Around the SEC: A look around the league halfway through the season

It’s a blast to get started here at Auburn Daily! Besides my main objective of providing recruiting coverage, the other area I will offer to Auburn and SEC fans will be an in-depth look at the top football statistical trends and analysis, team by team.

Today will be edition No. 1 of what will be a weekly article. So let’s dive in, starting with Auburn and moving on throughout the SEC, while focusing on the quarterback position.

Auburn - With quarterbacks Payton Thorne and Robby Ashford combining to go 15 of 27, 154 yards, 55.6%, and one touchdown against LSU, Auburn continues to struggle with the passing game. There is some good news.

Ole Miss comes to the Plains next, and its passing defense is No. 110 in the nation by allowing 261.5 yards per contest. If there’s a cure for what troubles the AU passing game, perhaps the Ole Miss defense will help provide it.

Alabama - Only 3 second half points, against Arkansas, for the Crimson Tide? Bama is 6-1 this season in large part to a tremendous defense that allows just 16 points per game (12th nationally). But this is about quarterback play first and foremost.

Looking at quarterback Jalen Hurts, his film is beginning to circulate and teams are doing a better job against him. He went just 10 of 21 versus the Hogs. The first half, he was hot. Arkansas did a tremendous job thereafter as Bama barely beat the Razorbacks.

It’s going to be interesting to see what Nick Saban and the Tide come up with versus Tennessee this next weekend in Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Arkansas - Senior quarterback KJ Jefferson is a warrior for the Razorbacks. He’s not throwing to a bunch of future NFL receivers but still has 1,450 yards and 14 touchdowns. Not to forget, Jefferson is completing 66% of his passing attempts.

While Arkansas is not going to win awards for throwing the football, Jefferson is likely to eventually earn a chance to make an NFL roster after a quality career for Arkansas. Darn good player.

Florida - Forget what you thought prior, because Graham Mertz is lighting it up! He sure did against the Gamecocks. Ask South Carolina all about it. With a stat line that reads 30 of 48, 62.5%, 423 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions, the Gators win a thriller in Columbia, 41-39.

Most notably, Mertz hit wide receiver Ricky Pearsall for a 21-yard touchdown with only 47 seconds remaining, putting the Gators ahead for good.

Georgia - First-year signal caller Carson Beck is growing into his role. That said, Vanderbilt did a nice job of making him – and the Bulldogs in general – earn his way down the field.

Beck hit 29 of 39, 74.4%, for 261 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception. The most important number, however, is the paltry 6.7 yards per completion number.

Maybe future UGA opponents will use some bend but don’t break mentality that Vandy used and gain success as well.

Kentucky - The Wildcats passing game is just bad. Even with highly touted North Carolina State quarterback transfer Devin Leary coming to Lexington, he’s struggling mightily with the Wildcats.

Even playing versus Missouri’s now 74th ranked passing defense, Leary came out of the contest with a stat line of 14 of 27, 51.9%, 120 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Just as bad as the picks, 4.4 yards per completion. Ouch.

It's really surprising for a player with as much talent and experience as Leary. Kentucky's passing game needs to turn it up a couple of notches or it will not be a good ending to the 2023 season.

LSU - Jayden Daniels lit up Auburn and he’s sitting at 22 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions of the season. He’s averaging 11 yards per attempt for the year. That’s incredible!

He’s one of college football’s best players and deserves a trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, at the least. Just a special player.

Ole Miss - Jaxson Dart is often brought up for his passing. He can definitely sling it. Let’s talk about his legs though. He’s at 63 carries for 302 yards, a 4.8 average, and 4 touchdowns.

Considering sacks count against a signal caller’s rushing totals, he’s actually a better runner than the above stats indicate. Dart leads the Rebels into Jordan-Hare Stadium this next week and it’s imperative that the Tigers contain Dart inside the pocket.

Mississippi State - There’s a strong case to be made that Will Rogers is getting the raw end of the deal in Starkville. The change in offensive philosophy is not good for the quarter, or the Bulldogs win-loss record, which stands at 3-3.

From the Air Raid to a somewhat conservative attack, the now senior signal caller does not impact the final score like he did during prior seasons. It’s going to be interesting to see if he’s let loose again in 2023.

Missouri - What a turnaround for quarterback Brady Cook. He threw 14 touchdowns in 2022, and he’s at the same number through just seven games of the 2023 season.

Cook is hitting 71% of his passes and has 2,046 yards through the air. He’s a major reason why Missouri is at 6-1. South Carolina visits Missouri and Cook next.

South Carolina - There’s not enough help for Spencer Rattler. He’s too often running from pressure and making passes under duress. Rattler is still a capable passer with 1,724 yards, 73.6%, and 11 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions.

If he can get a little more help from the offensive line (it’s given up a whopping 25 sacks), Rattler would be even more impactful. It’s incredible that he’s completing that high of a percentage as it is.

Tennessee - Joe Milton III is probably best defined as a a mid-level SEC quarterback. He threw for 201 or more yards during each of the Vols first five contests, but only 100 yards versus Texas A&M

Yikes! That’s part good defense by the Aggies, and part just bad play by Milton and his pass catchers and pass blockers. With the Tennessee schedule showing trips to Alabama and Kentucky the next two Saturdays, Milton and Tennessee need to figure it out and quickly.

Texas A&M - With only 1 touchdown pass and 3 interceptions during losses to Alabama and Tennessee, Max Johnson and the Aggies are in a bit of a quandary.

There’s ample wide receiver talent, but the offensive line is not up to traditional A&M standards. With Johnson not being the most mobile quarterback, the Aggies will need to be really creative with its game plans and play calling moving forward.

Next up, the Aggies have this week off before welcoming South Carolina to College Station.

Vanderbilt - AJ Swann has 7 interceptions through five games. Vandy’s other quarterback, Ken Seals, is at 2 interceptions and from six games. He’s deserving of the starting gig and maybe the Commodores win a conference game at some point?

Vandy’s SEC games have them losing by an average of 18.8 points per game, so it’s probably going to take more than Seals getting red hot to break the streak. That being the case, he's playing pretty good ball for the Commodores.

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