DAVID CLIMER

Half of SEC has quarterback questions as season begins

David Climer
dclimer@tennessean.com

College football season begins this week.

Do you know who your quarterback is?

Half the teams in the SEC don’t.

It’s a league of Haves and Have Nots. Half the teams have an established starting quarterback. Half do not. And until things are settled, it’s tough to project a favorite in each division.

Case in point: Despite having proven players at so many positions, Alabama’s quarterback spot is in a state of flux. Most expected Jacob Coker to have nailed down the job by now, but he’s still competing with Alec Morris and Cooper Bateman.

With coach Nick Saban and offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin still uncertain, there are indications the Crimson Tide will play at least two quarterbacks in the opener against Wisconsin.

“Sometimes you run the risk of naming a guy before he’s really won the team or won the job,” Saban said. “So then you have to un-name him. Does that do the player any good?”

Mark Richt of Georgia and Jim McElwain of Florida also have hinted they will play two quarterbacks in their openers, with those games serving as live auditions for the starting spot in subsequent games.

At LSU, the race between Brandon Harris and Anthony Jennings is too close to call. Ole Miss is adjusting to life after Bo Wallace. Kyle Allen won the Texas A&M starting job at midseason in 2014, but he’s being pushed by freshman Kyler Murray, a top-tier recruit.

After using four quarterbacks last season, Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason has indicated he plans to name a starter and stick with him. However, Mason said he will not publicly name his starter — either Johnny McCrary or Wade Freebeck — prior to the opener against Western Kentucky on Thursday.

On the other hand, some SEC coaches know exactly what they have. Here are the top five quarterbacks in the SEC:

1) Dak Prescott, Mississippi State

With seven offensive starters gone from the 2014 team that opened 9-0 and achieved the first No. 1 national ranking in school history, look for Prescott to carry an even bigger load this season.

He’s up to it. Based on what he did in 2014, Prescott is considered a Heisman Trophy candidate. If he can get the Bulldogs into contention in the SEC West again, he deserves serious consideration.

2) Jeremy Johnson, Auburn

Johnson is one of the worst-kept secrets in the SEC. Even though he started only one game last season — the opener against Arkansas when Nick Marshall was suspended — the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Johnson is recognized as the best pro prospect among SEC quarterbacks.

Although Johnson is more of a passer than a runner, he’ll get some carries in Gus Malzahn’s offense. With his size and speed, Johnson is often compared to Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton … with good reason.

3) Josh Dobbs, Tennessee

The Vols had a midseason offensive makeover in 2014 when Justin Worley was injured and Dobbs was inserted. With Dobbs’ mobility, UT became a true read-option team and averaged 207.5 rushing yards in the final six games.

Assuming the offensive line solidifies itself as the season goes on, look for the Vols to expand their passing game. Dobbs’ accuracy has improved dramatically and he has a number of talented targets.

4) Maty Mauk, Missouri

He’s 14-4 as a starter and has led Missouri to back-to-back SEC East championships, yet Mauk often is overlooked among premier SEC quarterbacks. Granted, consistency is an issue but it’s hard to argue with his production and success.

After completing just 39.6 percent of his passes in the Tigers’ first four SEC games, Mauk improved dramatically when the division title was on the line. He completed 54 percent of his throws for an average of 227.8 yards per game as Mizzou finished off a 7-1 SEC record.

5) Brandon Allen, Arkansas

Despite 25 career starts for the Razorbacks, the most of any quarterback in the SEC, Allen is among the most underrated players in the conference. Part of that is due to Bret Bielema’s run-first offense.

Allen, a senior, threw for 2,285 yards and 20 touchdowns last season. He was intercepted only five times, the fewest in the SEC and the third fewest in the nation among quarterbacks that started every game.

Reach David Climer at 615-259-8020 and on Twitter @DavidClimer.