College Football 2010: A Fan's Guide To SEC Quarterbacks

There has been so much spin surrounding the SEC quarterback situation that most fans have no idea of what is true or false anymore. There is so much false agenda being pushed that it borders on dishonesty.

It is time to take a real look at the SEC quarterback situation from a factual standpoint. To look at this fairly, there needs to be some criteria. Here is what I intend to use and how I intend to use it.

First there will be a look at experience. For this look at experience, every game that a quarterback has played since high school will be included.

For those that think high school experience is relevant, feel free to add your own statistics.

This will be an actual look at performance, not the recruiting service star value assessment. I have never witnessed a star completing a pass in a football game. In fact more often than not, recruiting services have missed their mark on the quarterback position.

With this explanation behind us, let’s take a look at the real starting quarterback situationin the SEC.

By Experience

Team	Quarterback	Games Played In	Record
Mississippi	Jeremiah Masoli	36	29-7
Arkansas	Ryan Mallet	24	18-6
Kentucky	Mike Hartline	23	16-7
Alabama	Greg McElroy	22	22-0
South Carolina	Stephen Garcia	21	11-10
LSU	Jordan Jefferson	19	13-6
Auburn	Cameron Newton	18	17-1
Florida	John Brantley	16	16-0
Tennessee	Matt Simms	13	9-4
Mississippi State	Chris Relf	12	5-7
Vanderbilt	Larry Smith	9	2-7
Georgia	Aaron Murray	0	N/A

Or by winning percentage

Team	Quarterback	Games Played In	Record
Alabama	Greg McElroy	22	22-0
Florida	John Brantley	16	16-0
Auburn	Cameron Newton	18	17-1
Mississippi	Jeremiah Masoli	36	29-7
Arkansas	Ryan Mallet	24	18-6
Kentucky	Mike Hartline	23	16-7
Tennessee	Matt Simms	13	9-4
LSU	Jordan Jefferson	19	13-6
South Carolina	Stephen Garcia	21	11-10
Mississippi State	Chris Relf	12	5-7
Vanderbilt	Larry Smith	9	2-7
Georgia	Aaron Murray	0	N/A

Performance 

While some of these quarterbacks will be starting in a new system, this is no different than a team changing offensive coordinators. Some would allude to the fact that some of this experience was not with an SEC team against an SEC opponent.  

The truth is that most of these quarterbacks have much of their experience against much lesser opponents. While a quarterback might have accumulated some of his experience while in the JUCO ranks, he was playing with JUCO talent against competitive talent. Most SEC quarterbacks get the majority of their preparatory experience while playing on a hugely superior team against overmatched teams.

The theme of this article is experience, therefore when looking at performance statistics will be broken down on a career per game basis in yards.

By Passing Yards

Quarterback	Passing	Percentage	Interceptions	Rushing	Per Carry
Jeremiah Masoli	204.58	59%	.39	60.23	5.11
Ryan Mallet	188.17	52.57%	.5	-2.79	-.73
Stephen Garcia	175.9	55%	.86	18.28	2.02
Matt Simms	172.54	58.4%	1	9	2.72
Cameron Newton	160.88	60%	.28	42.66	6.04
Jordan Jefferson	136.05	59%	.42	16.05	1.9
Greg McElroy	122.9	62%	.23	3.77	1.5
Mike Hartline	119.14	57%	.7	.71	.35
Larry Smith	117.54	48%	.89	23	2.48
John Brantley	40.31	71%	.06	4.68	4.72
Chris Relf	24.67	48%	.25	40.58	5.86
Aaron Murray	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

By Rushing Yards

Quarterback	Passing	Percentage	Interceptions Per Game	Rushing	Per Carry
Jeremiah Masoli	204.58	59%	.39	60.23	5.11
Cameron Newton	160.88	60%	.28	42.66	6.04
Chris Relf	24.67	48%	.25	40.58	5.86
Stephen Garcia	175.9	55%	.86	18.28	2.02
Jordan Jefferson	136.05	59%	.42	16.05	1.9
John Brantley	40.31	71%	.06	4.68	4.72
Larry Smith	117.54	48%	.89	23	2.48
Matt Simms	172.54	58.4%	1	9	2.72
Greg McElroy	122.9	62%	.23	3.77	1.5
Mike Hartline	119.14	57%	.7	.71	.35
Ryan Mallet	188.17	52.57%	.5	-2.79	-.73
Aaron Murray	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

By Total Productivity

Quarterback	Passing	Percentage	Interceptions Per Game	Rushing	Per Carry
Jeremiah Masoli	204.58	59%	.39	60.23	5.11
Cameron Newton	160.88	60%	.28	42.66	6.04
Stephen Garcia	175.9	55%	.86	18.28	2.02
Ryan Mallet	188.17	52.57%	.5	-2.79	-.73
Matt Simms	172.54	58.4%	1	9	2.72
Jordan Jefferson	136.05	59%	.42	16.05	1.9
Larry Smith	117.54	48%	.89	23	2.48
Greg McElroy	122.9	62%	.23	3.77	1.5
Mike Hartline	119.14	57%	.7	.71	.35
Chris Relf	24.67	48%	.25	40.58	5.86
John Brantley	40.31	71%	.06	4.68	4.72
Aaron Murray	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A