[h=1]Coker will be SEC's top first-year QB
By [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Travis Haney[/FONT] | ESPN INSIDER
[/h]
s we count down 50 days until the start of the 2014 college football season, ESPN Insider Travis Haney is answering at least one big question a day until South Carolina and Texas A&M’s kickoff on Aug. 28.
Heisman contenders, breakout freshmen, conference winners -- it will all be covered as part of Insider’s Ultimate Season Preview.
Today’s question: Which of the SEC’s new starting QBs will have the best season?
What I notice first is that, with the possible exception of Missouri’s [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Maty Mauk[/FONT], each first-year starting QB in the SEC is inheriting great talent around him.
When in doubt, go to the program with the most talent, and even though he feels like a college football tall tale at this point, Alabama’s Jake Coker absolutely has the best chance to excel.
Even with what little we have seen of him, Coker is already on Mel Kiper Jr.’s radar (tied for fifth among [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]underclassmen QBs for the 2015 NFL draft[/FONT]). The fact that he is 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds does not hurt. Neither will the situation he is entering.
In fact, based on what I hear about his arm strength and knowing the skill around him, it is not that bold of a prediction that this could be his first and only season with the Tide before bolting for the NFL.
Alabama, named Thursday the SEC favorite by media members, is smarting after consecutive losses to end last season. The last time it was doubted to this degree, the Tide responded with consecutive national titles in 2011 and '12.
But it was obviously more settled then at QB. If anything, Nick Saban overplayed the position as a question mark when he addressed reporters at this week’s SEC Media Days.
It was both admirable and predictable that Saban would try to shield Coker from attention. But conduct a quick Internet search: There are stories about Coker everywhere, and it’s the middle of July. So Saban isn’t really fooling anyone when he didn’t mention Coker on Thursday, instead calling him a nameless “transfer” to Alabama.
It reminded me, actually, of Jimbo Fisher almost bristling last summer when I asked him how good [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Jameis Winston[/FONT] could be. He knew. But he didn’t want to tell me.
It makes sense, considering Fisher’s background on Saban’s staff. Coincidentally, it’s now Fisher talking about how good of a QB Coker could be at Alabama. Fisher told TideSports.com this summer that Coker is “much more talented than anything they’ve had.”
Add arguably the best running backs in the country and a strong set of wideouts, led by complete receiver [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Amari Cooper[/FONT], and Coker is suited to be the best first-year QB in the SEC. He could be the best overall.
No first-year QB in the SEC, and maybe America, has as much of a range as LSU’sBrandon Harris. But he could still be beaten out by Anthony Jennings, who led a late comeback against Arkansas and played for the Tigers in the bowl game.
Harris was mentioned this week by coach Les Miles as one of four freshmen who “we expect to have great impact on our season.” Great impact probably would not include backing up Jennings.
Harris, running back [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Leonard Fournette[/FONT] and receiver[FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Malachi Dupre[/FONT] make for the most intriguing offensive set of freshmen in the country. Are they ready now? Or does it just mean LSU is a team to watch in 2015? The Wisconsin opener is absolutely must-see TV.
Considering that Miles linked Fournette to Michael Jordan and a teammate said what I have (that he looks physically like Adrian Peterson did as a freshman), I would anticipate his time to be now. Those close to the program think Dupre is ready as well. Harris is the one I’m most curious about. If he’s as good as LSU believes he can be, the Tigers are not being talked enough in the league and nationally.
As good as Johnny Manziel was, and he was a once-in-a-generation college talent, most coaches I've talked to don't anticipate regression from Texas A&M’s offense.
“Not with that line,” one said.
Coaches remember, too, that Kevin Sumlin’s system worked fine at Houston, with Case Keenum as more of a pocket thrower.
I do wonder what freshman [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Kyle Allen[/FONT], whom I’ve been told is a terrific kid, thinks about Kyler Murray being pursued for the 2015 class. Does that give Allen urgency to try to win the job this fall, so he can hold off Murray next summer? Whether the Aggies say they are or not, does the staff approach the QB spot any differently knowing that Murray, whom they internally have dubbed the “next Johnny,” will soon be on campus?
Whether it’s Allen or [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Kenny Hill[/FONT] this fall, it’s sort of a similar situation as the one Coker enters: The players around the starter are so good that it relieves some of the pressure of the position. The A&M QB will put up good-if-not-great numbers; it’s still the defense that’s most concerning in College Station.
Former Georgia QB Aaron Murray told me in January that he didn’t think there would be any noticeable drop-off from him to Hutson Mason.
“He’s been here as long as I have,” Murray said at the Senior Bowl. “He does everything I do. He knows what I know. He’ll be great, I think.”
It’s helpful that Mason will work with All-America running back [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Todd Gurley[/FONT] and a number of experienced receivers, some of them returning from injuries that made 2013 a challenge for the Bulldogs.
We didn’t see a prodigious performance from Mason in the bowl loss to Nebraska, but that’s not a reason to count him out. The fifth-year senior has had several months to digest that it’s his time at UGA.
Like the narrative at A&M, defense is the bigger question for Georgia.
I’m more skeptical than most about Dylan Thompson at South Carolina.
Steve Spurrier likes to point out that Thompson was the only QB in America to defeat UCF last year. Besides that being an odd claim to fame, he also led a hapless offense that was shut out for three quarters at Missouri. A gimpy Connor Shaw immediately sparked the offense when he was inserted.
I just know that South Carolina’s offense became one of the country’s most efficient units because of Shaw’s ability as a dual threat.
With a shift back to a pure pocket passer, the first time South Carolina has really had one since Chris Smelley, you’ve got to wonder what that means for the offense. Good thing it has an All-America running back in Mike Davis and the best O-line in Spurrier’s tenure.
Spurrier has said before that he thinks Thompson has an NFL arm. Surely this excites him because it means he can be more involved in the offensive planning. But is that necessarily good? The man’s a genius, but it wasn’t working well until the (non-Spurrier) zone-read influence appeared. Could the shift back lead to play-calling arrhythmia?
By [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Travis Haney[/FONT] | ESPN INSIDER
s we count down 50 days until the start of the 2014 college football season, ESPN Insider Travis Haney is answering at least one big question a day until South Carolina and Texas A&M’s kickoff on Aug. 28.
Heisman contenders, breakout freshmen, conference winners -- it will all be covered as part of Insider’s Ultimate Season Preview.
Today’s question: Which of the SEC’s new starting QBs will have the best season?
What I notice first is that, with the possible exception of Missouri’s [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Maty Mauk[/FONT], each first-year starting QB in the SEC is inheriting great talent around him.
When in doubt, go to the program with the most talent, and even though he feels like a college football tall tale at this point, Alabama’s Jake Coker absolutely has the best chance to excel.
Even with what little we have seen of him, Coker is already on Mel Kiper Jr.’s radar (tied for fifth among [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]underclassmen QBs for the 2015 NFL draft[/FONT]). The fact that he is 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds does not hurt. Neither will the situation he is entering.
In fact, based on what I hear about his arm strength and knowing the skill around him, it is not that bold of a prediction that this could be his first and only season with the Tide before bolting for the NFL.
Alabama, named Thursday the SEC favorite by media members, is smarting after consecutive losses to end last season. The last time it was doubted to this degree, the Tide responded with consecutive national titles in 2011 and '12.
But it was obviously more settled then at QB. If anything, Nick Saban overplayed the position as a question mark when he addressed reporters at this week’s SEC Media Days.
It was both admirable and predictable that Saban would try to shield Coker from attention. But conduct a quick Internet search: There are stories about Coker everywhere, and it’s the middle of July. So Saban isn’t really fooling anyone when he didn’t mention Coker on Thursday, instead calling him a nameless “transfer” to Alabama.
It reminded me, actually, of Jimbo Fisher almost bristling last summer when I asked him how good [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Jameis Winston[/FONT] could be. He knew. But he didn’t want to tell me.
It makes sense, considering Fisher’s background on Saban’s staff. Coincidentally, it’s now Fisher talking about how good of a QB Coker could be at Alabama. Fisher told TideSports.com this summer that Coker is “much more talented than anything they’ve had.”
Add arguably the best running backs in the country and a strong set of wideouts, led by complete receiver [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Amari Cooper[/FONT], and Coker is suited to be the best first-year QB in the SEC. He could be the best overall.
No first-year QB in the SEC, and maybe America, has as much of a range as LSU’sBrandon Harris. But he could still be beaten out by Anthony Jennings, who led a late comeback against Arkansas and played for the Tigers in the bowl game.
Harris was mentioned this week by coach Les Miles as one of four freshmen who “we expect to have great impact on our season.” Great impact probably would not include backing up Jennings.
Harris, running back [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Leonard Fournette[/FONT] and receiver[FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Malachi Dupre[/FONT] make for the most intriguing offensive set of freshmen in the country. Are they ready now? Or does it just mean LSU is a team to watch in 2015? The Wisconsin opener is absolutely must-see TV.
Considering that Miles linked Fournette to Michael Jordan and a teammate said what I have (that he looks physically like Adrian Peterson did as a freshman), I would anticipate his time to be now. Those close to the program think Dupre is ready as well. Harris is the one I’m most curious about. If he’s as good as LSU believes he can be, the Tigers are not being talked enough in the league and nationally.
As good as Johnny Manziel was, and he was a once-in-a-generation college talent, most coaches I've talked to don't anticipate regression from Texas A&M’s offense.
“Not with that line,” one said.
Coaches remember, too, that Kevin Sumlin’s system worked fine at Houston, with Case Keenum as more of a pocket thrower.
I do wonder what freshman [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Kyle Allen[/FONT], whom I’ve been told is a terrific kid, thinks about Kyler Murray being pursued for the 2015 class. Does that give Allen urgency to try to win the job this fall, so he can hold off Murray next summer? Whether the Aggies say they are or not, does the staff approach the QB spot any differently knowing that Murray, whom they internally have dubbed the “next Johnny,” will soon be on campus?
Whether it’s Allen or [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Kenny Hill[/FONT] this fall, it’s sort of a similar situation as the one Coker enters: The players around the starter are so good that it relieves some of the pressure of the position. The A&M QB will put up good-if-not-great numbers; it’s still the defense that’s most concerning in College Station.
Former Georgia QB Aaron Murray told me in January that he didn’t think there would be any noticeable drop-off from him to Hutson Mason.
“He’s been here as long as I have,” Murray said at the Senior Bowl. “He does everything I do. He knows what I know. He’ll be great, I think.”
It’s helpful that Mason will work with All-America running back [FONT=verdana, helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Todd Gurley[/FONT] and a number of experienced receivers, some of them returning from injuries that made 2013 a challenge for the Bulldogs.
We didn’t see a prodigious performance from Mason in the bowl loss to Nebraska, but that’s not a reason to count him out. The fifth-year senior has had several months to digest that it’s his time at UGA.
Like the narrative at A&M, defense is the bigger question for Georgia.
I’m more skeptical than most about Dylan Thompson at South Carolina.
Steve Spurrier likes to point out that Thompson was the only QB in America to defeat UCF last year. Besides that being an odd claim to fame, he also led a hapless offense that was shut out for three quarters at Missouri. A gimpy Connor Shaw immediately sparked the offense when he was inserted.
I just know that South Carolina’s offense became one of the country’s most efficient units because of Shaw’s ability as a dual threat.
With a shift back to a pure pocket passer, the first time South Carolina has really had one since Chris Smelley, you’ve got to wonder what that means for the offense. Good thing it has an All-America running back in Mike Davis and the best O-line in Spurrier’s tenure.
Spurrier has said before that he thinks Thompson has an NFL arm. Surely this excites him because it means he can be more involved in the offensive planning. But is that necessarily good? The man’s a genius, but it wasn’t working well until the (non-Spurrier) zone-read influence appeared. Could the shift back lead to play-calling arrhythmia?
