With two-thirds of the regular season now gone for most teams, let's take a look at the quarterback situation at each SEC school and their situation with 2025 recruits. We'll go in order of the current conference standings.
No. 10 Texas A&M (7-1, 5-0 SEC)
Starter/Backup
Weigman: 62-108 (56.8%), 782 yards, 3 TD, 4 INT; 25 carries, 98 yards
Reed: 45-81 (55.6%), 655 yards, 6 TD; 52 carries, 288 yards, 5 TD
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
The Aggies have themselves a bit of a quarterback controversy. Weigman started the season and got hurt. Reed went 3-0 in his absence, but the offense struggled in two of those games. Then Weigman came back, won twice but then had an awful showing against LSU. Re-enter Reed, who blew LSU away in his five possessions of work.
Who starts Saturday? Nobody knows yet. But O'Neill will be QB3, with Henderson injured. Odds are at least one, and maybe two, of these quarterbacks won't be around next year. That could make O'Neill the backup and Longstreet just a few snaps away from finding the field himself.
No. 2 Georgia (6-1, 4-1)
Starter/backup
Beck: 165-250 (66%), 1,993 yards, 15 TD, 8 INT
Stockton: 10-12, 90 yards
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
Georgia has no issues at quarterback right now -- clearly. The interesting thing will be this offseason, as Kirby Smart tries to keep all three backups around to compete to replace Beck and integrate Montgomery into the mix. In the days of the portal, that's no easy task.
No. 6 Texas (7-1, 3-1)
Starter/backup
Ewers: 130-188 (69.1%), 1,389 yards, 14 TD, 6 INT
Manning: 58-84 (69%), 920 yards, 9 TD, 2 INT
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
Texas is in good shape at quarterback moving forward and are right now. But they should be in great shape, not just good. Ewers has been fine, but he's been incredibly conservative. His depth of target is 5.9 yards, putting him dead last among Power 5 quarterbacks. So the jokes about the quick passes and bubble screens aren't really jokes.
Manning was good when he played, and he pushes the ball down the field a little more and he's a Manning, so there are still grumbles for him to play.
But here's the thing: Ewers does not have to go pro after this season. And what if he doesn't? He's got a good thing going off the field in Austin.
That would be something.
No. 7 Tennessee (6-1, 3-1)
Starter/backup
Iamaleava: 108-170 (63.5%), 1,413 yards, 8 TD, 4 INT
Moore: 11-17, 163 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
This is Iamaleava's team for this year, next year and likely beyond, and he'd better stay healthy this season if they're going to have a shot. But, after ripping three non-conference opponents (including 0-8 Kent State), the offense hasn't scored more than 25 points in any conference game. A&M scored 31 in 10 minutes Saturday night. Iamaleava has all the tools, and he has weapons. But 25 won't beat Georgia and it may not beat Vanderbilt.
No. 16 LSU (6-2, 3-1)
Starter/backup
Nussmeier: 208-333 (62.5%), 2,627 yards, 20 TD, 9 INT
Collins, 5-5, 35 yards
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
I would not be surprised at all if Underwood or someone else not even on the radar (read: transfer) takes the first snap for LSU next fall. Nussmeier is one of the top prospects in a weak quarterback draft and, frankly, after the abuse he took (and is still taking) for a loss Saturday night that was a long way from being solely his fault (no running game and an offensive line that disintegrated after halftime), I'd get the heck out of Baton Rouge too.
Collins only having 5 attempts tells me a lot. As in, there's no faith there.
No. 14 Alabama (6-2, 3-2)
Starter/backup
Milroe: 137-203 (67.5%), 1,937 yards, 13 TD, 6 INT; 102 carries, 380 yards, 12 TD
Simpson: 9-14, 96 yards
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
I suspect we're in the closing stages of the Milroe era at Alabama, as he should put up big numbers in the closing stretch (LSU, Mercer, OU, Auburn) before the CFP. That would lead to an interesting battle for the starting job next season between Simpson and Russell -- and maybe Lonergan. Could Kalen DeBoer look at what he has and go into the portal for a one-year rental?
Arkansas (5-3, 3-2)
Starter/backup
Green: 151-249 (60.6%), 2,056 yards, 11 TD, 7 INT; 95 carries, 395 yards, 4 TD
Singleton, 10-14, 151 yards
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
Green could come back for next season, and he should come back -- he's nowhere near NFL ready. He has big games like he did against Mississippi State, and gets pummeled by teams like A&M and LSU. So he picks on bad teams and struggles against good ones.
Bobby Petrino had better hope Green does the smart thing and returns, because he has very little to work with otherwise. Jackson, and not Singleton, could end up being Green's replacement.
No. 25 Missouri (6-2, 2-2)
Starter/backup
Cook: 137-218 (62.8%), 1,575 yards, 7 TD, 1 INT
Pyne: 35-55 (63.6%), 248 yards, 3 INT
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
This thing is teetering on the brink of collapse, both for this year and beyond. Cook is clearly the guy who makes the offense operate, and Pyne has been nothing short of terrible in the two games he's played in.
And Cook is hurt.
They're fortunate to have a bye week, and maybe that's enough for Cook to get ready. And maybe he stays healthy the rest of the year.
But then what? The cupboard is much less than full. Eli Drinkwitz went all-in on 2024 and it's about to go bust. He's got some work to do this offseason.
No. 19 Ole Miss (6-2, 2-2)
Starter/backup
Dart: 173-245 (70.6%), 2,695 yards, 15 TD, 3 INT
Simmons: 10-21, 137 yards, 1 TD
Further down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
None.
Lane Kiffin also went all-in on 2024 when it comes to the CFP, and also finds his hopes hanging by a thread as we head down the stretch. And they have to play Georgia in the final four games.
Dart will be gone after this season, so it looks right now that Simmons and Howard would be left to fight for the starting job. But you would think Kiffin would be able to find a 2025 quarterback and get one out of the portal, right?
Right?
Vanderbilt (5-3, 2-2)
Starter/backup
Pavia: 118-183 (64.5%), 1,534 yards, 13 TD, 3 INT; 134 carries, 537 yards, 4 TD
Johnson: 1-3, 12 yards
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
Pavia will never have to buy a drink in Nashville again and, if he beats Tennessee, people will name their children after him. But he is the offense and, if he gets hurt, it would be a disaster.
Pavia is also a senior, so this is likely a one-shot deal. Where they go after him is anyone's guess, though Robinson would seem to have the inside track.
Florida (4-3, 2-2)
Starter/backup
Lagway: 54-86 (62.8%), 1,024 yards, 5 TD, 5 INT; 34 carries, 96 yards
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
None.
So...um...is Lagway transferring to A&M or not? That's been the running joke, but since he's now the undisputed QB1 and Reed has emerged, it may remain just a joke.
But anyway, Lagway has his hands full over the next month: Georgia, Texas, LSU and Ole Miss before a cupcake finale -- FSU. 5-7 could mean the gate for Billy Napier and a revamp of this depth chart and a lot more.
South Carolina (4-3, 2-3)
Starter/backup
Sellers: 88-140 (62.9%), 968 yards, 5 TD, 4 INT; 84 carries, 247 yards, 3 TD
Ashford: 20-28, 301 yards, 2 TD; 36 carries, 183 yards, 1 TD
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
South Carolina does not have much of a passing attack because Sellers and Ashford aren't very consistent passers. They tend to use the passing game as an extension of the running attack, save for playaction passes (or they're behind).
Sellers seems to be the guy moving forward, though. He's got another three seasons ahead of him and, as he progresses, maybe the passing game will too.
Oklahoma (4-4, 1-4)
Starter/backup
Arnold: 101-169 (59.8%), 945 yards, 10 TD, 3 INT
Hawkins: 45-72, 476 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
OU has massive issues on offense, not the least of which is the nation's worst offensive line when it comes to protecting the quarterback. They have given up a breathtaking 39 sacks already this year, which has caused problems.
The handling (or mis-handling) of the quarterback situation has also caused problems, to the point either Arnold or Hawkins will likely leave after this year.
Oklahoma is a mess. They were not SEC-ready.
Auburn (3-5, 1-4)
Starter/backup
Thorne: 114-184 (62%), 1,586 yards, 12 TD, 7 INT; 77 carries, 175 yards, 2 TD
Brown, 27-43, 403 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
Auburn's quarterback play has been awful this year. Forty-sixth nationally in passing doesn't seem bad, but they turn the ball over at an alarming rate, take a lot of sacks, and are horrible in the red zone. Thorne may be a little better than last year, but he continues to make massive mistakes at critical moments. Brown doesn't look like the answer either, for this year or next. Unless they're going to give the keys to Knight from day one, they're going to be looking to buy a quarterback in the portal for next year.
Kentucky (3-5, 1-5)
Starter/backup
Vandagriff: 100-175 (57.1%), 1,236 yards, 6 TD, 5 INT; 72 carries, 108 yards
Wimsatt, 8-20, 93 yards, 2 INT; 42 carries, 151 yards, 2 TD
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
Kentucky fans, great news! You can have this same bunch back next year and add Saunders and Ward too!
That's not great news?
No, it's not. Kentucky is 119th in the nation in total offense, and a lot of that has to do with their inability to throw the football. Their defense is starting to wear down and there's no game, save for Murray State, where they won't be double-digit underdogs. And it won't be much better next year unless they go into the portal.
Former A&M coach Mark Stoops (joking) may be in very serious trouble by this time next year, if not before.
Mississippi State (1-7, 0-5)
Starter/backup
Van Buren: 83-145 (57.2%), 1,101 yards, 8 TD, 4 INT
Farther down the depth chart
2025 commit(s)
Even though Blake Shapen (74-108, 974 yards, 8 TD, 1 iNT) could apply for a medical redshirt and a fifth season, it's hard to imagine Jeff Lebby would go away from Van Buren, who has shown a lot of talent and guts in his true freshman season. If they keep Parson and sign Taylor, the Bulldogs will be in good shape at quarterback for several years to come.
