Rece Davis is seeing a whole lot to like in the SEC’s quarterback crop, and he made it clear Tuesday that the league’s young passers are already changing the conversation.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, the ESPN College GameDay host first tipped his cap to Ole Miss, saying the Rebels are his No. 1 team in the country heading into Week 4. But Davis didn’t stop there. He shifted to what he sees as one of the biggest reasons the SEC could be on the rise again: a wave of talented young quarterbacks who are already driving offenses.
Davis singled out four names in particular - Alabama’s Keelon Russell, Tennessee’s Faizon Brandon, Vanderbilt’s Jared Curtis and Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor.
“As far as September goes, if the SEC is ascending again, it’s because they have got some young dudes at quarterback, and I mean dudes,” Davis said. “Keelon Russell at Alabama makes a handful of throws in every game that you say, ‘Well, that’ll play on Sunday.’
Not just him. Saturday when (College GameDay) gets to Tennessee, this is the guy with the least experience of any of them, but Faizon Brandon at Tennessee is a really talented guy … Texas is going to be a gargantuan test, but this is a guy who can really make plays both throwing the ball and on the move as well.
“Man, when (Jared Curtis) throws that thing, it comes out hot. … This guy has it.
He’s going to be really good. He’s going to keep Clark Lea ‘s program going up.
… I think the most impressive thing about (Kamario Taylor), aside from his physical skill set, if you saw that game early against South Carolina, threw a pick on his first pass and he didn’t have anything going pretty much the whole first quarter, then he winds up with 4 touchdown passes. He’s big, he’s strong, he’s got every tool a quarterback could want.”
Davis’ point was simple: the SEC’s youth movement at quarterback is no side story. It’s the engine behind the league’s early-season buzz, and he’s seeing it from multiple directions at once.
In Other News...
Alabamas Slow Starts Are About To Get Seriously Punished
Alabama has survived its first three games, but the early warning signs have been hard to miss. The Crimson Tide have needed second-half rallies to steady themselves, and that habit is about to be tested by a schedule that leaves very little room for slow starts. What looked like manageable early-season turbulence now sits in the shadow of a run that brings ranked opponents and real pressure almost immediately.
South Carolina and Mississippi State loom as the next checkpoints, and both carry enough intrigue to make Alabamas opening stretches matter even more. LaNorris Sellers and Kamario Taylor are among the names to watch in those matchups, but the broader concern for the Tide is simpler: if the sluggish opening quarters continue, the margin for error disappears fast once Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M and LSU all come into view. [Read more 🡒]
Alabama Heads To South Carolina With Problems It Can't Keep Ignoring
Alabamas win over Florida State in Week 3 gave the offense plenty to like, with quarterback Keelon Russell helping the Tide score on nine consecutive drives. But the celebration came with a sharp reminder of how much cleaner the overall product still needs to be, because the defense gave up nearly 500 yards and 36 points in a game that could have easily turned into a much bigger conversation about balance.
As Alabama turns to South Carolina, the same issues are sitting right in front of it: slow starts that leave little margin for error, explosive plays that flip momentum, and third-down situations that have too often put the defense on its heels. Kane Wommacks unit will have to show it can sustain a better level for four quarters, because the Tide can afford to admire the offenses rhythm only if the other side of the ball stops creating new problems. [Read more 🡒]
Texas Win Was Comfortable But UTSA Exposed One Lingering Concern
Texas left Alabama with little doubt in Week 3, but the broader non-conference slate still gave the Crimson Tide something to think about. Across the American Conference, teams went 2-7 outside league play, and UTSA was one of the better examples of a team that at least found a little footing on one side of the ball. East Carolina also grabbed a needed win over Old Dominion after a rocky start, while Florida Atlantic and North Texas had mixed showings in their own games.
For Alabama, the comfort of the final result did not erase the fact that UTSA managed to reveal a lingering concern. The Roadrunners were better defensively than they had been earlier in the season, but their offense never really got going in the loss to Texas, which is the kind of uneven performance that can still matter for the Tides long view of where this team stands. Alabama got the win it wanted, but games like this are useful reminders that the details underneath the score still deserve a close look. [Read more 🡒]