College football QB battles to watch in the spring: Michigan, Ohio State, USC among intriguing competitions

College football spring training is in full swing, and while the schedule is staggered around spring breaks and several scrimmage dates on the schedule, we're really starting to focus on the big question marks for top teams in the sport in late March. No spring training storyline draws more intrigue than quarterback battles, and as we prepare for the 2024 season, there are some teams on the cusp of becoming contenders that have yet to determine their starter at the most important position.

Coaches love competition, and some even like to declare that “every position is up for grabs” during spring training to encourage development. In reality, though, we can draft the QB1 in a variety of spots, usually where an established starter returns, but even in some cases where there is turnover.

Georgia's Carson Beck, Texas' Quinn Ewers, Penn State's Drew Allar and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart are all handling their starting business for potential top-10 teams. Although a coaching change and transfers have created competition, Jalen Milroe is expected to be the starter at Alabama until he falters or is replaced. Notre Dame's acquisition of Riley Leonard in the transfer portal makes the QB2 battle in South Bend, Indiana, more interesting than QB1. And after two years of backing Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, the buzz around LSU is that Garrett Nussmeier is ready to take control of the explosive Tigers offense.

However, that leaves several top teams and other notable programs without surefire answers at quarterback. We've highlighted seven below with a spotlight on the contenders and a preview of how things could play out. It's important to note that these leagues could be turned upside down next month when the spring transfer portal opens (April 15-30), and in some cases another player may be needed to build depth or another competitor in the fray to introduce.

We start at the point where we find one of the most notable teams with one of the most uncertain battles, and that happens to be with the reigning national champions.

Contenders: Jayden Denegal, Alex Orji, Jadyn Davis, Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren

The first spring practices of the post-Jim Harbaugh era will focus on first-year coach Sherrone Moore and his plans to fill the quarterback position. Now that he's already established his “SMASH” motto as a theme, it's a good bet that Michigan will once again be a team built around dominance at the line of scrimmage rather than a finesse play that requires more from the quarterback. But that doesn't diminish the importance of the position, as JJ McCarthy's excellence in doing exactly what Michigan needed him to do is how the Wolverines captured the last two Big Ten titles and won the national championship in 2023. Our expectation is that Denegal, a 6-4, pro-style quarterback from California, represents a stylistic option for Moore and offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell. Orji has already proven his dual-threat ability in six action games, mostly as a specialized threat in the ground game. Orji recorded rushing attempts in both the College Football Playoff wins against Alabama and Washington, so it's clear the coaching staff trusts him on the biggest stages. However, we have yet to see him perform as a downfield passer with any regularity. Look forward to this competition continuing through the spring, fall, and possibly even the season.

Contenders: Will Howard, Devin Brown, Lincoln Kienholz, Julian Sayin, Air Noland

Since the disappointing end to the 2023 season, Ryan Day brought in a veteran transfer with high-level starting experience (Howard), a top early enrollee (Noland) and secured a commitment from a five-star freshman (Sayin), who is technically a transfer, even though he barely had a cup of coffee with Alabama. Howard, Sayin and Noland have dominated the headlines surrounding a Buckeyes team that is as star-studded as they come, complete with the addition of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator, but this Ohio State staff needs to figure out how the pieces fit together. in a five-man quarterback room where each was a top prospect coming out of high school. While Day wants to encourage competition throughout the spring, Howard is not believed to choose Ohio State over other prospects without some confidence that he can be the starter for what is his final year of eligibility. Howard had a career-high 67 touchdowns (48 passing, 19 rushing) in 34 games in four seasons at Kansas State, including being the starter for the Big 12 title run in 2022 and most of the 2023 season. brings a very high standard to the quarterback position, and given his experience and talent elsewhere on the offense, he is the man to beat.

Contenders: Dillon Gabriel, Dante Moore

After parting ways with two productive years with Bo Nix, Oregon went straight back into the transfer portal and got both a quarterback for the present and one for the future. Gabriel is on his third stop and in his final year of eligibility after filling up the stat sheet at both UCF and Oklahoma, and is capping off one of his best seasons with 42 total touchdowns (30 passing, 12 rushing) and career highs in completion percentage (69.3%) and yards per attempt (9.5) for the Sooners. Gabriel's competition includes a high-ceiling proposition with Moore, the former five-star prospect who was thrown into the fire as a freshman out of UCLA in 2023. Moore's performance – 11 touchdowns, nine interceptions, 53.5% completion rate – suggests he is the answer for the future, but he has had to spend an entire offseason developing and was an original Oregon commit before transferring to UCLA when he came out of high school. Dan Lanning may need both players to navigate Oregon's first year of Big Ten play, so keep an eye on this battle in Eugene.

Contenders: Miller Moss, Jayden Maiava

A record six-touchdown performance in USC's Holiday Bowl win over Louisville seemingly answered the biggest question of the post-Caleb Williams era, but Moss may not have locked up the starting job as some had assumed. Lincoln Riley's decision to bring in Maiava from UNLV brings real intrigue to USC's spring training. Maiava was thrust into the starting role for the Runnin' Rebels due to an injury early in the season and never gave the job back, throwing for 3,085 yards and 17 touchdowns. Riley told reporters this week that he believes there are “two starter-level players” in the quarterback room, referring to Moss and Maiava, and that the Trojans will have the coming weeks to figure out which favorite emerges to start week 1. Ten enemies Ohio State and Oregon, there is no major experience advantage; Moss has spent more time in the system, but Maiava has taken more important live photos.

Washington

Contenders: Will Rogers, Dermaricus Davis, Demond Williams Jr.

As Washington warmed up for the CFP National Championship, Will Rogers stood on the sidelines as Michael Penix Jr.'s heir apparent. a continuity from one transfer quarterback to another in Seattle. Then Kalen DeBoer took the Alabama job and Rogers entered the transfer portal, returning to the program in late January. Rogers has a big experience advantage over the rest of the quarterbacks in the room, but there are some interesting young talents on campus this spring to provide competition. That includes Davis, a four-star prospect from California whose play took a big leap late in his high school career. Davis, like Rogers, entered the transfer portal to return, and his commitment to first-year coach Jedd Fisch comes with the backdrop of being recruited by Fisch during his time in Arizona. Speaking of which, Williams was a four-star prospect who signed with Arizona early in the 2024 cycle and follows Fisch to Seattle

Contenders: Heinrich Haarberg, Dylan Raiola

One of the biggest offseason wins for Nebraska in quite some time was the late reversal of Georgia commit and five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola just days before the early signing period began in December 2023. The 6-3, 220-pound Raiola is Nebraska royalty. the son of former All-American offensive lineman Dominic Raiola, and his uncle Donovan is the offensive line coach for the Huskers. But he enters a quarterback battle where there is some experience with Haarberg remaining on the roster after Jeff Sims and Chubba Purdy moved on from the program. Haarberg had the most success of the three in 2023, but that's a low bar to clear. He was the team's leading rusher (477 yards, five touchdowns) and had moments in the passing game, but a 1:1 touchdown-interception ratio and 49% completion rate is not what Matt Rhule is looking for in Nebraska's QB1. So either Haarberg needs to be coached or Raiola needs to be brought up to speed to be ready to start as a true freshman. Both scenarios add tremendous urgency to Nebraska's spring ball sessions.

Contenders: Taylen Green, Jacolby Criswell, Malachi Singleton

While there is some interest in the players involved, the undeniable draw of the Arkansas quarterback competition is the presence of Bobby Petrino as offensive coordinator. Green transfers from Boise State after leading the Broncos to a Mountain West title in 2023, but his full body of work over two years is mixed. He totaled 44 touchdowns (25 passing, 19 rushing) across two mostly full seasons, but also 15 interceptions and was forced into a two-quarterback platoon system in mid-2023 before reclaiming the starting job. Criswell has been part of the program to back up KJ Jefferson since he transferred from North Carolina last season, as has redshirt freshman Singleton, the former four-star dual-threat player from Georgia. We have three quarterbacks with interesting skills and one of the most respected offensive minds settling into new roles, while head coach Sam Pittman faces a real workload to keep the Razorbacks competitive in the SEC. This is a quarterback battle where we have little certainty and a lot of intrigue, which in college football is sometimes the best place to be.