Michigan, Ohio State lead college football’s biggest QB competitions
The transfer portal has made tracking quarterbacks harder than ever. It’s also simplified offseason competitions across the Bowl Subdivision, as many quarterbacks mired in battles for the starting role will simply leave for another program and an easier path to the top of the depth chart.
There are still several competitions still undecided as college football gears up for the start of the regular season, That includes at the defending national champions, Michigan, which has to find the successor to J.J. McCarthy after last year’s unbeaten finish.
Another team with an unsettled battle is Auburn, which desperately needs to beef up its offense after struggling to get off the ground in Hugh Freeze’s first season.
Michigan
Contenders: Alex Orji (Jr.), Jack Tuttle (Sr.), Davis Warren (Sr.)
Orji is the favorite to replace McCarthy after a strong spring, moving ahead of Warren and Tuttle despite making just one pass attempt in the past two seasons. Far more athletic and explosive than either of these other two options, Orji could bring a new and interesting dimension to the Wolverines’ offense. If new coach Sherrone Moore would rather lean on experience, Tuttle has spent five seasons in the Big Ten and looked good in reserve last year, hitting on 15 of 17 attempts in limited duty behind McCarthy.
Projected winner: Orji. Tuttle has a higher floor but Orji could be the most dynamic Michigan quarterback since Denard Robinson.
Ohio State
Contenders: Devin Brown (So.), Will Howard (Sr.)
Howard was brought in from Kansas State with the expectation that he’d replace former starter Kyle McCord, who transferred to Syracuse. After a slow start to his career with the Wildcats, Howard was one of the top passers in the Big 12 after taking over midway through the 2022 season. Brown lost last summer’s competition with McCord but is back for another attempt at grabbing one of the premier starting jobs in the FBS. While Howard is still the favorite, Brown will remain in the mix until Ryan Day makes his decision at some point this month.
Projected winner: Howard. He’s ready for the Big Ten after throwing for 24 touchdowns with another nine on the ground a year ago.
Auburn
Contenders: Hank Brown (RS Fr.), Holden Geriner (So.), Payton Thorne (Sr.)
After struggling in Hugh Freeze’s first season, Auburn is banking on increased experience in Freeze’s scheme to bolster an underperforming passing game. Thorne had a solid three-game stretch last October and November but was otherwise off the mark, finishing with 16 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as the Tigers ranked last in the SEC and 121st nationally in yards per game. That’s forced Thorne to re-win the job this offseason, a task made easier by the fact that neither Brown not Geriner has made much of a move up the depth chart.
Projected winner: Thorne. He’ll keep the seat warm for true freshman Walker White, a top recruit and the future of the position for Freeze and the Tigers.
North Carolina
Contenders: Jacolby Criswell (Sr.), Conner Harrell (So.), Max Johnson (Sr.).
Harrell replaced Drake Maye for last year’s bowl loss to West Virginia, showing off both a big arm and the need for more seasoning. That led Mack Brown and UNC to pull in a pair of transfers: Criswell, who began his career with the Tar Heels before losing a competition to Maye and leaving for Arkansas, and Johnson, a reliable and productive starter at LSU and Texas A&M. Johnson threw 35 touchdowns against eight interceptions in two years with the Tigers and had five 200-yard games in a row for A&M in 2023 before suffering a season-ending injury in early November.
Projected winner: Johnson. He protects the football and has shown he can run an offense; reliability is never a bad thing, even if Harrell and Criswell would bring more to the table as runners.
Coastal Carolina
Contenders: Noah Kim (Sr.), Ethan Vasko (So.)
Grayson McCall’s transfer to North Carolina State seemed to open the door for Vasko, who appeared in eight games and threw for 779 yards and seven scores with one interception a year ago. Bringing in Kim from Michigan State is a good thing. While he was just average (or worse) after being tapped as the Spartans’ starter heading into 2023, Kim’s arrival creates a much-needed competition for the job that will help Tim Beck pick the best fit for his system.
Projected winner: Vasko. A deeper understanding of this scheme and a somewhat proven track record — Vasko played very well against James Madison and led the Chanticleers to a bowl win — gives him the edge.
Brigham Young
Contenders: Gerry Bohanon (Sr.), Treyson Bourguet (So.), Jake Retzlaff (Jr.)
Retzlaff has the advantage of knowing the offense after starting the final four games of last season. Also of note: Retzlaff completed just 50.4% of his throws with three touchdowns and three interceptions as the Cougars lost all four games. The job is open, in other words. Bohanon is a proven producer who played at an all-conference level at Baylor before transferring to South Florida, missing last season due to a shoulder injury. If healthy, he has the mix of talent and experience that BYU needs to scratch out six wins and another bowl bid. Bourguet joins the competition from Western Michigan but is running third heading into fall camp.
Projected winner: Bohanon. As long as he’s healthy, Bohanon is the best choice.
Boise State
Contenders: Maddox Madsen (So.), Malachi Nelson (RS Fr.)
Madsen left the spring as the projected starter but will have to put together a strong August to fend off Nelson, a former five-star recruit who couldn’t quite rise up the depth chart at Southern California. Madsen is the known commodity after throwing for 1,191 yards and nine scores as a freshman in 2023. But there’s a sense of untapped potential around Nelson, an elite prospect who could develop into the best passer in the Mountain West.
Projected winner: Madsen. For now, Madsen has to be seen as the favorite. But a sloppy fall camp or early struggles in September could easily shift Nelson into the starting role.