ESPN College Football

Typically, every preseason features a handful of quarterback competitions, even if we sort of feel like we know who will ultimately emerge.

Last fall, there was uncertainty at Arizona State, Colorado and Oregon.

At the end of the 2010 season, it looked like there would be plenty of ongoing quarterback intrigue. Arizona State was expected to feature another showdown with Steven Threet and Brock Osweiler. California was completely wide open with the departure of Kevin Riley. There was a new coach at Colorado, Jon Embree, who said every job was open. UCLA clearly had no clear No. 1. Washington had to replace Jake Locker.

But most of the mysteries were solved by the end of spring practices.

Threet was forced to retire because of multiple concussions, thereby handing the job to Osweiler. Cal coach Jeff Tedford surprised a few folks when he announced Zach Maynard had eclipsed Allan Bridgford and Brock Mansion. It was clear throughout spring drills that Tyler Hansen was the Buffaloes' best option. And Steve Sarkisian tapped Keith Price over Nick Montana before the spring game.

If you're looking for a potential source for making quarterback decisions before preseason camp, consider former USC coach Pete Carroll. He believed in "anointing" a starter after spring practices because he believed it helped them become leaders over the summer -- see Matt Leinart, John David Booty and Mark Sanchez. Notably, Sarkisian chatted with Carroll before tapping Price.

While coaches will still talk about competition, and it wouldn't be wise for any of these guys to take their job for granted, the only team with remaining uncertainty behind center is UCLA, and even then most would project a healthy Kevin Prince -- the incumbent starter who suffered a season-ending knee injury that also knocked him out of spring practice -- is the likely choice.

Still, let's look at where the Bruins' competition stands.

The candidates:

Kevin Prince: While Prince's passing numbers were horrid in his five 2010 games before getting hurt, he showed in 2009 that he can be a capable passer. And last fall, he showed he could do a pretty good job running a pistol offense. But Prince had suffered myriad injuries even before he hurt his knee last fall, and while he enters the preseason reportedly at 100 percent, keeping him healthy is the critical element for him to become a reliable starter. Recall that the Bruins' ragged start on offense in 2010 could be attributed to Prince not practicing until the week before the season opener -- an embarrassing loss to a Kansas State team the Bruins pushed around the previous season. So it's fair to expect less running -- or at least more running out of bounds -- for Prince. He will be given every opportunity to win the job.

Richard Brehaut: There's no other way to say it: While Brehaut didn't play terribly well after replacing Prince, his passing numbers were better than what Prince did in 2010. That fact has engendered some not unreasonable sentiments that coach Rick Neuheisel has some sort of issue with Brehaut, a summary of which is provided here by Adam Maya (by the way, former offensive coordinator Norm Chow doggedly believed Prince was a better option than Brehaut). While Neuheisel said it was "nothing personal," it is fairly clear that Neuheisel questions Brehaut's complete commitment, which is reflected in Brehaut's apparently incomplete absorption of the offense. Further, knowing Neuheisel and how he works with quarterbacks, I can tell you that those little tirades he seems to have with his quarterbacks after a bad play mostly amounts to Neuheisel asking the quarterback to explain what he was thinking. And if the player doesn't have an answer, it drives Neuheisel crazy. A bad explanation -- "I didn't see the safety cheating over" -- is way, way better than "I don't know."

Brett Hundley: Hundley is the hotshot incoming freshman -- one of the nation's top dual-threat prep quarterbacks during the 2010-11 recruiting season -- whom many fans have been making googly-eyes at. But it ain't easy going from high school quarterback to college quarterback, and it was clear during spring practices that Hundley had a ways to go (though he also had some "wow" moments, too). Hundley was a bit of a long shot in any event, but after he had surgery to repair a torn meniscus and will be out most of camp, his chances of redshirting are now higher than of him winning the starting job. Still, if he comes back strong, he could earn playing time. And if the situation gets desperate, Neuheisel, under pressure to win now, might roll the dice with a true freshman.

Nick Crissman and Darius Bell: These are the two long shots. Crissman's career has been riddled by shoulder injuries, but he had a fairly good spring and he's got some skills. Bell, a JC transfer, is a far better runner than passer. Many Bruins fans probably recall his regrettable debut in relief of Brehaut during a loss at Washington: 0-for-3 with an interception and a tongue-lashing from Neuheisel.

Today is all about the QBs here at ESPN.com, and here's a look at each of the quarterback races in the Big 12.

IOWA STATE

The safe bet: Jerome Tiller. Tiller, a junior, has filled in for Austen Arnaud much of the past two seasons, but struggled late last season after Arnaud suffered a season-ending knee injury. Tiller quarterbacked a win at Nebraska in 2009, but didn't look much improved in the game time he earned in 2010.

The wild card: Steele Jantz. Jantz is a speedy transfer from junior college in California who also arrived at Iowa State with his top receiver from the City College of San Francisco, Aaron Horne. Jantz will have to keep learning the offense, but can he inject life into the offense with his legs like Taylor Martinez did for Nebraska? Iowa State's version of The Decision is set for Aug. 20. Who will be taking their talents under center at Jack Trice Stadium? Give me the underdog in this race.

The dark horse: Jared Barnett. James Capello, a fourth contender, transferred, but Paul Rhoads says Barnett still has a chance. Can he make enough noise in fall camp to make that a reality?

KANSAS

The heavy favorite: Jordan Webb. Webb started seven games as a redshirt freshman in 2010, and appeared to take control during the summer, but he struggled last season. He should learn from experience, too. Last year's opening-day starter, Kale Pick, is now a receiver. Webb will almost certainly get the call for the season opener, but if he doesn't improve, that could change fast.

The underdog: Quinn Mecham. Mecham started four of the final five games for the Jayhawks, but the senior and junior college transfer might not be the best long-term option for Kansas. Webb learning on the go could pay off in the future, while any lessons Mecham learns will be out the door after the season. Mecham as the backup might be a better role for the team's greater good.

The wild cards: Brock Berglund and Michael Cummings, a pair of true freshmen. Cummings enters with a bit less talent but much less baggage. Berglund was a blue-chip recruit from Colorado, but legal issues stemming from an April assault charge have him spending much more time back home than anticipated. Berglund also missed summer voluntary workouts because of the charge and went back to Colorado before spring practice began, despite enrolling at Kansas in January, a semester earlier than the rest of the freshman class. Expect a redshirt for one of the two, but the two quarterbacks in front of them haven't exactly set the bar high. If the favorites struggle, don't be surprised to see Cummings or Berglund get a chance.

KANSAS STATE

The heavy favorite: Collin Klein. Coach Bill Snyder has already given Klein the status as Day 1 starter, but the Wildcats have played two quarterbacks before under Snyder, and Klein's backups could benefit from a similar strategy this season. The only rumors surrounding Klein are those of vast development during the summer, but he'll have to prove it during fall camp and early in the season to get a stranglehold on the job.

The hype man: Justin Tuggle. Tuggle replaced Cam Newton at Blinn Junior College and transferred to Kansas State before spring practice after originally playing for Boston College out of high school. Tuggle sounded like a strong contender entering spring practice, but didn't make it happen. We'll see if his status changes during fall camp.

The backup plan: Sammuel Lamur. Lamur was the No. 3 quarterback last season, and took over the No. 2 spot on the depth chart ahead of Tuggle during the spring. We haven't seen much of Lamur during his career, but this might be the year.

TEXAS

The favorite: Garrett Gilbert. Gilbert, despite his struggles in 2010, never got pulled and started all 12 games for the Longhorns. He looked unimpressive in the spring game, but indications from his teammates are that he's embodied the leadership aspect of the job, something coach Mack Brown covets. That might earn Gilbert the job, but if he doesn't look like a vastly different player this season, he'll lose it.

The wild card: Case McCoy. McCoy, the younger brother of that other McCoy kid you might have heard of, has taken on a bit of a fan-favorite role after his performance in the spring game, when he outplayed Gilbert. Despite his good numbers in the spring game, however, he looked uncomfortable and must make up for his lack of experience to oust Gilbert for the reins of the offense.

The mystery man: Connor Wood. Wood is a former high school All-American, but redshirted in 2010 and played sparingly in the spring game. Outside of a few snaps in spring, no one outside the locker room has had much of a chance to see Wood play, but if he starts making noise during fall camp, you'll hear it.

The young gun: David Ash. Coaches lauding true freshman quarterbacks in the spring is rare, but Ash arrived in Austin early and got a lot of compliments from the new Longhorns coaches. He's the long shot in this race, and Brown apologized to him for not getting him enough snaps in the spring game, but the coaches indicate he's still alive in the race.

With the regular season just around the corner, we're taking a look at the top quarterback battles in the SEC.

We visited this topic back in May, but now that summer workouts are over with and we've been able to speak with a few more people on the subject, we'll tackle it once again just before the season starts.

From the two youngsters in Tuscaloosa, to the three-headed monster at Ole Miss, there is a lot of competition under center in a league that thrives on abusing quarterbacks.

Not only is there a lot of competition, but there is a lot of youth involved as well:

1. Alabama: A.J. McCarron versus Phillip Sims -- This one features two underclassmen who are looking to guide one of the best teams in America. Alabama isn't just playing for the SEC championship; the Tide want to add another national championship trophy to their lavish collection. To do that, Alabama will have to figure out who will take over under center. Both McCarron, who mostly appeared in mop-up duty last season, and Sims, a redshirt freshman, left spring even. Nothing has happened to change that, with both getting equal reps in practice. Both have impressed their coaches and teammates with their playing ability and leadership. Players continue to say they'd be pleased with either taking the job and coach Nick Saban said he won't hesitate to play both during the season.

2. Auburn: Barrett Trotter versus Clint Moseley versus Kiehl Frazier -- The defending national champs must replace Cam Newton and his record-setting, Heisman-winning season. Trotter, a junior, is the most experienced, but has attempted just nine career passes -- nine more than Moseley (sophomore) and Frazier (freshman) combined. Trotter and Moseley competed against each other this spring, both struggling at times and leaving the spring game relatively even. They welcomed Frazier -- and his high school hype -- to the mix this summer. Some feel Trotter has the edge, but Moseley is bigger and more athletic, while Frazier, a true dual-threat, has already had the Newton comparisons draped over him.

3. Ole Miss: Barry Brunetti versus Randall Mackey versus Zack Stoudt -- The Rebels received great news when athletic West Virginia transfer Brunetti was granted immediate eligibility to play this fall by the NCAA. He’s the only quarterback on the roster with Division I experience, though it’s very limited, and coach Houston Nutt has said multiple times that if he had to play a game immediately, Brunetti would start. However, even before senior Nathan Stanley left this spring, Mackey, a junior college All-American who redshirted last season, had the edge at the position. Mackey isn’t just a gifted athlete, he’s gained a ton of respect from his teammates with his leadership skills. Stoudt doesn't move around much, but he might have the best combination of arm strength and accuracy. Brunetti might have the edge, but this battle is far from over.

4. LSU: Jordan Jefferson versus Zach Mettenberger versus Jarrett Lee -- Steve Kragthorpe tweaked just about every aspect of Jefferson's game this spring, enhancing Jefferson’s ability and boosting his confidence. Kragthorpe was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and has stepped down as offensive coordinator, but will stay on as quarterbacks coach, which should benefit Jefferson greatly. He'll need that continued tutelage because juco transfer Mettenberger has been very impressive and possesses a wealth of potential. If Jefferson falters, Mettenberger will get his shot. Also, Lee showed up to preseason camp in considerably better shape and is down to a little more than 200 pounds. Coach Les Miles insists that with Lee's experience, he can't be counted out of the battle.

5. Vanderbilt: Larry Smith versus Jordan Rodgers versus Josh Grady versus Lafonte Thourogood -- Smith is getting a chance to transform his image with Vanderbilt’s new coaching staff. Under the direction of quarterbacks coach Ricky Rahne, Smith has renewed confidence and says he’s made vast on-field improvements. Head coach James Franklin has complete confidence in Smith, but the senior will have to fend off Rodgers, a junior who missed spring recovering from shoulder surgery. Aaron Rodgers’ little brother is someone Vandy’s staff is especially excited about. Freshmen Grady and Thourogood will also be competing for the starting spot.

For nearly half the teams in the Big Ten, one of the biggest questions looming over fall practice is the quarterback situation. Several schools have legitimate and seemingly wide-open battles for the most important position on the field. Here's a look at the battles to watch leading up to the opening kickoff:

Indiana: Sophomores Dusty Kiel and Edward Wright-Baker will try to impress new coach Kevin Wilson, whose specialty is developing top-flight signal callers. Wilson -- who didn't name Sam Bradford his starter at Oklahoma until 10 days before the first game -- has said he expects the battle to continue on well into camp. One question: With Kiel's younger brother -- top quarterback prospect Gunner Kiel -- now committed to the Hoosiers, will Wilson feel obligated to play Dusty so that commitment holds? Kiel is favored to win the job anyway.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes knew they were going to have to replace Terrelle Pryor for the first five games. Then Pryor quit the team, making the quarterback battle even more important this fall camp. Four players -- senior Joe Bauserman, sophomore Kenny Guiton, redshirt freshman Taylor Graham and true freshman Braxton Miller -- all saw reps this spring. The battle appears to be between Bauserman, Pryor's former backup and a 25-year-old former minor league baseball player, and the electric Miller. The youngster will likely have to show much maturity and improvement this month to keep Ohio State from going with the safer veteran to start the year.

Penn State: No subject has dominated the conversation around the Nittany Lions quite like the quarterback situation. Rob Bolden started the 2010 season as a freshman, but former walk-on Matt McGloin ended the season after Bolden was hurt and ineffective. McGloin then threw five interceptions in the Outback Bowl, and Bolden openly pondered leaving the team after spring, only heightening the drama. Bolden is more gifted athletically but needs to mature. Will he even stick around if McGloin wins the job in fall camp? And is McGloin good enough to lead Penn State back to the top of the Big Ten?

Purdue: Head coach Danny Hope had planned to use Rob Henry as a change of pace to starter Robert Marve last season, but Marve got hurt early on and Henry was thrust into the full-time starter's role. Henry led the team in rushing but had only eight touchdowns vs. seven interceptions while completing just 53.1 percent of his throws. He's more of a runner while Marve, the former Miami transfer, is more of a pocket passer. Hope said at Big Ten media days that he still would like to find a way to use both quarterbacks at times.

Wisconsin: This might be a quarterback battle in name only, but coach Bret Bielema insists that nothing has been promised to NC State transfer Russell Wilson. Still, it's hard to believe that Wilson will sit on the bench after starring in the ACC for three seasons. Sophomore Jon Budmayr had won the starting job out of the spring and will be given every chance this fall to compete with Wilson. Given his lack of game experience, Budmayr is starting the race from behind. But at least he knows the system and his teammates far better than Wilson will this August.

There are three programs in the ACC facing uncertainty at the quarterback position, and this month the competition will determine who the starter is at Virginia, Miami and Georgia Tech. Of the three, Georgia Tech quarterback Tevin Washington has the most job security and currently sits atop the depth chart.

None of them, though, should feel comfortable.

Here’s a look at the top three quarterback battles in the ACC:

1. VIRGINIA

The candidates:

• Ross Metheny: He played in five games last year and completed 13 of 17 passes for three touchdowns, one interception and 171 yards. He had a career-best day against Florida State when he completed 7 of 9 passes for 68 yards and a touchdown and he was 2-for-2 for 50 yards and a touchdown against Virginia Tech.
• Michael Rocco: He played in six games as a true freshman last year and was the first option off the bench in four games. He has completed 13 of 25 pass attempts for one touchdown, two interceptions and 143 yards.
• Michael Strauss: He enrolled in January 2010 and redshirted last year.
• David Watford: The true freshman enrolled in January and was inconsistent this spring. He was rated the No. 58 quarterback in the nation by ESPN.com.

The skinny: None of them emerged as a true leader this past spring. Coach Mike London said the first few weeks of summer practice will be spent watching their fundamentals, their drops, their throws and reactions to the defense. London said he would like to determine who’s No. 1 and No. 2 by game week.

The quote: “We’ll be able to tell early on where these guys are and how far they’ve moved ahead, stayed the same or taken a step backwards,” London said. “… They touch the ball 100 percent of the time. You want to make sure there’s enough evaluation to assess where they are. I would say about midway through practices as we’re still going good-on-good we’ll make some type of determination on that.”

2. MIAMI

The candidates:

• Jacory Harris: Despite a concussion that sidelined him for three games, Harris finished last season with 6,340 career passing yards, the third most in program history. His 14 passing touchdowns gave him 50 for his career, the second most of any Miami quarterback. Yet despite his cemented place among the program’s career leaders, Harris’ 32 interceptions over the past two seasons are reason for concern.
• Stephen Morris: He enrolled in January 2010 and grew up quickly last season when he played in six games, including starts in the final four regular-season games. He threw for 1,240 yards on 82-of-153 passing and had a team-high 125.01 quarterback efficiency rating. His 206.7 yards per game average was the highest on the team.

The skinny: Last year’s disappointing season can be attributed in large part to the unraveling of the quarterback position. Harris had been plagued by poor decision-making all season, and then took a major step back when he was injured. Morris played admirably considering the circumstances, but as expected made some rookie mistakes. The competition between them began in the preparation leading up to the bowl game last year and will continue until one of them separates himself. Will first-year coach Al Golden go with Harris, the veteran, or Morris, who has shown promise despite having to learn two offensive systems in as many seasons?

The quote: Golden said he wouldn’t completely rule out the idea of a two-quarterback system, but “it’s something I haven’t been comfortable with.” Golden said Harris’ experience isn’t necessarily an edge over Morris. “Either one could very easily lead our team right now.”

3. GEORGIA TECH

The candidates:

• Tevin Washington: He started the final four games of the season after replacing injured starter Joshua Nesbitt in the Virginia Tech game. He rushed for 514 yards and is the team’s second-leading returning rusher. He completed 25 of 61 pass attempts for 417 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He was voted by his teammates as “most likely to surprise” in 2011.
• Synjyn Days: He rushed for more than 100 yards and accounted for two touchdowns in the spring game. He redshirted last year and played an option-type offense at Hillgrove High School in Georgia.
• Vad Lee: He’s a true freshman from Durham, N.C., who led Hillside High to the state championship. He rushed for 1,300 yards and passed for 3,223 last year. He rushed for five touchdowns in one game with Paul Johnson watching in the stands.
• Demond Smith: A true freshman from Monroe, Ga., Smith led his high school team to an 11-2 record and state playoff appearance. He rushed for a school-record 1,795 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior.

The skinny: Washington has earned his place atop the depth chart entering the fall. It’s his job to lose, it’s that simple, but coach Paul Johnson has made it very clear that there will be competition this summer. Washington is 1-3 as a starter, but the Jackets’ offensive woes weren’t entirely his fault last year. The season changed with Nesbitt’s injury. Washington was the most consistent performer this past spring, but he really struggled during the spring game and was outperformed by Days.

The quote: “We’re going to play the guy who gives us the best chance to win. Sometimes winning the game is not losing it, being able to manage and do those kinds of things.” -- Johnson.

The Big East is a league filled with veteran quarterbacks in 2011. There are just two quarterback battles to watch:

UConn. If you are unaware of the situation facing the Huskies, then you took a nice, long nap all spring and summer. Zach Frazer is gone, and four players are competing for the starting job: freshman Michael Nebrich, sophomore Michael Box, redshirt freshman Scott McCummings and junior Johnny McEntee. Nobody separated following a wet and dreary spring game, so coach Paul Pasqualoni is still waiting on someone to step up -- the sooner, the better.

Box is the only player among them who has thrown a collegiate pass. McCummings is a dual-threat quarterback who passed for more than 2,000 yards and ran for 1,000 yards in high school. Nebrich enrolled early and participated in spring practice. Another dual-threat player, Nebrich broke the Virginia state high school record for all-purpose yards with 4,968 and also scored 59 touchdowns in his senior season. McEntee is best known for his trick-shot videos on YouTube. Pasqualoni has not said who has an edge. The depth chart lists no starter. So now we just play a waiting game.

Louisville. Will Stein goes into the season as the starter, but the Cardinals also want to play true freshman Teddy Bridgewater, a five-star dual-threat quarterback who was in for spring. They are not so much battling for the starting job on opening day, but if Bridgewater is able to play well in games, perhaps he can contend to eventually be the starter. "Will’s going to start off and Teddy’s going to get a chance to play. He’s just got to develop. He’s still learning -- he’s only a freshman. He hasn’t seen much. The only thing he’s really seen is practice," coach Charlie Strong said.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Here's a snippet of some actual conversation that took place between Notre Dame quarterbacks Dayne Crist and Tommy Rees this summer:

Rees: "I hate you."

Crist: "I'm going to turn off your alarm clock so you miss practice."

Quarterback controversy alert! No, wait, relax. While the two guys competing for the starting job trade these kinds of barbs often, it's all done sarcastically. Joking around, they say, helps diffuse any potential tension.

"We keep it light," Rees said. "We understand we're competing, but we don't make it personal at all."

"It's more so it's not awkward around the other guys on the team," Crist said. "Unfortunately, there are probably some guys who feed into what they're seeing and reading. And that's not how Tommy and I are. We try to be funny to break up the monotony of all the outside stuff."

Monotony is a good way to describe this particular topic. Who's No. 1 is a question that began late last season, when Rees improbably led the team on a 4-0 finish as a true freshman while Crist was off rehabbing yet another torn-up knee. The debate went into the spring, when each quarterback remained neck and neck, and we won't know whom Brian Kelly will name the starter until after the first 19 practices of August.

If anything has changed in that time, it was the emergence of Andrew Hendrix and Everett Golson as contenders. Each produced his own "wow" moments in the spring game, and technically both are involved with what's being called a four-man race. But everyone who follows the program closely believes it would take wildly underwhelming performances or injuries to prompt Kelly to go with a rookie quarterback instead of Rees or Crist. Hendrix and Golson are most likely competing for the role of special-package, dual-threat quarterback, which means this is more like a double-competition than a wide-open derby.

Still, the snaps are being divided fairly evenly early on in practice. And every quarterback competition has the potential to divide a team.

Kelly's most amazing feat during three years of magic at his last stop, Cincinnati, was his ability to juggle quarterbacks through injuries and not miss a beat. Now he's got a different challenge: trying to keep four quarterbacks happy.

"Those are always the concerns that you have when you have four guys that are very competitive and they believe they can play," Kelly said. "I believe they all can play, as well.

"Do you know that it's 1-A and 1-B? Or do you have a changeup quarterback who can go in there and maybe change the pace of the game? I think you have to look at all those things. I don't have a great answer for your question other than you've got four guys vying for one position, and it's very difficult. But you got to try to utilize the strengths that all those guys have in some fashion."

If Vegas set a line on the Irish QB quandary, Crist would be the even-money favorite. He's the oldest and most experienced, after all, and he started the first nine games of 2010 before his second straight season-ending knee injury. He says he's healthy and that his footwork is "night and day" improved from this spring. Now Crist has to go about improving his 59.2 completion percentage.

"I have to show a level of consistency that forces the coaches to play," he said. "I don't want it to have to come down to, 'Ah, well.' I want to make it cut and dry that either I'm the guy for the job or not."

All Rees has ever done as a starter is beat Utah, Army, USC and Miami. He's an unflappable coach's kid who makes good decisions. Still, you could argue Notre Dame won those games down the stretch last year based more on its defense, and Rees is the least athletic of the three quarterbacks. He worked to improve his body this offseason, adding 10-12 pounds and focusing on getting quicker.

"I don't look at what Dayne, Andrew and Everett are doing," Rees said. "You can't look at other people; you've got to focus on yourself and how you're doing."

For more than eight months, everybody has been watching the Notre Dame quarterbacks, wondering what will happen. Maybe the only two people not stressing too much about it are the top two candidates for the job. But just in case, they both might want to double-check their alarm clocks this month.