SEC Football: Predicting the winner of every quarterback competition
Apr 18, 2015; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jake Coker (14) drops back to pass against the crimson team during the annual A-day game at Bryant Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
As Sims’ backup, the 6-foot-5, 232-pound Coker completed 38 of his 59 pass attempts – a solid 64.4 completion percentage – for 403 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. However, despite that experience, Coker was one of five quarterbacks that received reps during spring practice – meaning he doesn’t have much of a lead in the race to replace Sims atop the depth chart.
Related: Alabama Preview and Prediction
Coker’s top competition for the spot is highly recruited redshirt freshman David Cornwell, who is finally healthy following surgery for a torn ACL during his high school senior season and an ankle surgery last year. Of course, that means Cornwell not only has less on-field experience than Coker coming into 2015, he was also limited on the practice field.
Like Coker, Cornwell has a big arm, has a sturdy 6-foot-5, 221-pound frame, and has underrated mobility. But, if the Coker/Sims battle taught us anything, it’s that Saban and Kiffin are likely to give the more veteran signal caller the benefit of the doubt. Odds are the coaches probably trust a fifth-year senior more than a redshirt freshman at this point in the process – even if they’ve both been in Tuscaloosa the same amount of the time.
Aside from Coker and Cornwell, Blake Barnett is an exciting option as a five-star quarterback ranked among the top 25 players in the country out of high school. He enrolled early and participated in spring practice, but is likely destined to redshirt this fall.
Projected Winner: Jake Coker
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Alabama Crimson Tide
Quarterback, Jake Coker vs. David Cornwell
This time last year, Jake Coker was expected to be the starting quarterback at Alabama. Actually, just about everyone not named Nick Saban or Lane Kiffin created such a buzz around the Florida State transfer he became a pre-season Heisman Trophy candidate before he even stepped on the practice field.
Of course, as it played out over the course of fall camp, Coker lost the QB competition to Blake Sims and the fifth-year senior put up huge numbers and led the Crimson Tide to the inaugural College Football Playoff.
As Sims’ backup, the 6-foot-5, 232-pound Coker completed 38 of his 59 pass attempts – a solid 64.4 completion percentage – for 403 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. However, despite that experience, Coker was one of five quarterbacks that received reps during spring practice – meaning he doesn’t have much of a lead in the race to replace Sims atop the depth chart.
Related: Alabama Preview and Prediction
Coker’s top competition for the spot is highly recruited redshirt freshman David Cornwell, who is finally healthy following surgery for a torn ACL during his high school senior season and an ankle surgery last year. Of course, that means Cornwell not only has less on-field experience than Coker coming into 2015, he was also limited on the practice field.
Like Coker, Cornwell has a big arm, has a sturdy 6-foot-5, 221-pound frame, and has underrated mobility. But, if the Coker/Sims battle taught us anything, it’s that Saban and Kiffin are likely to give the more veteran signal caller the benefit of the doubt. Odds are the coaches probably trust a fifth-year senior more than a redshirt freshman at this point in the process – even if they’ve both been in Tuscaloosa the same amount of the time.
Aside from Coker and Cornwell, Blake Barnett is an exciting option as a five-star quarterback ranked among the top 25 players in the country out of high school. He enrolled early and participated in spring practice, but is likely destined to redshirt this fall.
Projected Winner: Jake Coker
Next: Heisman Trophy Watch 2015: Top 15 Candidates
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