Which SEC Teams Can Win With Their Backup QBs?

That question probably requires some caveats. Like which backups, winning against which teams? Plenty of the better SEC teams can grind out a win with their #2 against Arkansas, Kentucky, or Mississippi State, but what happens when you raise the threat level to a Texas A&M, Oklahoma, or Ole Miss, much less Bama or Texas?

There are three categories:

Category 1

LSU, Texas A&M, Auburn, Alabama

Nussmeier is backed up by Mississippi State transfer Michael Van Buren, who blew me away with his poise as a freshman last year starting several games for the moribund Bulldogs. The talent and experience drop off is obvious, but he could be a capable replacement – he’s even stylistically similar – and the Tigers would feel comfortable letting him throw it around.

Texas A&M made a fine acquisition in veteran Jacob Zeno. Zeno was a quality starter for UAB in 2023 (he started his career at Baylor) throwing for over 3,000 yards and completing 73.6% of his passes at 8.2 yards per attempt, but his 2024 was truncated by injury. He doesn’t have Reed’s athleticism, but he’s a good short and intermediate passer who would be a nice fit with A&M’s YAC oriented receiver corps and RPO game. Zeno may not need an injury to see game action. Just a few bad Reed drives.

Backing up Jackson Arnold at Auburn are Stanford veteran Ashton Daniels and young stud Deuce Knight. I don’t really like Daniels and his glacial release, but he’s a former two year starter and a legit run threat. He’s competent and he’s been through the fire. That’s immensely valuable in today’s CFB landscape. Auburn’s quality WR corps and a solid OL would help keep him afloat.

Alabama should give the starting nod to Ty Simpson but Austin Mack is capable (he’s the best pure thrower on the team) and the X factor is dynamic true freshman Keelon Russell, who may be special. DeBoer just needs someone to do what he tells them to do and throw it on time. Support personnel (WR, OL) should be top notch.

Category 2

Oklahoma, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Florida, Texas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Kentucky

62.5% of the league.

You could make an argument that Michael Hawkins gives OU an experienced backup who has seen action, but John Mateer wasn’t brought to Norman to deep snap. Hawkins could get them by against inferior teams.

South Carolina without LaNorris Sellers is cooked. There’s no clear backup and Sellers is the offense. Fortunately, he’s made of tungsten.

Tennessee will feature Joey Aguilar, former App State starter (56 career touchdown passes), but if he doesn’t pan, it should be RS FR Jake Merklinger. Tennessee fans (who are an exuberant bunch) love their young QBs (they love every aspect of their team, just ask them), but if the youngsters were ready, Heupel wouldn’t have brought in Aguilar.

Mississippi State is screwed without veteran Blake Shapen unless FSU transfer Luke Kromenhoek (109.6 QB rating), who couldn’t win the job on 2-10 team, pans out in a wholly unexpected way.

Ole Miss signal caller Austin Simmons may be special. I don’t think they have a viable backup right now.

Florida wouldn’t enjoy life without DJ Lagway. Evidence: every Florida game last year without Lagway. They can run the ball and hope that the eternally transferring Harrison Bailey (Louisville, UNLV, Tennessee, Florida) won’t lose the game.

Taylen Green is a one man gang at Arkansas. KJ Jackson is promising, but very green. Arky insiders think he’s a better pure passer than the starter, so keep an eye on that if Green struggles with coverage recognition as he did last year.

Diego Pavia is special and their offense is built around him in ways obvious and subtle. Blaze Berlowitz (also a NSMU transfer) knows the system, but there’s only one Pavia.

Texas acquired journeyman veteran Matthew Caldwell to add some starting experience to the room. He’s a limited player, but he can steer the bus, we hope. It’s unclear how game ready Owens or Lacey are, or in fact, who the true backup really is. Fall camp may tell us.

Kentucky didn’t bring in veteran Zach Calzada for whiskey tours. Cutter Boley doesn’t have their confidence after a disastrous Louisville performance.

Category 3

Georgia, Missouri

Georgia likes redshirt freshman Ryan Puglisi, but apparently not enough to start him over Gunner Stockton. There’s a world where Puglisi gets real game action and takes the job over, but right now Georgia is all about their gutty local winner guy. Is there a clear drop off here? I don’t know. I have no idea how good Stockton is after a full offseason of work.

Missouri brought in Beau Pribula from Penn State to take over the job and the dual threat is athletically gifted but something of a black box as a passer. Missouri likes Sam Horn (former 4 star HS QB from Georgia), but he’s been setback by injuries. It’s not really clear what the drop off from Pribula to Horn is and Drinkwitz’s insistence that this was a real competition at SEC Media Days felt like more than coach babble.

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