Five intriguing quarterback battles across college football

A handful of programs will be home to very interesting quarterback competitions ahead of 2023

Author:
Kevin Borba
Publish date:
Feb 25, 2023 6:02 PM EST

In this story:

The quarterback position is undoubtedly the most important in all of football, which is why when college football programs have an opening at the position it catches the attention of everyone.

In this era of college football, a. quarterback battle can often be some players' last opportunity to start at their current school before they hit the portal. It is not always a guarantee that the loser departs, but it is something that has been more common.

For a handful of programs they are replacing a form star off to the NFL, while others are looking for a solution to take their team to the next level. Regardless of what the reasoning is for the quarterback battle, there are five across college football that stand out the most. Let's take a look at who will be home to a quarterback competition and who the starting candidates are.

Nebraska

Candidates: Casey Thompson and Jeff Sims

New head coach, Matt Rhule, inherited Casey Thompson who transferred in from Texas prior to this past season and also brought in Georgia Tech transfer Jeff Sims. Thompson returns as a sixth-year senior coming off leading the Huskers to a 4-8 season, while throwing for 2,407 yards and 17 touchdowns with a 63.1 percent completion rate. While Rhule has assured everyone that it will be a fair fight, there is a belief throughout college football circles that Sims is this clear cut favorite. Not only did Rhule seek him out when he was in the portal, he also has publicly said “I fell in love with Jeff as a player early on,” Rhule said. “He’s dynamic. He’s athletic. He’s smart. He’s big. He’s got accuracy. He can throw from the pocket.” If Thompson were to lose, it'd likely be a lock for him to transfer to a third school to finish out his career.

Tennessee

Candidates: Joe Milton and Nico Iamaleava

The best offense in the country from a year ago lost their starting quarterback Hendon Hooker to the NFL, but are left in presumably good hands. Joe Milton was a star in Hooker's absence, and shined during the Orange Bowl. Not to mention, he has an absolute cannon of an arm. However, the job won't be handed to Milton as the Vols signed five-star Nico Iamaleava, who ranks as the highest rated quarterback signee in program history. Milton should have the advantage due to his experience in the offense, but if he is unable to limit the mistakes that got him benched in the first place he will likely be overtaken by the freshman.

Stanford

Candidates: Ari Patu, Ashthon Daniels, and Myles Jackson

Troy Taylor is inheriting a very inexperienced roster, and the quarterback spot is no exception. The players in the mix to replace Tanner McKee, are junior Ari Patu, who has completed 14 passes over two seasons, and Wildcat quarterback Ashton Daniels, who accounted for 195 total yards last season. There is also four-star Myles Jackson who should be playing his senior year of high school football next fall, but reclassified and while he will be tardy to the party should have a chance to win the job. Taylor likes a quarterback who can throw and run, which should give Patu and Jackson the edge over Daniels who isn't as proven of a passer as the other two. However, since they each are so inexperienced it is hard telling what could happen in the next couple months.

Ohio State

Candidates: Kyle McCord and Devin Brown

This may be the most important quarterback battle across the nation due to the amount of pressure on Ryan Day to take that next step as Ohio State's coach. The program has lost to Michigan in consecutive meetings for the first time since 1999 and 2000 seasons, and were a missed field goal away from being in the championship. CJ Stroud is off to the NFL, leaving former five-stars Kyle McCord and Devin Brown to duke it out. McCord was the backup this past couple seasons, which allowed for him to get limited playing experience. He has 58 career passes under his belt, while Brown's lone stat is a one yard rush. McCord is viewed as the favorite, but with a chance to compete for the starting spot, expect Brown to push extremely hard.

Alabama

Candidates: Jalen Milroe and Ty Simpson

Similar to Ohio State, Alabama is replacing a future first rounder at quarterback. Jalen Milroe should have the edge considering he was who the Tide relied on when Bryce Young went down this past season. New offensive coordinator Tommy Rees likes to utilize a running quarterback, which also works in Milroe's favor. However, if Simpson can out-throw him it may complicate things. Alabama also has two four-star early enrollees in the mix to battle for the spot.