Predicting Best Quarterback Competitions in College Football for 2023 Season
Predicting Best Quarterback Competitions in College Football for 2023 Season
Preseason camp is either starting or has already begun for the majority of college football programs.
Every program has competition for starting places, but the quarterback position is always the most coveted. Some teams have already designated replacements for stars who have left for the NFL, while others have apparent incumbents despite the fact that the head coach has not expressly declared a starter.
In some camps, however, the competition for the starting quarterback position is fierce. Here’s a look at some of the quarterback competitions we’re keeping an eye on around the country.
Tyler Buchner vs. Jalen Milroe vs. Ty Simpson, Alabama
Tyler Buchner: Buchner entered the competition to replace Bryce Young in Tuscaloosa late. Buchner began the season as Notre Dame’s starter, but he was out for the majority of the season due to injury. After spring practice, he transferred to Alabama and rejoined Tommy Rees.
Rees was Buchner’s offensive coordinator at Notre Dame, and he was instrumental in recruiting Buchner to South Bend.
It should also be mentioned that Rees was still on the Notre Dame staff when the Fighting Irish pursued and landed Sam Hartman through the transfer portal. What does this tell us about Buchner?
Jalen Milroe: Last autumn, Milroe was Young’s backup and saw considerable playing time against Arkansas and Texas A&M after Young suffered a shoulder injury.
Milroe showed promise in those games, but he struggled with ball security, committing three turnovers in his lone start against A&M.
Milroe is an explosive runner, as proven by his 77-yard run against Arkansas. However, he is still developing as a passer and overall decision-maker.
Ty Simpson: A top-40 talent in the 2022 class, Simpson is in his second year at Alabama. As a rookie, he saw limited action but finished third on the depth chart behind Young and Milroe.
He brings a different skill set to the table than Milroe, but has struggled to break away from the pack this summer.
Buchner is the favorite. This is all speculative, but I believe it might make sense to see three quarterbacks in Alabama’s Week 1 game against Middle Tennessee.
With Rees putting his own spin on the system, Buchner may get the start, but Milroe has a role to play as well.
Based on the personnel strengths and how Rees has called games at Notre Dame, it would make sense for the Tide to rely on the rushing game, with the quarterbacks playing a role. When Buchner was at Notre Dame, he had a number of designed runs. In the end, Nick Saban will probably go with the player who avoids making mistakes.
Trenton Bourguet vs. Drew Pyne vs. Jaden Rashada at Arizona State
Trenton Bourguet: A former walk-on, Bourguet has been with the ASU program since 2019 and has risen through the ranks. As things were falling apart at ASU last fall, Bourguet got his chance to play and showed some promise.
Bourguet threw for 1,490 yards, 11 touchdowns, and six interceptions in seven games with five starts, completing 71.1% of his attempts. He won’t blow you away with his physical tools, but he knows where to put the ball.
Drew Pyne:
After Buchner was injured last year, Pyne started 10 games for Notre Dame. His numbers were decent, but he had many of lackluster performances.
Pyne endured a string of inconsistent outings in which he struggled with accuracy and decision-making. Despite this, he had the most playing time on the team and was promptly brought to Tempe by new ASU coach Kenny Dillingham.
Rashada is best known for his difficult recruitment, in which he backed out of his pledge to Florida due to an apparent NIL transaction gone wrong. Rashada signed with ASU after being released from his national letter of intent with UF.
He took part in spring practice and has the potential to be ASU’s quarterback of the future. A redshirt appears to be a possibility.
Bourguet is the favorite. The Sun Devils require a consistent veteran presence as Dillingham attempts to make his mark on the program in Year 1.
Although ASU boasts a strong core of skill position players, the offensive line may struggle. Bourguet is able to make quick, straightforward selections while also protecting the ball. This will allow ASU to win some games.
Robby Ashford vs. Payton Thorne at Auburn
Robby Ashford: As Hugh Freeze takes over at Auburn, Ashford is the main holdover from the Bryan Harsin era.
As the Tigers’ starter for the most of the 2022 season, Ashford rushed for 709 yards and seven touchdowns, but he failed as a thrower. Ashford completed only 49.2% of his throws, and Freeze spent the winter looking for QB help through the portal.
Payton Thorne: Thorne arrived at Auburn as a post-spring gateway admission. Thorne was the starting quarterback at Michigan State in 2021 and 2022, so he has a lot of experience.
His play was inconsistent, and he threw too many interceptions at times. Thorne has thrown for 6,493 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 24 interceptions in his career.
Thorne is the pick. Thorne is simply a better passer than Ashford. Granted, Ashford didn’t have many weapons to work with last year, but Freeze’s extensive search for QB help in the offseason demonstrates that he was hoping for an upgrade.
Thorne may not dazzle anyone, but Freeze and offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery know how to open up receivers. There will be some growing pains as he learns a new scheme in a short period of time, but Thorne will most likely be the Tigers’ best option.
Carson Beck vs. Gunner Stockton vs. Brock Vandagriff in Georgia
Carson Beck: Beck served as Stetson Bennett’s backup last season and spent the spring working with the first-team offense, including the spring game.
Kirby Smart has yet to officially declare a starter, but he has made it plain that Beck has the upper hand as the Bulldogs prepare for preseason camp. Last season, Beck appeared in seven games and completed 26-of-35 passes for 310 yards and four touchdowns.
Gunner Stockton: In the 2022 class, Stockton was a four-star recruit. He redshirted last season and is expected to be Georgia’s third-string quarterback in his sophomore season.
Brock Vandagriff: Vandagriff was a five-star recruit in the 2021 class. He was originally committed to Oklahoma but chose to go with his home state program.
Last season, Vandagriff was the third-stringer behind Bennett and Beck and is anticipated to be Beck’s backup. During fall camp, he’ll have the opportunity to make a move.
Beck is my pick. Because Georgia’s roster is so good, a major focus will be placed on overall offense command and simply delivering the ball to play-makers. Beck, who is in his fourth season with the Bulldogs, is familiar with the scheme.
Smart will trust him to run the offense as UGA attempts to win a third consecutive national championship, as long as he makes the necessary plays in high-pressure circumstances, particularly in the red zone and on third downs.
Brady Cook vs. Jake Garcia vs. Sam Horn in Missouri
Brady Cook: In 2022, Cook became Missouri’s starter for the third time. His performance was erratic due to a shoulder ailment that kept him out for the bulk of the season.
During the season, he passed for 2,739 yards, 14 touchdowns, and seven interceptions, and Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz began to use Cook’s rushing abilities down the stretch. He rushed for 585 yards and seven touchdowns on the season, including 100-yard outings against Tennessee and Arkansas.
Jake Garcia:
Garcia spent his first two seasons at Miami after being a top 50 recruit in the class of 2021. Garcia redshirted his first season with the Hurricanes before appearing in eight games last season as Miami’s offense struggled to find a rhythm. Garcia completed 59.6% of his passes for 803 yards, five touchdowns, and four interceptions this season.
Sam Horn: A top 100 recruit in 2022, Horn redshirted his first season at Missouri while also playing baseball for the Tigers. He’s been in Drinkwitz’s system for a year and will be given a serious shot at the job alongside Garcia.
Cook is my prediction. Cook missed all of spring practice due to offseason shoulder surgery, but he has the most experience of this bunch and should have an advantage over the competition.
Missouri boasts an underappreciated group of skill players, and a healthy Cook has the potential to make the offense more dynamic now that his running ability has been unlocked. Missouri has the potential to be a sneaky excellent SEC club in 2023.
Kyle McCord vs. Devin Brown at Ohio State
Kyle McCord: McCord, who is in his third year at Ohio State, was C.J. The last two seasons, Stroud was his primary backup. He has played in 12 games for Ohio State and made his debut against Akron in 2021.
McCord has completed 41-of-58 passes for 606 yards, three touchdowns, and two interceptions in his career. Notably, he played high school football with standout receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
Devin Brown: A year behind McCord in class, Brown entered last season as a top 40 prospect who had been verbally committed to USC for almost a year. Brown was OSU’s third-stringer as a true freshman and is regarded as a better runner than McCord.
McCord is my pick. While he isn’t as mobile as other Ohio State quarterbacks, he has plenty of experience in Ryan Day’s scheme. It’s also worth mentioning that the Ohio State coaching staff did not pursue any of the top quarterbacks available through the transfer portal.
Day and company see what they have in McCord and are prepared for him to take over, much like Stroud did after Justin Fields left for the NFL.
Jaxson Dart vs. Spencer Sanders vs. Walker Howard at Ole Miss
Jaxson Dart: Dart started three games as a freshman at USC in 2021 before transferring to Ole Miss. He earned the starting job during training camp last autumn and had an up-and-down first season in the SEC.
Lane Kiffin relied largely on the ground game, but Dart passed for 2,974 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. He also ran for 614 yards and a touchdown.
Spencer Sanders: Sanders started four seasons at Oklahoma State and will play his final season in the SEC.
During his Cowboys career, Sanders passed for 9,553 yards, 67 touchdowns, and 40 interceptions. At OSU, he also carried for 1,956 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Sanders was hampered by injuries during the 2022 season, and he finished with a career-low completion percentage of 57.6.
Walker Howard was a five-star prospect who redshirted his first season at LSU. He chose to transfer and stay in the SEC West by playing for Kiffin at Ole Miss. Kiffin has not ruled Howard out of contention for the starting job, but he is seen as Ole Miss’ quarterback of the future.
Dart is my prediction. Dart struggled in his first year at Ole Miss, but he stated this spring that he feels much more at ease and that his game has improved. That bodes well for his chances to keep the job alongside Sanders as a seasoned backup.
According to media reports from spring practice, Dart was ahead of Sanders in the pecking order. Sanders was still recovering from a shoulder injury sustained last season, so perhaps he’ll approach preseason practice in a better shape to compete.
Ben Gulbranson: Gulbranson began the 2022 season as Oregon State’s backup behind Chance Nolan, but when Nolan was injured, Gulbranson was catapulted into the starting lineup. Gulbranson was not asked to do much because the Beavers were a powerful running team.
He only tried more than 25 passes in a game and only twice passed for more than 200 yards, but he was mainly competent guiding the offense. He passed for 1,455 yards, nine touchdowns, and five interceptions.
DJ Uiagalelei:
As the No. 3 overall recruit in the 2020 class, Uiagalelei was expected to be Trevor Lawrence’s heir apparent at Clemson.
He appeared to be a five-star prospect for a moment, especially in his first career start at Notre Dame. But in his two seasons as the Tigers’ full-time starter, he was just OK while the offense struggled. Uiagalelei was eventually fired by Cade Klubnik and decided to transfer.
Aidan Chiles was a four-star 2023 recruit who arrived at Oregon State early to participate in spring practice. Chiles has made a strong impression behind the scenes and is regarded as Oregon State’s quarterback of the future.
Uiagalelei is the prediction. When Gulbranson was on the field, Oregon State had very little upside.
The Beavers have a strong running game but struggle to throw. Uiagalelei struggled at Clemson, but he possesses the skills to help the offense. It remains to be seen whether Uiagalelei will be the boost Oregon State requires to challenge for a Pac-12 crown, but he should be given a chance.
Conner Weigman vs. Max Johnson, Texas A&M
Max Johnson: Johnson received substantial playing time at LSU, starting twice as a freshman in 2020 and then 12 games in 2021 before transferring to Texas A&M, where he started three games before missing the rest of the season with an injury.
Conner Weigman: A top 40 recruit in the 2022 class, Weigman ended up taking over the starting spot for the Aggies late last season.
He struggled as a freshman, but he also showed flashes of brilliance, notably a four-touchdown effort against Ole Miss and a few great throws in the win over LSU.
Weigman is my prediction. Johnson has the advantage in experience, but he’ll have a difficult time unseating Weigman after his excellent finish to his freshman season. After a disappointing season last fall, this is a crucial season for A&M.
Weigman has the most promise, and he’ll have a strong receiving corps to work with. And if Weigman doesn’t pan out, Johnson is one of the best backups in the league.
Ethan Garbers vs. Dante Moore vs. Collin Schlee at UCLA
Ethan Garbers: After starting his career at Washington, Garbers transferred to UCLA and was Dorian Thompson-Robinson’s best backup in 2021 and 2022.
In his third season in Chip Kelly’s offense, he hopes to take over as the starter. Over the last two seasons, Garbers has thrown for 599 yards, four touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Dante Moore: A former Oregon commit, Moore signed with UCLA and enrolled early. Moore finished as the No. 4 overall recruit in the 2023 class at Rivals, which was a significant recruiting triumph for Kelly and the Bruins.
He has the ability to see the field as a freshman, and his experience in spring practice should aid in his learning of the UCLA offense.
Collin Schlee joins UCLA following four seasons at Kent State. He spent much of his career with the Golden Flashes as a backup before becoming the starter in 2022. He had a productive season, throwing for 2,109 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushing for 492 yards and four more.
Garbers is my pick. Garbers’ experience and familiarity with the coaching staff and offense offer him an advantage in the short run. Moore should be able to get some live reps before the Pac-12 season begins thanks to the Bruins’ early non-conference schedule.
UCLA’s first conference game comes against Utah, which would be a very difficult setting for a rookie, therefore it may be better for UCLA to let the veteran run the offense before handing over to Moore.
