GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Southeastern Conference quarterbacks may be out of the Heisman Trophy race for now.
Well, maybe not Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia. But he might be next.
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe has more interceptions than touchdown passes in four league games. Georgia’s Carson Beck has been flat against SEC competition, having been picked eight times in the past four games, including three at Alabama and three more at Texas last week.
Mississippi State’s Jackson Dart, Texas’ Quinn Ewers, Tennessee’s Nico Iamareaba and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeyer have also cooled down considerably since conference games began.
Missouri’s Brady Cook is the only SEC starter without an interception in league play, but his success rate is down nearly 20 points heading into Saturday’s test at No. 15 Alabama.
That shouldn’t surprise anyone, considering the mighty SEC has been known for its stout defense for decades. However, four of the past five Heisman winners, LSU quarterback Jaden Daniels (2023), Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (2021), and Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith ( (2020) and LSU quarterback Joe Burrow (2019) — are from the SEC.
But now even earning an invitation to the Downtown Athletic Club in early December seems like a long way off for SEC players. The last time this happened was in 2017.
According to BetMGM Sportsbook, the preseason Heisman favorites were Beck, Ewers and Milroe. Their recent performance with turnovers has taken them out of the top five, with Boise State running back Ashton Giunty, Miami quarterback Cam Ward, Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, He is behind Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter and Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik.
Naturally, SEC coaches are protecting their QBs.
“With Jalen, you know how he takes everything on his own,” Alabama coach Karen DeBoer said. “But there are other things we can all do to support him and keep him out of such a difficult situation. We need to get through it too and help him a little bit more. And as you can imagine, he can continue to grow as well.”
Georgia coach Kirby Smart further defended Beck.
“He probably had eight or nine drops,” Smart said. “And that’s mentally tough on a quarterback. If you start the game and there’s a drop, it can affect you. I’m not saying he played perfect. He’s pretty good. I think we made plays. But everybody looks at the stats, everybody looks at other things and they have things to say, and we keep playing with Carson Beck.”
No one suggested putting Beck on the bench. Oklahoma and Texas can’t say the same about their starting pitchers.
The Sooners had already switched from sophomore Jackson Arnold to freshman Michael Hawkins Jr., and now they’re back to Arnold. They also waived play-caller Seth Littrell this week amid the team’s offensive struggles.
The Longhorns put Ewers on the bench after a slow start against Georgia, and highly praised Arch Manning, who is patiently waiting for his turn.
Ewers, a third-year starter who led Texas to the College Football Playoff last season, hasn’t looked the same since being sidelined for 2 1/2 games with an abdominal strain.
“A little bit, but I guess that’s what injuries are like,” Ewers said after the loss to Georgia. “Is it just my mind overthinking it or it’s just there a little bit? You’ll feel it too. It’s not a big problem or anything.”
Ewers threw for 410 yards, three TDs, and two INTs in two SEC games.
“We have confidence and belief in him,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “I think he’s going to come out later in the season and play some really good football for us.”
Most starting QBs in the SEC are looking for a similar late surge. Just six weeks ago, Milroe, Dart, Beck, Imareaba, Ewers and Nussmeier were listed as top 10 favorites for the Heisman.
More recently, Dart, Milroe and Imaleaba had single digit odds. Since then, they’ve faded into obscurity from the Heisman.
Pavia, on the other hand, has yet to crack the Heisman list. But the unlikely hero of Vanderbilt’s big upset of Alabama is now playing for a highly ranked team — the Commodores are No. 25 in the latest AP college football poll — if he’s No. 5, Texas No. 8 If they win, they could be added to the postseason prize pool. The ranking is LSU, with Tennessee at No. 7 at the bottom.
“Every time I step on the field, I feel like I’m the best player on the field,” Pavia said.
It’s about how all of his QB counterparts felt before league play started.
“That’s enough.”
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