South Carolina will encounter many of the top quarterbacks in the SEC during a five-game stretch extending from Oct. 6 (home v. Georgia) to Nov. 10 (home v. Arkansas). USC's ability to limit the passing yards from these quarterbacks - and win those games - will largely determine whether the 2012 season is a success or not. Here's a rundown of the quarterbacks for USC's next five opponents:
Georgia - Aaron Murray (Oct. 6): Entering his junior season, Murray has already passed for 6,198 yards and 59 touchdowns in his career, including a 19-of-29, 248-yard performance in last season's 45-42 loss in Week 2 to USC at Athens. If he surpasses the 3,000 mark again in 2012, he would become the first SEC quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards or more in three straight seasons.
However, the 2011 season also saw the Georgia offense commit 25 turnovers (14 interceptions), tying them for fourth most in the SEC (only Vanderbilt, USC and Florida had more). Still, having a veteran quarterback in command of Georgia's offense is one reason most analysts are picking the Bulldogs to repeat as SEC East champions.
Murray, though, plans to spend the summer months working on improving his footwork and decision-making, heading into what many people believe will be his final season with Georgia.
"We've got a lot of drills and watched film and figured out things that I need to do," Murray told reporters recently. "I definitely feel a lot better about my footwork right now and staying on balance and moving around the pocket. That's something that I've just got to continue working on all offseason."
LSU - Zach Mettenberger (Oct. 13): The 6-foot-5 Mettenberger begins his first season as LSU's starting quarterback and will try to return the Tigers to the BCS national championship game. The last time many fans heard Mettenberger's name was when he was dismissed from Georgia in April of 2010 following one season (2009) with the Bulldogs after his arrest in the South Georgia town off Remerton during spring break. A month later, Mettenberger plead guilty to multiple counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.
After leaving UGA, Mettenberger transferred to Butler (Kan.) Community College for the 2010 season, He played one season at BCC and led him team to an 11-1 record and a berth in the JUCO National Championship Game. He enrolled at LSU in January of 2011. He hoped to win the starting job immediately, but ended up third behind senior Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, and appeared in five games last season. He saw his most action against Northwestern State when he completed 8-of-11 passes for 92 yards and one TD.
"I think that Mettenberger has really improved and continues to do so," LSU head coach Les Miles said. "We have proved that we can throw the football and we can run the football. We will challenge anyone to play a single high coverage against us. If they play a double high, then frankly we will have the opportunity to run the football so pick your poison.
"If our offense goes out there and moves the football and gets big chunks like we do, we'll put a lot of pressure on our opponents because now we can also move in a short game with the running game or hit the long ball with our throwing game. It really puts a lot of pressure on our opponents and we just have to continue to do so."
Florida - TBA (Oct. 20): The expected battle between sophomores Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett raged through spring practice, but neither separated himself in the race to become John Brantley's successor at quarterback. So, the answer to the question of who will emerge as the top Gators quarterback is murky at best.
Head coach Will Muschamp said after the conclusion of spring practice that the clash at the most important position in football will continue through the summer and into pre-season camp. Last season, Driskel and Brissett both received a rude awakening in their maiden voyages through major college football, combining to complete just 46.6 percent (34-of-73) with two touchdowns and six interceptions.
Muschamp hired Brent Pease as offensive coordinator when Charlie Weis departed to take the head coaching job at Kansas, so the spring was spent meshing the new position coach with the young quarterbacks and trying to accelerate their development for Muschamp's second year as head coach.
"I think the quarterback play got better. I don't think it's really where it needs to be yet, but I think those guys competed," Pease told Florida's web site. "I saw them get better every day. Now they've just got to put consistency together. They were learning so much. They've learned a lot, so now it should become repetitive to them and they understand the language and what we expect. The next go-around will be a lot quicker and faster and more consistent."
Tennessee - Tyler Bray (Oct. 27): Often an enigma, Bray is as physically talented as any quarterback in the SEC. But his first two years have been a struggle as far as wins and losses are concerned and his attitude and effort level have been questioned. The last time we saw Bray, he was suffering through a miserable performance (15-of-38, 215 yards) against Kentucky in a stunning 10-7 loss that cost Tennessee bowl eligibility.
Bray suffered a broken thumb injury in an early season loss to Georgia and missed five weeks until returning in November. He still completed 59.5 percent (147-of-247) of his passes for 1,983 yards and 17 touchdowns, so he's proven to be productive when healthy, a reason he showed up at No. 2 on ESPN's list of SEC quarterbacks most likely to throw for 3,000 yards.
"He's made some progress in some areas but he still has a lot of developing to do," Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley said following Tennessee's spring game. "He is working hard and I think he had a good spring. He is a lot more patient, he's understanding the game, he's understanding the level of intensity that it takes every day to be good. He needs to have a good summer too with these wideouts."
Bray expects to be a different quarterback both mentally and physically in 2012 as he prepares to begin his junior - and perhaps his last - season with Tennessee. Of course, any semblance of a running game would help, too. The Vols were last in the SEC in rushing offense in 2011 with a paltry average of 90.1 yards per game.
"I'm just more mature on the academic part of the game," Bray said. "The throws are going to come or I wouldn't be in this position. Just the knowledge of the game."
Arkansas - Tyler Wilson (Nov. 10): Judged by ESPN as the most likely SEC quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards this season, Wilson threw for 3,638 yards and 24 touchdowns (only six interceptions), and led the conference in passing yards per game (279.8 yards per game). Wild shredded the USC secondary - taking advantage of the absence of spur Antonio Allen - for 299 yards and two touchdowns in the Razorbacks' 44-28 victory over USC last November.
Wilson faces two challenges, though, as he begins his final season: Bobby Petrino, considered one of the top offensive minds in the country, is no longer the Arkansas head coach and three top receivers were lost in the fourth round of the NFL Draft (Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright).
On the other hand, top running back Knile Davis returns after a serious knee injury suffered in pre-season camp cost him the entire 2011 season, so the Razorbacks could have a respectable ground game to keep opposing defenses honest.
Unless he suffers through a catastrophic campaign, Wilson should be one of the leading Heisman Trophy candidates in 2012 and a probable Top 10 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. In fact, one publication has already tabbed him as the top overall pick.
"Obviously, that's a little bit flattering, but we've got to take care of stuff on the field in order for that to happen," Wilson said. "I'm not going to get ahead of myself. Those are things you shoot for, but we've got a lot of work to do on the field first."
link: http://southcarolina...asp?CID=1377486
Georgia - Aaron Murray (Oct. 6): Entering his junior season, Murray has already passed for 6,198 yards and 59 touchdowns in his career, including a 19-of-29, 248-yard performance in last season's 45-42 loss in Week 2 to USC at Athens. If he surpasses the 3,000 mark again in 2012, he would become the first SEC quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards or more in three straight seasons.
However, the 2011 season also saw the Georgia offense commit 25 turnovers (14 interceptions), tying them for fourth most in the SEC (only Vanderbilt, USC and Florida had more). Still, having a veteran quarterback in command of Georgia's offense is one reason most analysts are picking the Bulldogs to repeat as SEC East champions.
Murray, though, plans to spend the summer months working on improving his footwork and decision-making, heading into what many people believe will be his final season with Georgia.
"We've got a lot of drills and watched film and figured out things that I need to do," Murray told reporters recently. "I definitely feel a lot better about my footwork right now and staying on balance and moving around the pocket. That's something that I've just got to continue working on all offseason."
LSU - Zach Mettenberger (Oct. 13): The 6-foot-5 Mettenberger begins his first season as LSU's starting quarterback and will try to return the Tigers to the BCS national championship game. The last time many fans heard Mettenberger's name was when he was dismissed from Georgia in April of 2010 following one season (2009) with the Bulldogs after his arrest in the South Georgia town off Remerton during spring break. A month later, Mettenberger plead guilty to multiple counts of misdemeanor sexual battery.
After leaving UGA, Mettenberger transferred to Butler (Kan.) Community College for the 2010 season, He played one season at BCC and led him team to an 11-1 record and a berth in the JUCO National Championship Game. He enrolled at LSU in January of 2011. He hoped to win the starting job immediately, but ended up third behind senior Jordan Jefferson and Jarrett Lee, and appeared in five games last season. He saw his most action against Northwestern State when he completed 8-of-11 passes for 92 yards and one TD.
"I think that Mettenberger has really improved and continues to do so," LSU head coach Les Miles said. "We have proved that we can throw the football and we can run the football. We will challenge anyone to play a single high coverage against us. If they play a double high, then frankly we will have the opportunity to run the football so pick your poison.
"If our offense goes out there and moves the football and gets big chunks like we do, we'll put a lot of pressure on our opponents because now we can also move in a short game with the running game or hit the long ball with our throwing game. It really puts a lot of pressure on our opponents and we just have to continue to do so."
Florida - TBA (Oct. 20): The expected battle between sophomores Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett raged through spring practice, but neither separated himself in the race to become John Brantley's successor at quarterback. So, the answer to the question of who will emerge as the top Gators quarterback is murky at best.
Head coach Will Muschamp said after the conclusion of spring practice that the clash at the most important position in football will continue through the summer and into pre-season camp. Last season, Driskel and Brissett both received a rude awakening in their maiden voyages through major college football, combining to complete just 46.6 percent (34-of-73) with two touchdowns and six interceptions.
Muschamp hired Brent Pease as offensive coordinator when Charlie Weis departed to take the head coaching job at Kansas, so the spring was spent meshing the new position coach with the young quarterbacks and trying to accelerate their development for Muschamp's second year as head coach.
"I think the quarterback play got better. I don't think it's really where it needs to be yet, but I think those guys competed," Pease told Florida's web site. "I saw them get better every day. Now they've just got to put consistency together. They were learning so much. They've learned a lot, so now it should become repetitive to them and they understand the language and what we expect. The next go-around will be a lot quicker and faster and more consistent."
Tennessee - Tyler Bray (Oct. 27): Often an enigma, Bray is as physically talented as any quarterback in the SEC. But his first two years have been a struggle as far as wins and losses are concerned and his attitude and effort level have been questioned. The last time we saw Bray, he was suffering through a miserable performance (15-of-38, 215 yards) against Kentucky in a stunning 10-7 loss that cost Tennessee bowl eligibility.
Bray suffered a broken thumb injury in an early season loss to Georgia and missed five weeks until returning in November. He still completed 59.5 percent (147-of-247) of his passes for 1,983 yards and 17 touchdowns, so he's proven to be productive when healthy, a reason he showed up at No. 2 on ESPN's list of SEC quarterbacks most likely to throw for 3,000 yards.
"He's made some progress in some areas but he still has a lot of developing to do," Tennessee head coach Derek Dooley said following Tennessee's spring game. "He is working hard and I think he had a good spring. He is a lot more patient, he's understanding the game, he's understanding the level of intensity that it takes every day to be good. He needs to have a good summer too with these wideouts."
Bray expects to be a different quarterback both mentally and physically in 2012 as he prepares to begin his junior - and perhaps his last - season with Tennessee. Of course, any semblance of a running game would help, too. The Vols were last in the SEC in rushing offense in 2011 with a paltry average of 90.1 yards per game.
"I'm just more mature on the academic part of the game," Bray said. "The throws are going to come or I wouldn't be in this position. Just the knowledge of the game."
Arkansas - Tyler Wilson (Nov. 10): Judged by ESPN as the most likely SEC quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards this season, Wilson threw for 3,638 yards and 24 touchdowns (only six interceptions), and led the conference in passing yards per game (279.8 yards per game). Wild shredded the USC secondary - taking advantage of the absence of spur Antonio Allen - for 299 yards and two touchdowns in the Razorbacks' 44-28 victory over USC last November.
Wilson faces two challenges, though, as he begins his final season: Bobby Petrino, considered one of the top offensive minds in the country, is no longer the Arkansas head coach and three top receivers were lost in the fourth round of the NFL Draft (Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright).
On the other hand, top running back Knile Davis returns after a serious knee injury suffered in pre-season camp cost him the entire 2011 season, so the Razorbacks could have a respectable ground game to keep opposing defenses honest.
Unless he suffers through a catastrophic campaign, Wilson should be one of the leading Heisman Trophy candidates in 2012 and a probable Top 10 pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. In fact, one publication has already tabbed him as the top overall pick.
"Obviously, that's a little bit flattering, but we've got to take care of stuff on the field in order for that to happen," Wilson said. "I'm not going to get ahead of myself. Those are things you shoot for, but we've got a lot of work to do on the field first."
link: http://southcarolina...asp?CID=1377486
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