasons and actually could be a team strength, the Vols need a pair of tackles to step up.
Three candidates top that list, led by sophomore Chance Hall, who took over for the injured Brett Kendrick in the Georgia game a season ago and looked like a budding star the rest of the season—despite not playing his senior year of high school due to a torn Achilles.
While redshirt freshman Drew Richmond has never played a snap in the SEC and had some growing pains this spring, he has the physical ability to be a star in the SEC, and the Vols are looking for him to be the starting left tackle right away.
If he falters, Kendrick enjoyed a strong spring and could factor into one of the spots. If the Vols need some depth, it's probable they'd look inside where the guards are deep, talented and could have somebody shift to the edge.
The trio of tackles UT signed in the '16 class (Nathan Niehaus, Ryan Johnson and Marcus Tatum) are nice developmental prospects, but shouldn't be ready to play right away. That means the answers have been on campus. All three between Hall, Richmond and Kendrick need to be depended on right now.
If they falter, the Vols and their sturdy rushing attack will struggle to replace departed senior Kyler Kerbyson.
Texas A&M Running Back
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The Jake Spavital era in College Station is over, and few Aggies are going to miss the former offensive coordinator.
And while the hiring of former UCLA offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone to replace him may have aided in A&M losing star recruit and Ohio State commit Tate Martell, according to Rivals' Adam Gorney, Aggies fans just hope Mazzone is a better marriage for head coach Kevin Sumlin's offense.
Following the departure of star quarterbacks Kyle Allen and Kyler Murray, everybody in College Station just wants some offensive stability.
Oklahoma senior transfer Trevor Knight beat out Jake Hubenak for the starting quarterback job this spring, but that doesn't mean all positions are settled on offense. It's just as big of a fight to see who is going to be playing running back for the Aggies.
A Sooners transfer who hasn't been mentioned as prominently as Knight is Keith Ford, who left Norman's crowded backfield situation that included Samaje Perine, Joe Mixon and others to come to the SEC and try to win the Aggies' job. He sat out last year due to transfer rules and will be a junior in '16.
Junior James White has been in the system the longest, and with 1,000-yard rusher Tra Carson graduating, it may be a running back by committee to replace that production.
Trayveon Williams is a nice change-of-pace back, but it's doubtful he can carry the load. Ford, on the other hand, has a great power-speed combination, and he could be the answer to balancing the offense for Sumlin.
Knight is seasoned at quarterback, and it's probably between the Aggies and Ole Miss as far as who has the best receivers in the SEC, so there are no issues at that position. But you have to run successfully to be good in this league, and Sumlin should know that now.
They've got to find a runner to shoulder the load.
All information gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. All recruiting information gathered from 247Sports unless otherwise noted. All stats gathered at cfbstats.com unless otherwise noted.
Brad Shepard covers SEC football and is the Tennessee lead writer for Bleacher Report. Follow Brad on Twitter @Brad_Shepard.
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