Position Battles That Will Have the Biggest Impact on the 2017 CFB Season
Fall camp brings the excitement of college football's official return, but several of the nation's premier teams are dealing with a position battle that will shape the 2017 season.
Perhaps it's a position of weakness or a unit that desperately needs to develop to make the program a national contender. Or, it's a lower-tier—yet plenty dangerous—team capable of shaking up the rankings with an upset win.
There are other competitions perhaps more intriguing to watch—Georgia's wide receivers or Oklahoma's running backs, for example—but other battles will affect the season most.
Championships, whether conference or national, are at stake. Making the wrong choice may shatter those dreams.
Miami Quarterback
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If things get weird, Miami could be a fringe national contender. The schedule sets up well enough for a strong defensive squad to at least place itself in the conversation.
However, that's only going to happen with the right quarterback.
While Malik Rosier and Evan Shirreffs enter the fall ahead in the race, N'Kosi Perry arrived in the summer and seems to be the program's future. So, is he the offense's "now," too?
Miami begins with Bethune-Cookman and Arkansas State before travelling to Florida State. A victory in Tallahassee would likely propel the 'Canes toward their first appearance in the ACC Championship Game, but a loss would put them in a familiar spot, chasing the top of the Coastal Division.
And should the 'Noles drop to Alabama in the opener, a loss to Miami would eliminate FSU's margin for error. Mark Richt's squad could just about ruin its rival's year before September ends.
Ohio State Wide Receivers
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The receiver uncertainty at Ohio State is a perfect example of why potential is not indicative of production.
Johnnie Dixon, Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, K.J. Hill, Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor were all 4-star recruits in their respective class. Last season, however, they combined for 54 receptions, 602 yards and four touchdowns on a unit that lacked a go-to target beyond Curtis Samuel, who was the H-back.
In 2017, though, they're the leaders on the depth chart.
Campbell has shifted to H-back, so he only somewhat applies to this conversation now. The Buckeyes need two or three consistent targets to emerge from a talented group of receivers.
And if that doesn't happen by the time Oklahoma comes to Columbus, Ohio State may quickly feel the pressure of avoiding a second loss—with 10 games remaining.
Florida Quarterback
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The reigning SEC East winners are a wild card.
Does Florida have enough firepower to survive a schedule that includes Michigan, LSU, Georgia and Florida State? Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire and prized redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks are vying for the opportunity to answer that question.
On the (relative) bright side, two of those marquee matchups are nonconference tilts. The Gators could lose the season opener and finale yet still maneuver into the SEC title game.
From an overall national perspective, however, all four schools have better odds than Florida to win the 2017 season's championship, per OddsShark. The Gators could be the team to fracture the aspirations for any of those programs.
Between Zaire and Franks, though, which one gives head coach Jim McElwain's team the best opportunity to break some hearts?
Auburn Wide Receivers
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Jarrett Stidham has been a popular player this offseason, and the attention on the Baylor transfer may be deserved.
Throwing the ball is only one part of the equation, though. Auburn needs its receiving corps to make a sizable step in its development.
Although four of the Tigers' top five targets are back in Darius Slayton, Kyle Davis, Eli Stove and Ryan Davis, the highest individual marks of 25 catches, 292 yards and two touchdowns aren't impressive. Plus, Nate Craig-Myers fought injuries and mustered four receptions.
Exactly like at Ohio State, talent isn't the issue; the quintet is a well-rounded group that offers a mix of size, speed and reliable hands. But that's just praise on paper.
The Tigers were a perfect 8-0 when averaging better than 6.5 yards per pass attempt in 2016. Otherwise, they went 0-5. Auburn won't navigate the SEC without a formidable aerial attack, and Stidham isn't the only one responsible for its success.
Michigan Quarterback
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Wilton Speight made steady improvements in 2016 until a shoulder injury derailed both his output and Michigan's season. And now, the rising junior is fighting for his starting job.
"He comes in really tied for first with John O'Korn and Brandon Peters, legitimately, through competition," head coach Jim Harbaugh said at Big Ten media days, per ESPN's Dan Murphy.
The Wolverines cannot afford to take a misstep, considering they open the campaign against Florida. The dreaded two-loss mark would be looming with road trips to Penn State and Wisconsin and a home date opposite Ohio State still on the schedule.
From a different angle, Michigan has the Big Ten's other three primary division contenders on the slate. Even if the Wolverines fall short of the ultimate goal, one of Speight, Peters and O'Korn could stop a conference foe from reaching theirs, too.
Florida State Offensive Tackles
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Priority No. 1 for FSU: Protect Deondre Francois.
That is far easier said than done for an offensive line that surrendered 36 sacks last season, has battled numerous injuries and is undergoing a considerable facelift.
Alec Eberle is a lock to start at center, while guards Landon Dickerson and Cole Minshew are near-certain first-stringers. That bodes well for the Seminoles' running game, but after a pressure-filled 2016 campaign, uncertainty at tackle is a glaring concern.
Whatever combination of Rick Leonard, Josh Ball, Derrick Kelly and Brock Ruble takes the field better keep Francois upright, because Florida State's ceiling depends on his health.
USC Wide Receivers
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JuJu Smith-Schuster and Darreus Rogers accounted for about 50 percent of all production by USC receivers last year. Though the Trojans have promising options, those are large shoes to fill.
Deontay Burnett is the established weapon, while Steven Mitchell has been a decent complementary target when healthy. After them, though, USC has unproven players such as Michael Pittman Jr. and Joseph Lewis plus a quartet of 2016 redshirts in Tyler Vaughns, Velus Jones, Josh Imatorbhebhe and Trevon Sidney.
"I think they're beyond talented, the kids that we redshirted, but they haven't been in real live games yet," head coach Clay Helton said, according to Zach Helfand of the Los Angeles Times.
The Trojans are widely expected to be a leader in the chase for the College Football Playoff, but inconsistency from youth on the outside could be their downfall.
Clemson Quarterback
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More than any other national contender, Clemson's level of success this season hinges on the quarterback decision.
Kelly Bryant offers the most experience, though it's not much; Hunter Johnson brings the highest upside, but he's a true freshman; and Zerrick Cooper stayed in the hunt through the spring.
Since the Tigers host Auburn and travel to Louisville within the first three weekends of the campaign, head coach Dabo Swinney needs to make the perfect choice quickly.
According to Will Vandervort of the Clemson Insider, Swinney plans to narrow the race to two players about 10 days before the opener against Kent State. And perhaps that contest will effectively serve as the final day of competition.
It seems the Tigers could win anywhere from eight to 11 regular-season games. That spread is the difference between a mid-tier bowl and a possible College Football Playoff berth.
Yes, there's a little pressure on the winner of this battle.
All recruiting information via Scout. 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.
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