No coach in the SEC is concerned about what Alabama and Georgia will do without proven starting quarterbacks entering spring practices.
Opposing conference coaches have their worries. Like, what at they going to do against the QBs the Crimson Tide and Bulldogs finally anoint as the starter.
The time frames may develop differently for two of the projected highest-ranked teams next fall, but the spring competition likely will continue into the fall.
Can Tommy Rees develop Jalen Milroe for Alabama football? https://t.co/f1qseWbmmg via @yardbarker 🅰️🏈 #CrimsonTide
— RB Lea (@rb_lea) February 20, 2023
Alabama: Jalen Milroe vs. Ty Simpson
Alabama missed out on landing Arch Manning, who elected to attend Texas. As if the recruiting dynamo Crimson Tide do not have options.
With Bryce Young departing for the NFL, the question of who will replace one of the most successful quarterbacks in program history likely will linger into September.
Spring workouts. Summer conditioning. Fall practice. They will all play a part in coach Nick Saban selecting a starter. The season-opening game against Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 2 at Bryant-Denny Stadium likely will be a “live practice” between Milroe and Simpson.
It will be a big game against an overmatched opponent, but Saban will have to make a big decision. The next week, the Crimson Tide face Texas.
By then, Saban will need Milroe or Simpson to be an established on-field leader.
Milroe is an athletic playmaker who started against Texas A&M last season.
Simpson is a former five-star recruit who was recruited by new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees while at Notre Dame. Simpson red-shirted last season.
The first big test between the two will come during the Crimson Tide’s “A Day” game April 22.
If Milroe or Simpson stumble, youngsters Eli Holstein and Dylan Lonergan are waiting in the wings.
Carson Beck will lead Georgia to a _-_ record in 2023 👀
📰 How new OC Mike Bobo impacts the Bulldogs: https://t.co/myXAKkSfsV pic.twitter.com/0ukXIWYfBy
— College Football Network (@CFN365) February 15, 2023
Georgia: Carson Beck vs. Brock Vandagriff
To Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart, one element of quarterback play stands out.
Who will not throw an interception?
Like Stetson Bennett, the former walk-on who guided the program to back-to-back national championships. Bennett’s pass attempts increased from 287 to 455 during the past two seasons, but the number of pickoffs he tossed remained steady at seven.
Of the two most likely to replace Bennett, Carson Beck and Brock Vandagriff will need to prove their ability to avoid untimely mistakes.
Between the two, Beck has the most experience, although limited to mop-up duty in most cases.
Beck threw for 486 yards and connected on six touchdowns, but he had two interceptions in 58 attempts. He appeared in seven games last season, including significant second-half snaps in the National Championship Game rout of TCU.
Vandagriff, a former 5-star prospect, saw action in three games. The No. 2-ranked dual-threat QB coming out of high school in 2021, Vandagriff has yet to complete a pass in three career attempts.
If you’re looking at an underdog, Gunner Stockton could rise and claim the starting nod. Smart, as proven by Bennett, is not afraid to take a chance on a quarterback.
Just as long as the starter does not throw key interceptions.
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