Quarterback questions haunt many SEC teams

When Ole Miss began spring practice, Rebels coach Hugh Freeze offered a unique system for determining which of his three quarterbacks would take snaps with the starting offensive unit.

He had them draw straws — literally.

There's a lot of that going around. It's barely four months before the start of the college football season and only a handful of SEC teams have identified their starting quarterbacks.

"You can't hide anything in that position," Freeze said. "You either have it or you don't."

Exiting spring practice, few SEC teams have it. Only four programs appear to have certainty at starting quarterback — Mississippi State (Dak Prescott), Arkansas (Brandon Allen), Missouri (Maty Mauk) and Tennessee (Joshua Dobbs). Even though Patrick Towles started 12 games at Kentucky last season, Wildcats coach Mark Stoops said he has not chosen between Towles and Drew Barker.

Four teams — Ole Miss, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama — do not have a quarterback on the roster that has started a game for his current team. That leaves plenty of work during offseason sessions and preseason practice.

No wonder Vols coach Butch Jones said having things settled with Dobbs at quarterback is comforting.

"You can't put a price tag on experience," Jones said. "Experience is everything, especially in this conference. … It's healthy for our football team, too. They view him as their leader."

But for many SEC teams, that leadership is missing — for now.

ALABAMA

2014 record: 12-2 overall, 7-1 in SEC.

Spring fling: Alabama has a history of rotating running backs under Nick Saban but Derrick Henry looks like an every-down back, especially with the improved footwork he showed in the spring. While Henry, who changed jersey numbers from 27 to 2 during the offseason, is the lead back, look for input from swift, elusive Kenyan Drake as well as Desherrius Flowers and freshman Damien Harris.

Once the quarterback position is settled, the passing game is in good hands because of depth and talent at receiver. There is no Amari Cooper but players like ArDarius Stewart, Chris Black and Raheem Falkins should be productive on the perimeter.

Unfinished business: The offensive line struggled in the spring game but most teams are going to have trouble blocking Alabama's defensive front. The right side of the offensive line is cause for concern but the left side is in good hands, especially with Cam Robinson at tackle. Although other areas get more attention, offensive line has been one of the program's greatest strengths since Saban arrived.

ARKANSAS

2014 record: 7-6 overall, 2-6 in SEC.

Spring fling: New offensive coordinator Dan Enos took note of a shortage of proven pass receivers on the perimeter and spent much of spring practice incorporating running backs Alex Collins and Jonathan Williams and tight ends Hunter Henry and Jeremy Sprinkle into the passing game. Enos' predecessor, Jim Chaney, tended to rely on wide receivers for the bulk of the catches.

For Collins and Williams, their involvement in the passing game is just another way of getting the ball into their hands. Both ran for more than 1,000 yards last season. Look for 250-pound back Cody Walker to also contribute in Enos' offense.

Unfinished business: The Razorbacks closed the season by allowing only 28 points in their last four games. They need to build on that finish. Six starters return but the Hogs must replace three of their top four tacklers, including defensive end Trey Flowers.

AUBURN

2014 record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in SEC.

Spring fling: Shortly after Will Muschamp was fired as Florida's head coach, Gus Malzahn began recruiting him to Auburn. In time, Muschamp signed on. Despite his shortcomings as a head coach, no one questions Muschamp's ability as a defensive coordinator.

Muschamp has challenged senior linebackers Kris Frost and Cassanova McKinzy to become more complete players and both improved their overall games during spring practice. They should be leaders of a defense that also includes Carl Lawson, who is returning from a torn ACL. Lawson should blossom as a pass-rusher in Muschamp's system.

Unfinished business: Jovon Robinson and Roc Thomas should split the carries to give the Tigers a dynamic running game, but is Jeremy Johnson ready to take over for Nick Marshall at quarterback? Johnson has great ability but lacks experience.

FLORIDA

2014 record: 7-5 overall, 4-4 in SEC.

Spring fling: New Gators coach Jim McElwain inherited a roster that was compiled by Will Muschamp, a defensive-minded coach who could never figure out what kind of offense he wanted to run. McElwain spent the spring trying to figure out exactly what he could do offensively.

For now, he'll pick between Will Grier and Treon Harris at quarterback. It doesn't help that Florida's receiving corps is undistinguished and the offensive line is a concern. But at least there is returning talent on defense, which should keep the Gators in most games.

Unfinished business: Mindful of a thin offensive line, McElwain and his staff signed six linemen during the recruiting period. He's expecting a quick transition from high school football to the SEC. "I've explained to them, it's not like you're going to stand in line at Disney World," McElwain told reporters. "You're in the fast-pass line. You're on the ride right now."

GEORGIA

2014 record: 10-3 overall, 6-2 in SEC.

Spring fling: New offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer got only a portion of his scheme installed during spring practice. One of the problems is that the Dawgs are breaking in a new quarterback to replace Huston Mason. Coach Mark Richt indicated the position could remain unsettled until the opening game against Louisiana-Monroe.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that the quarterback can turn and give the ball to Nick Chubb, who averaged 6.9 yards per carry on his way to a 1,281-yard season in 2014. It also helps that A.J. Turman is back after missing all of last season. Turman had a 52-yard touchdown run in the spring game.

Unfinished business: Georgia lacks proven playmakers at wide receiver and tight end. Wideouts Justin Scott-Wesley, Malcolm Mitchell and Isaiah McKenzie had solid springs, but Mitchell and McKenzie were injured in the spring game. Tight end, which has been a strength for years, is also unsettled.

KENTUCKY

2014 record: 5-7 overall, 2-6 in SEC.

Spring fling: Kentucky has dabbled with the 3-4 defensive alignment since Mark Stoops arrived as head coach, but the Wildcats took the complete plunge this spring. Stoops says committing to the 3-4 allows him greater latitude in recruiting as he searches for players that fit the scheme.

Look for Jason Hatcher to take on a bigger role at defensive end in a front that has plenty of bulk with 340-pound Melvin Lewis and 360-pound Matt Elam plugging away. C.J. Johnson had a good spring and should work his way into the rotation. From a pass-rush standpoint, look for Jabari Johnson to step into the outside linebacker spot previously manned by Bud Dupree.

Unfinished business: Offensive coordinator Neal Brown left to become head coach at Troy and Shannon Dawson, former quarterback coach at West Virginia, was hired as his replacement. Dawson hopes to bring a more physical presence to the running game.

LSU

2014 record: 8-5 overall, 4-4 in SEC.

Spring fling: In only his second college game, tailback Leonard Fournette scored a touchdown against Sam Houston State and struck a Heisman Trophy pose in the end zone. It seemed premature at the time. Now it doesn't.

After a freshman season that ended with a 100-yard kickoff return and an 89-yard scoring run against Notre Dame in the Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, Fournette continued to develop during spring practice. The challenge will be not to overuse him. It will help if either Anthony Jennings or Brandon Harris emerges as a true passing threat at quarterback.

Unfinished business: In Kevin Steele's last game as a defensive coordinator, Clemson gave up 70 points to West Virginia in the 2011 Orange Bowl. Now Steele replaces John Chavis. Much depends on how Kendall Beckwith handles the move from defensive end to middle linebacker.

OLE MISS

2014 record: 9-4 overall, 5-3 in SEC.

Spring fling: With a loaded defensive front, much of the focus for the Rebels was replacing defensive backs Cody Prewitt and Senquez Golson. Trae Elston took over Prewitt's responsibilities for calling checks at safety while Tee Shepard and Tony Bridges showed signs they are ready to step up.

That leaves one area of concern — middle linebacker. C.J. Johnson moved from defensive end and showed some promise at linebacker but newcomer Shawn Curtis will have a chance to earn playing time at the position.

Unfinished business: Over the last couple of seasons, Ole Miss often rose and fell with the play of Bo Wallace at quarterback. With Wallace now gone, many assumed junior college transfer Chad Kelly, a one-time quarterback at Clemson and nephew of Buffalo Bills legend Jim Kelly, would take over but Rebels coach Hugh Freeze said redshirt sophomore Ryan Buchanan has a slight edge after the spring.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

2014 record: 10-3 overall, 6-2 in SEC.

Spring fling: When Dak Prescott elected to return for his senior season, it immediately elevated the Bulldogs' expectations in 2015. Prescott, who finished eighth in Heisman Trophy balloting last year, capped a solid spring by completing 20 of 29 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game.

Look for Prescott to cut back on his running attempts this season and rely more on a strong, accurate arm. That's good news for wide receiver De'Runnya Wilson, who also looked good in the spring game and should have a big season in 2015.

Unfinished business: The Bulldogs are still adjusting to Manny Diaz's defensive system, which employs pressure and plenty of blitzes up front while relying on two-deep safety coverage to limit long gains. State's defenders may need a few games to adjust to the nuances of Diaz's scheme.

MISSOURI

2014 record: 11-3 overall, 7-1 in SEC.

Spring fling: Has anybody ever won back-to-back SEC division championships with less fanfare than Missouri in 2013-14? After struggling in their SEC debut in 2012, the Tigers have gone a combined 14-2 in conference games in the last two years.

A three-peat looks like a stretch based on how the offense performed in the spring. With Maty Mauk at quarterback, the Tigers scored only four touchdowns in three full scrimmages in spring practice. Mauk, whose inconsistency has been a concern, had his moments in the spring but was hampered by a rebuilt receiving corps. The three starting wideouts have a combined five catches among them.

Unfinished business: With so much changing of the guard among defensive coordinators in the SEC, the arrival of Barry Odom with the Tigers largely flew under the radar. The former Missouri player spent the last three seasons running Memphis' defense. The SEC offers a different set of challenges, however.

SOUTH CAROLINA

Record in 2014: 7-6 overall, 3-5 in SEC

Spring fling: If South Carolina had posted a better record last season, Pharoh Cooper would have been recognized for what he is — one of the very best players in college football. Cooper is a big, fast, gifted wide receiver whose versatility also makes him a difference-maker as a punt returner and in the Wildcat formation.

Cooper's presence takes some of the pressure off the quarterback position where the Gamecocks are breaking in a new starter. Connor Mitch has the inside track but keep an eye out for freshman Lorenzo Nunez.

Unfinished business: South Carolina's defense hit a historical low in 2014 and Steve Spurrier responded by bringing in John Hoke as co-defensive coordinator to work alongside Lorenzo Ward. Hoke previously worked for Spurrier at Florida.

TENNESSEE

2014 record: 7-6 overall, 3-5 in SEC.

Spring fling: While much of the attention was focused on quarterback Joshua Dobbs, the arrival of running back Alvin Kamara from junior college provides talent, depth and diversity to the Vols' running game that ranked 13th in the SEC last season.

Kamara will split carries with Jalen Hurd. While Hurd is a powerful, one-cut runner, Kamara has more elusiveness. New offensive coordinator Mike DeBord has hinted he could use Hurd and Kamara in the backfield at the same time. Coupled with Dobbs' running ability, that would provide a challenge for opposing defenses.

Unfinished business: Opposing offenses gouged the Vols with straight-ahead power running last season, which puts considerable pressure on freshmen defensive tackles Shy Tuttle and Khalil McKenzie. Tuttle, an early enrollee, had some impressive moments in the spring but lacks consistency.

TEXAS A&M

2014 record: 8-5 overall, 3-5 in SEC.

Spring fling: Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin had trouble beating John Chavis so he hired him away from LSU. Chavis is being paid a reported $1.8 million to upgrade an A&M defense that has been a trouble spot since the Aggies arrived in the SEC.

Chavis could be hamstrung by limitations in the secondary. His best defenses depend on solid man-to-man coverage on the perimeter, allowing pass-rushers like Myles Garrett and Daeshon Hall to run free. But the Aggies do not have true shutdown cornerbacks. Don't look for Chavis to change, however. His scheme is built around pressure.

Unfinished business: Many see new arrival Kyler Murray as the next big thing at quarterback so it will be interesting to see how this plays out. Incumbent Kyle Allen has thrown an interception in each of his starts and Sumlin can have an itchy trigger finger with quarterbacks.

VANDERBILT

2014 record: 3-9 overall, 0-8 in SEC.

Spring fling: When Commodores coach Derek Mason considered his options at defensive coordinator for a 2015 season that could determine his future in Nashville, he went with the man in the mirror. Based on what transpired in the spring, it looks like the right call. Vanderbilt's defense appears more in sync than at any time last season.

Of course, that defense was practicing against a Vanderbilt offense that is still trying to find its way. New offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig inherited a unit that ranked No. 119 in the nation in total offense in 2014. The Commodores have a long way to go to become a cohesive offensive unit.

Unfinished business: Quarterback play was a concern during the spring — and that was before presumed starter Patton Robinette decided to give up football to fully commit to medical school. Ludwig must try to avoid the revolving door at quarterback that hampered the Commodores last season. It's going to be a challenge.

David Climer's columns appear on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Reach him at 615-259-8020 and on Twitter @DavidClimer.