Thoughts of the Day: July 15, 2021

A few thoughts to jump start your Thursday morning:

THE QUARTERBACK ROOM AT EVERY SEC SCHOOL

ALABAMA

The starter: Bryce Young (6-0, 194, SO)

The backups: Paul Tyson (6-5, 228, SO); Jalen Milroe (6-2, 201, FR)

Expectations: It’s Alabama, so you know the expectations. Beat Auburn, win the SEC, make the playoff, win the national championship. So there is absolutely no pressure whatsoever on Bryce Young, who backed up Mac Jones and was 13-22 passing for 156 yards and a TD last year. Young was the top high school QB in the country when he arrived at Alabama and some preseason magazines projected him as the instant starter last year. That didn’t happen.

What if … : Young’s experience is limited. Backups Paul Tyson and freshman Jalen Milroe have absolutely ZERO. An injury to Young could be devastating for Bama’s national championship hopes. Young learned Steve Sarkisian’s offense last year but he’s now the HBC at Texas. If Bill O’Brien is smart he doesn’t change a thing, but what if he has changed it around and it’s far too predictable or complicated or just doesn’t bring out the best in Young?

ARKANSAS

The starter: KJ Jefferson (6-3, 240, RSO)

The backups: Malik Hornsby (6-2, 190, RFR); John Stephen Jones (5-11, 204, RJR); Lucas Coley (6-2, 215, FR); Landon Rogers (6-4, 215, FR)

Expectations: The Hogs went 3-7 last year but they were seven points away from 6-4. That was with Feleipe Franks starting nine of the ten games. The one game he didn’t start belonged to Jefferson, who went 18-33 for 274 yards and three TDs while running for another 32 and a score to nearly upset Missouri. Jefferson is physically gifted but he locks on to receivers and has a habit of holding the ball too long before he uses his speed to turn a potential sack into plus yards.

What if … : Malik Hornsby, who redshirted last year, had a good spring but he’s got the same issues as Jefferson without the same arm strength. If Jefferson goes down, offensive coordinator Kendal Briles might have to adjust the offense and make it more run-oriented to accommodate Hornsby.

AUBURN The starter: Bo Nix (6-3, 214, JR)

The backups: TJ Finley (6-7, 246, SO); Loy Grant (6-4, 226, GR); Dematrius Davis (5-10, 202, FR)

Expectations: The goal is always the same for every Auburn QB. Beat Alabama and no matter what else happens the rest of the year, the season has been successful. Nix is 1-1 against Alabama so he’s had one successful season (2019) and one unsuccessful (2020). Nix can go from brilliant to bad and often in the same game. When he’s on, he’s really good but consistency has eluded him so far and now he has to deal with (a) a new offensive coordinator (Mike Bobo) and (b) a challenge from LSU transfer TJ Finley who didn’t come to Auburn to sit the bench.

What if … : Nix was handed the job as a freshman and last year there was no one to challenge him. Now he has a challenger so how will he handle it? And how will Finley handle things if he doesn’t think he’s getting a fair shot at the starting job? He’s already departed one school because he didn’t necessarily like a three-way competition. The potential is there for a full-blown quarterback controversy.

FLORIDA

The starter: Emory Jones (6-2, 210, RJR)

The backups: Anthony Richardson (6-4, 232, RFR); Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (6-2, 238, FR); Jalen Kitna (6-5, 198, FR)

Expectations: Just because Jones has never started a game at Florida doesn’t mean he’s inexperienced. He’s gotten into big games the last two years both at home and on the road so he’s not likely to be intimidated by the crowds or the moment. He has a well-deserved reputation for being a quick and elusive runner. Opponents will stack the box against him and will continue to do so until Jones proves he can make the throws under pressure. Richardson is more of a thrower who can run very well but he doesn’t have experience. Still, he’s enough of a talent that he will be seeing the field every game.

What if … : Mullen has never been afraid to use a two-quarterback system. He won a national championship at UF in 2006 with Chris Leak as the starter and Tim Tebow essentially the designated power runner between the tackles. He also used two quarterbacks effectively at Mississippi State. Jones was Kyle Trask’s caddie the last two years so this is his year to take over and he shouldn’t have problems sharing some of the snaps with Richardson. The question for the Gators is how will Richardson handle things if he’s thrust into the starting role should Jones go down with an injury? Del Rio-Wilson figures to be the third wheel and Kitna probably uses the year to redshirt and allow his skinny frame to fill out.

GEORGIA The starter: JT Daniels (6-3, 210, RJR)

The backups: Stetson Bennett IV (5-11, 190, RSR); Carson Beck (6-4, 215, RFR); Brock Vandagriff (6-3, 205, FR)

Expectations: Georgia fans and the media have already anointed Daniels as this year’s Moses, who will lead the Bulldogs to the promised land of a national championship that has eluded UGa for 14,805 days or 280 dog years. He succeeds Jamie Newman, the Wake Forest transfer who bolted last August before ever playing a game. Daniels was cleared medically to play when the 2020 season started but for reasons that have never been explained didn’t get to play until after Georgia had lost to Florida. He destroyed three SEC bottom feeders then won the Peach Bowl against a Group of Five team. Now he’s supposed to lead Georgia to a national championship.

What if … : Stetson Bennett started five games last year so he has the experience neither Carson Beck nor Brock Vandagriff have. Neither Beck nor Vandagriff came to Georgia to sit so will they be patient and waste a year riding the pine or will they be content while Daniels starts? If Daniels’ knee – the one that he blew out as a sophomore at Southern Cal – doesn’t hold up, will Kirby Smart go with Beck or Vandagriff or will he turn the offense over to Bennett, who has played in Tuscaloosa and Jacksonville?

KENTUCKY The starter: Joey Gatewood (6-5, 224, RJR)

The backups: Beau Allen (6-2, 208, SO); Will Levis (6-3, 222, GR); Nick Scalzo (6-0, 178, RSO) Expectations: There is a new offensive coordinator (Liam Coen) who came to UK to spice up a dull, predictable offense run by former OC Eddie Gran. Gran was ground and pound. None of the four scholarship quarterbacks is exactly known for throwing laser-like strikes.

What if … : First and foremost, someone has to actually win the job. Spring football was disappointing because that didn’t happen. Secondly, someone has to prove he can actually throw the ball better than last year’s QB, Terry Wilson, who was the designated SCUD-launcher. If someone can’t throw it well, it will be a long year.

LSU

The starter: Myles Brennan (6-4, 210, RSR)

The backups: Max Johnson (6-5, 219, SO); Garrett Nussmeier (6-2, 172, FR)

Expectations: There is a brand new offensive coordinator who Coach O expects to resurrect the Joe Brady magic of 2019. There was actually nothing wrong with last year’s offense when Myles Brennan or Max Johnson ran the show. Brennan probably will be the starter since Coach O tends to be loyal and Brennan did wait his turn patiently, then threw for 11 touchdowns in three games before he was injured last year. If Brennan falters, Johnson will be ready. He may not throw the deep ball as well as Brennan but he’s very, very accurate.

What if … : LSU has two experienced quarterbacks with talent so there are no worries if one goes down with an injury but what happens if the Jake Peetz offense is a dud? Peetz has never called plays before. That’s a teensy little problem now but could be a big one later on unless he turns out to be the second coming of Joe Brady.

MISSISSIPPI STATE

The starter: Will Rogers (6-2, 205, SO)

The backups: Jack Abraham (6-0, 205, GR); Chance Lovertich (5-11, 190, SR); Jack Kristofek (6-4, 190, RSO); Daniel Greek (6-4, 225, FR)

Expectations: Rogers took over for KJ Costello last year and was far more effective than the former Stanford transfer. He faces a challenge from Southern Miss transfer Jack Abraham, who threw for 41 touchdowns while starting 27 games in three seasons. It will be Rogers’ second year in Mike Leach’s offense so he will start the season as the expected starter.

What if … : At every stop on his coaching journey, the second year in the Leach Air Raid offense is much better. Rogers should be better but if he hasn’t made the progress Leach expects then Abraham will find himself the starter.

MISSOURI

The starter: Connor Bazelak (6-3, 220, RSO)

The backups: Brady Cook (6-3, 220, RFR); Tyler Macon (5-11, 205, FR)

Expectations: When Bazelac took over as the starter the Missouri offense clicked last year with the Tigers finishing with a surprising 5-5 record. If Bazelac makes the same kind of progress he made in 2020, a 7-5 or even 8-4 record is possible.

What if … : There is very little experience behind Bazelac. Brady Cook has thrown all of seven passes in mop-up duty so if Bazelac goes down, things will be dicey. Macon is a true freshman dual threat who is a better runner than either Bazelac or Cook but he needs to redshirt.

OLE MISS

The starter: Matt Corral (6-1, 205, RJR)

The backups: John Rhys Plumlee (6-0, 200, JR); Kinkead Dean (6-5, 205, RSO); Luke Altmyer (6-2, 195, FR)

Expectations: Corral is the best QB in the SEC and could be a legitimate Heisman candidate if Ole Miss can win some games. Lane Kiffin’s offense is a perfect fit for his skill set. He simply needs to avoid games when he completes passes to the other team.

What if … : John Rhys Plumlee is going to be on the field. He’ll play wideout, running back and he’ll be the change of pace QB who can really run. Altmyer is the future at quarterback. He will be brought along slowly but he will play some in 2021.

SOUTH CAROLINA

The starter: Luke Doty (6-1, 204, SO)

The backups: Jason Brown (6-3, 235, GR); Coleten Gautier (6-3, 210, FR)

Expectations: Doty played in eight games last year, started twice so there isn’t much experience. It’s a brand new offense with a coordinator who hasn’t called plays since 2014. Doty is quite mobile and gives the Gamecocks a run-pass option.

What if … : Jason Brown threw 28 touchdown passes as a D1AA starter in 2019. He actually has more experience than Doty but it’s at a totally different level. It’s going to be a long year anyway, even longer if Doty goes down.

TENNESSEE

The starter: Hendon Hooker (6-4, 218, GR)

The backups: Joe Milton (6-5, 244, RJR); Harrison Bailey (6-5, 220, SO); Brian Maurer (6-3, 205, RSO)

Expectations: Josh Heupel runs an explosive, quarterback-centric offense that can put a lot of points on the board. Hooker is a legitimate dual threat with a big arm and great feet. If the Vols can find some people capable of catching the football, Hooker can deliver a lot of points.

What happens if …: Joe Milton surprised everyone by transferring to Tennessee when there were other options available. He’s got a big arm but throws too many interceptions. Bailey got three starts as a true freshman. It wouldn’t be surprising if he eventually wins the starting job.

TEXAS A&M

The starter: Haynes King (6-3, 200, RFR)

The backups: Zach Calzada (6-4, 200, RSO); Eli Stowers (6-4, 215, FR

Expectations: Haynes King takes over for a four-year starter. During the spring he was all over the place, but Jimbo Fisher is quite confident that King will get the job done since this will be his second year in the offense. King threw four passes in mop-up duty as a redshirt freshman in 2020. If the Aggies are to challenge Alabama for the SEC West title King will have to play like a veteran from day one.

What if … : Backup Zach Calzada didn’t play a single snap last year so if anything happens to King, the Aggies could be in a heap of trouble. As a freshman Calzada threw 24 passes so there isn’t much in the way of experience whether it’s for the starter or the backups.

VANDERBILT

The starter: Ken Seals (6-3, 218, SO) The backups: Mike Wright (6-3, 187, SO); Jeremy Moussa (6-3, 219, SR)

Expectations: Seals had a fine year as a true freshman despite playing on a team that didn’t win a game. He is a pure pocket passer who isn’t going to give you anything in the running game.

What if … : Wright threw 10 passes last year. Moussa has starting experience at San Bernardino Valley College (juco). He might be the better alternative if Seals were injured.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The Wall Street Journal went way over the top earlier in the week when Tom Verducci wrote that Shohei Ohtani is actually a better two-way player than Babe Ruth. Now, I’m old but I wasn’t around when Ruth played. He hit 714 home runs in his career, hit .342 and never struck out 100 times in a single season. As a pitcher, he was 94-46 with a career ERA of 2.28 to with 107 complete games and 17 shutouts. He was 3-0 pitching in the World Series. Ohtani, no question, is a very talented two-way player who has hit 80 homers in his MLB career, 33 at the midway point of this season. He has a career .271 batting average and already has two seasons (out of four) with more than 100 strikeouts and he’s struck out 98 times at the midway point of 2021. Ohtani throws 100 mph fast balls but he’s 8-4 with a 3.89 ERA, has never thrown a shutout much less a complete game. It’s very difficult to compare eras, but Ruth was and is the standard by which every two-way player will ever be judged. Ohtani could wind up being one of the all-time greats but better than Babe Ruth? I’m not buying it.