Quarterback a Strength of SEC in 2019, but Questions Abound in 2020
Nashville, Tn.- Entering the 2019 season, the quarterback position across the Southeastern Conference was considered one of the strongest in the nation. Players like Tua Tagovailoa, Joe Burrow, Jake Fromm, Felipe Franks, and Kelly Bryant were known commodities for their respective teams.
That changes in 2020 as all those players are now gone, either to the NFL Draft or have transferred to other schools leaving those schools and the conference as a whole looking for players to fill that role across the league.
Here's a look at each conference team's situation entering 2020.
Alabama: Tua is gone, leaving an opening for one of the most talented rosters in college football. Enter Mac Jones, who replaced Tagovailoa when his season was ended by injury. He showed enough in his late-season starts to make coaches and fans feel comfortable with him taking the reigns. If he doesn't win the job there are three others (one five-star and two four-star) quarterbacks sitting there waiting.
Arkansas: The Razorbacks have a new coaching staff, a new quarterback (Felipe Franks) and two returning contributors in sophomore Stephen Jones (grandson of Cowboys owner Jerry) and redshirt freshman KJ Jefferson, who will battle for the job for new head coach Sam Pittman.
Auburn: Bo Nix returns for his sophomore season and should take the next step and provide solid play for the Tigers.
Florida: Kyle Traks returns after replacing the injured Franmks last season and baring a surprise, he should be the guy for Dan Mullen and the Gators. Emory Jones could push him and it would not be a total surprise if he took the spot, but for now, it is Trasks's to lose.
Georgia: Fromm os off to the NFL after holding the job in Athens for three years and leaving Georgia with perhaps the most interesting summer of any team in the nation searching for a quarterback. Jamie Newman (Wake Forrest), and D'Eriq King (Houston), and Anthony Brown (Bostin College) are all transfers who have starting experience and could be great with the amount of talent at UGA. Add D'Wan Mathis, Stetson Bennet IV, and Carson Beck to the mix and it will be a battle inside the Bulldogs for the spot.
Kentucky: The Wildcats made the most of a bad situation last season, finishing the season with wide receiver Lynn Bowden at quarterback. Entering 2020, last seasons' starter Terry Wilson returns and will likely battle Auburn transfer Joey Gatewood and Sawyer Smith for the spot. There are others in the mix but the prevailing thought is that it will be one of the aforementioned to grab the spot.
LSU: Joe Burrow put up crazy numbers last season en route to winning the Heisman and he will likely be the first player taken in April's NFL Draft- if not first overall, he is definitely a first-rounder- and leaves a hole for the Tigers. Myles Brennan was the backup last season and the odds on to win the spot. He saw limited playing time behind Burrow last two years, and the junior to be has the talent, but he, along with the rest of the Tigers offense has holes to fill and work to do.
Ole Miss: The Rebels have a new head coach in Lane Kiffin. He's an offensive mind and will bring the offense forward in time, but it might be a struggle this season. John Rys Plumlee returns after starting the majority of the season in 2019. Matt Corral also returns and has starting experience. Then there is a group of freshmen who will have a shot but this seems like a two-man race.
Mississippi State: For the second year in a row, the Bulldogs will have a transfer quarterback under center. This time it is former Stanford starter KJ Costello who has made his way to Starkville to run the Dogs offense.
South Carolina: Ryan Hilinski, who started 11 games as a freshman in 2019, is the most experienced of the three candidates to lead Carolina this season. Redshirt junior Jay Urich returns to the position, after splitting time as a wide receiver last season. Former 4-star recruit Luke Doty arrived in Columbia in January while Colorado State graduate transfer Collin Hill would have missed spring as he continues to recover from ACL surgery but should be in the battle this summer.
Tennessee: Redshirt senior Jarrett Guarantano returns for what seems like his 10th season in Knoxville and would seem to have the lead for the spot. He will face a tough challenge from true freshman Harrison Bailey and sophomore Brian Mauer who started games last season. There's also redshirt sophomore JT Shrout, true freshman Jimmy Holiday and redshirt sophomore Kasim Hill who all want their shot to start.
Texas A&M: Kellen Mond is locked in for Jimbo Fisher and the Aggies. What he needs to do is take the next step in his development and get some help from is teammates.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores entered 2019 breaking in a new quarterback, they will do the same in 2020, this time, however, there are four candidates in line to win the position. Try freshman Ken Seals brings the most hype while fellow freshman Michael Wright brings incredible speed and athleticism to the position. Add Juco transfers Jeremy Mussa and Danny Clark and this, along with Georgia are the two biggest battles to watch at this positioon across the league in 2020.
