Several high-profile programs in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) remain undecided on their starting quarterbacks as the new season approaches. Teams including Alabama, Arkansas, and Florida are currently weighing various internal competitions and transfer options to solidify their offensive leadership.
The 3,000-pass and 1,000-rush benchmark at Auburn and Oklahoma
The SEC is seeing a surge in dual-threat capabilities, exemplified by the arrival of Robby Brown at Auburn. According to the report, Robby Brown followed head coach Alex Golesh from Tampa to the Tigers, bringing a rare statistical profile from South Florida where he passed for 3,158 yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for 1,008 yards and 14 scores. This performance made him the only quarterback in the nation to surpass both the 3,000-yard passing and 1,000-yard rushing marks in a single year.
A similar profile is emerging in Oklahoma, where CJ Brown is competing for the starting role. The source attributes the same prolific South Florida statistics—3,158 passing yards and 1,008 rushing yards—to CJ Brown,suggesting a league-wide trend where coaches are prioritizing quarterbacks who can devastate defenses with both their arms and legs.
Keelon Russell's No. 2 recruit status and the battle in Florida
At Alabama,the competition for the starting spot centers on Austin Mack and Keelon Russell. Keelon Russell enters the fray as the No. 2 recruit in the 2025 class, and the report notes that his specific running ability distinguishes him from other candidates in the Alabama rotation.
Florida is facing a different dilemma between Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. While Aaron Philo has more experience with 102 passes thrown over two seasons at Georgia Tech, many Florida fans are rooting for Tramell Jones Jr., who recorded 191 yards and two touchdowns on 35 college passes, primarily due to his superior arm strength.
Lisfranc surgery at LSU and ankle procedures in Starkville
Injury recovery is a primary hurdle for several SEC contenders. At LSU, Michael Leavitt—who was the top-rated player in the transfer portal—missed spring practice in Baton Rouge due to a Lisfranc injury that required surgery in November. As reported, Leavitt joined head coach Lane Kiffin's first LSU roster after a season at Arizona State where he threw for 1,628 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Mississippi State is dealing with similar health concerns regarding Kamario Taylor. After an ankle procedure follwing the Duke's Mayo Bowl, Taylor is working under head coach Jeff Lebby to improve his accuracy. Taylor showed flashes of brilliance as a true freshman, including a 173-rushing-yard performance against Ole Miss during his first career start.
Why a drop in yards per attempt sidelined Georgia and Texas starters
Efficiency metrics are causing hesitation for several established starters. In Georgia, Stockton completed 69.7% of his passes for 2,894 yards and 24 touchdowns, yet he is excluded from many preseason top tiers. The report indicates this is because his yards per attempt in the final stretch of the season fell more than a yard below his overall average.
This same statistical dip is affecting the outlook for Quinn Ewers at Texas, Spencer Rattler at South Carolina, and Conner Bazelak at Texas A&M. All three players are competing for starting spots after seeing their late-season yards per attempt drop significantly , signaling a potential vulnerability that opposing defenses may exploit.
The Sept. 5 deadline for Arkansas and Joe Sloan's Kentucky project
Arkansas is operating on a strict timeline, with the team hoping to name a starter before their Sept. 5 opener against North Alabama. The choice rests between redshirt sophomore Jack Jackson, who needs to improve his accuracy, and redshirt freshman AJ Hill, who must demonstrate faster decision-making skills.
Meanwhile, Kentucky is integrating Devin Minchey under new coordinator Joe Sloan.. Minchey brings experience from Arizona State, where he recorded 1,628 passing yards and 306 rushing yards in seven games. However, it remains unclear how Joe Sloan intends to restructure the Kentucky offense to maximize Minchey's dual-threat capabilities, as the report focuses on the players' stats rather than the coordinator's specific schematic changes.
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