UA’s Wilson leads pack of SEC quarterbacks on rise

University of Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson runs drills during practice Tuesday afternoon at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

University of Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson runs drills during practice Tuesday afternoon at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville.

Thursday, July 12, 2012

— The SEC’s quarterbacks are poised to strike a higher profile this fall after a down year in 2011.

Alabama’s national championship quarterback AJ McCarron, Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson and rising stars such as Georgia’s Aaron Murray, South Carolina’s Connor Shawand Missouri’s James Franklin headline the list of noteworthy signal callers in the nation’s kingpin conference.

Entering last season, with a quarterback vacuum taking Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton of Auburn, Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett and Alabama’s Greg McElroy out of the league,the representatives at SEC media days chose Murray as their preseason first-team All-SEC quarterback.

Wilson ended up passing for 3,638 yards and 24 touchdowns to earn first-team status in the postseason, the first time a Razorback had claimed that honor. His average of 279.8 passing yards per game beat out Murray’s average (224.9) by nearly 55 yards per game to lead the SEC.

Now Wilson, a Greenwood native, is considered among the upper tier of Heisman Trophy contenders going into this season, while the others could push their way into that realm by combining big statistics with team success.

The following is a look at how the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ranks league’s quarterback corps heading into the season:

1. Arkansas

RETURNING STARTER Tyler Wilson DEPTH CHART Brandon Allen, 6-3, 212, might be poised for the No. 2 slot ahead of Brandon Mitchell, 6-4, 230, after a redshirt season ANALYSIS Wilson, 6-3, 220, who has forged a tight bond with offensive coordinator Paul Petrino, is expected to exhibit better mechanics, stronger decision-making skills and produce a better completion percentage than his .632 from last season. A comparable season to 2011, with craftier decision-making, could land Wilson a nice finish in the Heisman voting and a first-round draft grade for the NFL. Mitchell has been taking reps at receiver this summer, giving the versatile athlete another option for hitting the field.

2. Georgia

RETURNING STARTER Aaron Murray DEPTH CHART Junior Hutson Mason leads redshirt freshman Christian Le-May and true freshman Faton Bauta as the top option behind Murray.

ANALYSIS The Bulldogs would like to redshirt Mason, 6-3, 196, to create separation from the junior Murray, 6-1, 211, who would ostensibly take every meaningful snap in 2012. Murray threw a Georgia-record 35 touchdowns last season, but among his alarming 14 interceptions were some key mistakes and his completion percentage (.591) could have been better. Bauta, 6-3, 222, and LeMay, 6-2, 198, project as quality down-the-road starters.

3. Alabama

RETURNING STARTER A.J. McCarron DEPTH CHART Phillip Ely, 6-1, 198, is the top backup, but incoming freshman Alec Morris, 6-3, 235, could challenge in camp.

ANALYSIS McCarron, 6-4, 210, a former Elite 11 and Super Prep All-American, was thought of as a game manager most of last season before he picked apart the LSU defense in the BCS title game. Mc-Carron, a junior, completed an SEC-best 66.8 percent of his passes, but he has an almost completely new cast of receivers to work with this fall. The backup race will heat up in fall camp after Phillip Sims’ transfer to Virginia, and rehabbed tailback Blake Sims, 6-0, 212, might be involved in a few packages.

4. Tennessee

RETURNING STARTER Tyler BrayDEPTH CHART Sophomore Justin Worley, 6-4, 211, leads sophomore Tyler Page (6-3, 193).

ANALYSIS Tennessee’s offensive struggles plunged to new depths after Bray broke his thumb midway though 2011. Bray, 6-6, 213, a Manning Passing Academy invitee along with Wilson, had good numbers - 59.5 percent completions, 17-6 touchdowns-to-interception ratio, a 144.8 efficiency rating - in seven games while healthy, and his average of 283.3 passing yards per game would have topped the SEC if he had qualified statistically. The Volunteers are trying to assemble game-breaking talent around Bray, like receivers Justin Hunter and Da’Rick Rogers, but health issues have hampered their progress.

5. Missouri

RETURNING STARTER James Franklin DEPTH CHART Redshirt freshman Corbin Berkstresser leads true freshman Maty Mauk.

ANALYSIS Franklin’s status, after surgery in March for a torn labrum in his right (throwing) shoulder is the Tigers’ biggest question for 2012. Franklin, 6-2, 225, a dual-threat star who accounted for nearly 4,000 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2011, told the Joplin Globe recently that he expected to be throwing again by mid to late July. Berkstresser, 6-3, 225, was arrested in the spring and suspended indefinitely after leaving the scene of an accident. Springdale High product Ashton Glaser, who also was arrested in the spring for an unpaid speeding ticket, said Monday on his Twitter account he is transferring to Missouri State.

6. LSU

RETURNING STARTER None DEPTH CHART Junior Zach Mettenberger over redshirt freshmen Stephen Rivers, 6-7, 212, and Jerrard Randall, 6-1, 180.

ANALYSIS Mettenberger takes the reins of an offense that is powered by a massive line and a huge corps of runners, but the 6-5, 222-pounder, who sat out after transferring from Georgia, can whip it around. The Tigers are touting a better downfield passing attack. Rivers, the brother of San Diego Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers, gives the Tigers the conference’s tallest quarterback. Threestar signee Jeremy Liggins, 6-3, 270, might wind up at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College if he doesn’t make a qualifying score on the ACT.

7. South Carolina

RETURNING STARTER Connor Shaw DEPTH CHART Dylan Thompson solidified the No. 2 spot in the spring.

ANALYSIS Shaw, 6-1, 207, is a gifted runner who completed 65.4 percent of his passes, second among SEC starters,and his 148.3 efficiency rating was third behind LSU’s Jarrett Lee and Arkansas’ Wilson. The junior might not be the prototype quarterback Steve Spurrier has been seeking since his arrival in Columbia, S.C., but he is a gamer and the best option the Gamecocks have. Thompson, 6-3, 212, completed 15 of 20 passes for 168 yards and 1 TD in the spring game.

8. Auburn

RETURNING STARTER Clint Moseley DEPTH CHART Sophomore Kiehl Frazier, 6-2, 220, is likely to surpass Moseley.

ANALYSIS A shoulder injury that slowed Moseley, 6-4, 223, in spring drills allowed Frazier, who played for Shiloh Christian in Springdale, to move into command of the offense. Analysts saw more refined passing out of Frazier in the spring. Moseley, who played in 10 games in 2011, outperformed nominal starter Barrett Trotter by completing 61.1 percent of his passes with a 133.06 efficiency rating, compared to Trotter’s 129.2. Reserve Zeke Pike’s off-field troubles continued, as he was sent home to Kentucky for the summer following his late June arrest for public intoxication.

9. Mississippi State

RETURNING STARTER Tyler Russell DEPTH CHART Sophomore Dak Prescott, 6-2, 225, is the top reserve.

ANALYSIS Russell, 6-4, 220, split time with Chris Relf for most of two seasons before finally supplanting the senior in the second half of 2011. Russell was sharp in the spring as the Bulldogs began a transition to a more pass-heavy offense. The junior completed 24 of 43 passes for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns in the spring game. Dylan Favre left for a smaller school.

10. Vanderbilt

RETURNING STARTER Jordan Rodgers DEPTH CHART Junior Austyn Carta-Samuels, 6-1, 224, a Wyoming transfer, leads the pack.

ANALYSIS Rodgers, 6-1, 205, a sevengame starter after taking over for Larry Smith, should have a better senior season after throwing nine TDs and 10 interceptions and ranking 10th in the SEC with a 113.8 efficiency rating. Rodgers, the brother of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, is a quality runner and the Commodores are putting better talent in place around him. Carta-Samuels should be a solid backup, and early enrollee Patton Robinette projects as one of Vandy’s best quarterback signees in years.

11. Florida

RETURNING STARTER None DEPTH CHART Sophomores Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel are locked in competition.

ANALYSIS With the fragile John Brantley era over, the once-vaunted Florida quarterback position looks for a new evolution in the second year under Coach Will Muschamp. Neither challenger impressed in his rookie season. Brissett, 6-3, 229, completed 46.2 percent of his passes, with a 2-4 touchdown-tointerception figure and 86.93 efficiency, while Driskel, 6-4, 232, completed 47.1 percent with a 0-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 71.86 efficiency. Both posted strong statistics in the spring game.

12. Texas A&M

RETURNING STARTER None DEPTH CHART Jameill Showers over true freshman Johnny Manziel.

ANALYSIS New Coach Kevin Sumlin hasn’t committed to a starter yet, but the sophomore Showers, 6-2, 219, pulled ahead in the spring with the best arm and most poise out of the four vying for the job. Manziel, 6-1, 200, showed the ability to thrive on the run in the spring, but his status is in question after his early morning arrest in late June for fighting, carrying fake identification and failure to identify himself. Manziel was likely ahead of sophomore Matt Joeckel, 6-4, 234, and highly touted signee Matt Davis, 6-2, 205. Whoever wins the job will be operating behind one of the nation’s top offensive lines.

13. Kentucky

RETURNING STARTER Morgan Newton DEPTH CHART Sophomore Maxwell Smith leads Jacob Russell ANALYSIS Kentucky scored 10 or fewer points in six of its final nine games last season, a clear indication quarterback play must improve. Newton, 6-4, 235, completed 47.7 percent of his passes and had a 93.1 efficiency rating in his first year as a starter. Newton’s shoulder surgery in December allowed Smith, 6-4, 220, to take the first-team reins and the sophomore, who was named to the SEC’s All-Freshman team, had a good spring game, completing 29 of 45 passes for 353 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions.

14. Ole Miss

RETURNING STARTER Randall Mackey DEPTH CHART Junior Barry Brunetti and sophomore Bo Wallace lead Mackey ANALYSIS Mackey, 5-11, 195, sat out three games under two suspensions last year and was battling academic issues in the spring. New Coach Hugh Freeze gave Brunetti, 6-0, 215, and Wallace, 6-5, 210, more opportunities, while Mackey took reps at receiver while trying to solidify his academics. Brunetti had an overall better spring performance, while Wallace’s strong closing promised an extended quarterback campaign into camp.

Sports, Pages 19 on 07/12/2012