2023 spring quarterback battles: The latest intel at Georgia, Texas, Ole Miss and elsewhere
I’ve long cautioned about the danger of making bold proclamations after spring games.
They’re pseudo-scrimmages where quarterbacks are typically not live and key starters are protected (or held out) to avoid injury. It’s one — ONE — data point out of 15 practices.
History is full of spring stars who wound up fall frauds.
And yet, that doesn’t mean you can’t use your eyes to make some early judgments on the most football we’ll see for the next five months.
Not overreactions or finite conclusions. Impressions. Intel.
With 27 spring games taking place Saturday, there were all sorts of quarterback battles on display this weekend. Some, like at Ohio State, remain in flux because one of the contenders was unable to participate in the spring scrimmage.
Others, like at Texas, Georgia and Tennessee, look to have much more clarity as those teams all wrapped up spring practice.
Then there’s Ole Miss, where the situation only seems more muddled, and a new potential competition unfolding at Texas A&M.
Here’s the latest buzz on several spring quarterback battles…
Georgia: Carson Beck vs. Brock Vandargriff
Want a prime example of how raw spring stats can lie?
On Saturday, Florida fans took exception to the opinion that Georgia quarterback Carson Beck emerged as the clear frontrunner to be the Bulldogs’ starter following his spring game performance (15 of 22 for 231 yards and a touchdown) because how could that be since Gators quarterback Graham Mertz had a similar stat line (18 of 29 for 244 yards and a score) and folks were complaining about UF’s offense.
Well, Beck led three touchdown drives to start the game for UGA, while Florida scored two touchdowns all night Thursday.
Ditch the stats, and use the eye test, and Beck definitely outperformed Brock Vandagriff. He was a step ahead all afternoon.
He was confident, spread the ball to a slew of playmakers, and showcased pretty touch on several deep passes. He was the beneficiary of some great pass protection, but he clearly looked more seasoned than Vandagriff.
To be clear, Vandagriff flashed his upside and potential, too, throwing a couple of late touchdown passes to second-teamers. He was noncommittal on whether he might entertain a transfer in the coming weeks, but if he opts to stick around in the fall, he certainly could figure in the mix if Beck ever falters.
Kirby Smart is right: Georgia has no shortage of great options.
But Carson Beck looks to be Georgia’s starting quarterback in Week 1. That doesn’t mean he’ll hold the job all season, but it will be a shock if he’s not to guy to the first opportunity to lead the reigning two-time national champs.
Texas: Quinn Ewers vs. Arch Manning vs. Maalik Murphy
At the start of spring practice, I noted that Steve Sarkisian’s comments that there would be an open competition for Texas’ QB1 job was classic coach speak motivation.
“Competition breeds success,” I wrote.
Sarkisian’s message was not so much an advertisement that all jobs in Austin were open. It was a tried-and-true approach most coaches use in spring practice as a way for the 2s to push the 1s, and the 3s to push the 2s, and so on. The whole point of the 15 practices in March and April is about development and competition.
Well, it turns out Arch Manning probably isn’t even Texas QB2 entering the summer. He’s probably the most famous QB3 in America.
On Saturday, Quinn Ewers looked solid throwing to a loaded group of receivers — perhaps the best collection of wideout talent in the nation in 2023 — showing improved pocket presence and accuracy. Meanwhile, Malik Murphy teased his rocket arm with a couple of bombs, including an 80-yard touchdown. His best throw of the day was dropped. Murphy arguably was the top Texas QB during the scrimmage.
Arch Manning was fine in his debut performance. Despite being under duress on almost every snap, he was decisive in his decision-making and really had just one poor throw. He’s a better athlete than some probably expected, too.
Still, Sarkisian ended any open job talk by naming Quinn Ewers the Longhorns’ starter postgame, and based on prior spring buzz coupled with an impressive performance in the scrimmage, it seems apparent that Murphy is Texas’ backup in 2023 — that is if he sticks around for the next two weeks and doesn’t enter the portal with lots of desperate programs needing QBs (namely: Auburn, Florida).
Tennessee: Joe Milton vs. Nico Iamaleava
What sort of potential does Nico Iamaleava possess?
Check out this play.
Iamaleava gets flushed from the pocket, where he cooly rolls right and calmly uncorks a 30-yard rope on a line to freshman tight end Ethan Davis. That’s No. 1 overall recruit type stuff.
And yet, as good as the 5-star freshman looked in the Orange & White Game, he’s not pushing Joe Milton for Tennessee’s starting job. At least not yet.
Iamaleava displayed nice awareness in the pocket and can push the ball vertically, but Milton simply has a better understanding of Josh Heupel’s offense. He’s apparently improved his accuracy and he has over two years of experience now operating UT’s go-go tempo.
Similar to the situation at Georgia, Milton isn’t guaranteed to start all season for the Vols, but he’s on track to get the first crack in 2023.
Ole Miss: Jaxson Dart vs. Spencer Sanders vs. Walker Howard
This much is obvious at Ole Miss: The Rebels certainly don’t lack QB options in 2023.
Lane Kiffin has a crammed quarterback room, with three viable candidates vying for one job. Kiffin brought in a pair of transfers to battle incumbent starter Jaxson Dart, and the former USC transfer reportedly responded well this spring to the added competition after a very inconsistent 2022 season.
Dart entered Saturday’s spring game reportedly “clinging” to his starting job, and I have a hunch that grip is a tad looser entering the summer — and this is after a performance where Dart was darn good in the spring game.
It’s just that Spencer Sanders, the former Oklahoma State quarterback with three years of experience, was even better, while Walker Howard, thought to be the future at the position, had more touchdowns (four) than incompletions (two).
It remains to be seen how this competition unfolds moving forward, because, unlike some other QB1 battles across college football, there’s little clarity on who the best option is currently in Oxford.
Texas A&M: Conner Weigman vs. Max Johnson
It turns out, there’s a quarterback competition brewing in the Texas heat at A&M.
Although sophomore Connor Weigman was the presumed starter entering the spring, former LSU transfer Max Johnson, who was benched in place of Weigman last season, outperformed the former 5-star recruit in the Aggies’ spring game.
The lefty quarterback reportedly had a strong spring, leading Jimbo Fisher to opt not to name a starting quarterback entering the summer.
Perhaps Fisher’s “there’s going to be competition all the time, every week” comments were akin to Sarkisian’s motivational ploy at Texas. Maybe Weigman still is the frontrunner for the Aggies’ starting job.
But maybe — with a new OC in Bobby Petrino and a veteran backup with experience — Fisher wants a longer look at his two options in a new offense before crowing a definitive QB1 in College Station.