- Keelon Russell can change the narrative around Kalen DeBoer and dial down pressure, if he breaks out this season at Alabama.
- Tennessee whiffed on a transfer and in court. Don’t panic. George MacIntyre (and Josh Heupel) remain.
- Bill Belichick will put his trust in a transfer at North Carolina, but which one?
College quarterback competitions are going the way of the fullback position. They’re an endangered species. It’s become rare for a college football team to not enter spring practice knowing who’ll be its starting quarterback.
Nowadays, most quarterback decisions are settled in the winter. Either a team plucks its new starter from the transfer portal, or it pays to retain an incumbent quarterback that it fully intends to be its starter.
Teams like Ohio State, Mississippi, Oregon, Texas and Georgia kept talented, established quarterbacks. No drama. No fuss. They know their starters.
Other teams, like LSU, Miami and Texas Tech, spent big to purchase an A-list starter from the portal. No fuss here, either. These teams know their starters.
That still leaves a smattering of teams without either an established starter returning or a plug-and-play transfer. At these outposts, we can expect an old-fashioned quarterback battle. Remember those?
With spring practice upon us, here are five quarterback competitions I can’t stop thinking about:
Alabama
Top contenders: Keelon Russell, Austin Mack
Kalen DeBoer’s future will be linked to how Alabama’s quarterback position develops. He got this job, in part, because of what he did with Michael Penix Jr. at Washington. Alabama hasn’t shown that type of offensive firepower.
If Alabama’s quarterbacks fizzle in 2026, DeBoer’s seat will begin to sizzle. But, hold off on that hot seat, because Russell could be the real deal. If he becomes a breakout star, that would buoy belief in DeBoer.
Russell, a former-five star recruit signed by DeBoer, offers the most upside. Mack returns as more of a veteran. His ties to DeBoer and offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb trace to Washington, before Mack followed DeBoer to Alabama. Mack got tapped to finish the blowout Rose Bowl loss after starter Ty Simpson exited.
Best possibility: Russell lives up to his recruiting hype and seizes this job by April. He gives the Tide the loftier ceiling.
North Carolina
Top contenders: Billy Edwards Jr., Taron Dickens, Miles O’Neill
Bill Belichick will start a transfer, but which one? The Tar Heels brought in a bundle of options, just not a slam dunk. It’ll be new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s job to effectively sort through it all — or else Belichick will head to the hot seat.
Behind Door No. 1: Edwards. He was a mid-level producer in the Big Ten as Maryland’s starter in 2024, before a knee injury sidelined him last year at Wisconsin.
Behind Door No. 2: Dickens. His FCS stats look terrific. Oh, but there’s this: He’s listed at 5-11, 180 pounds.
Behind Door No. 3: O’Neill. Petrino previously coached him at Texas A&M. O’Neill became the backup there.
Behind Door No. 4: They all go bust, and UNC ponders a buyout check.
Best possibility: Edwards gets healthy and provides a dependable floor. Dickens smoothly levels up (hey, Trinidad Chambliss did it at Ole Miss) and offers an intriguing alternative.
Virginia
Top contenders: Beau Pribula, Eli Holstein
Sure seemed like Virginia had its quarterback situation settled when it plundered Pribula. He’s a dual threat who went 6-2 as Missouri’s starter, before suffering an ankle injury.
Then, days after securing Pribula, Virginia doubled down by adding Holstein, another transfer. He was Pittsburgh’s starter until losing his grip on the job midway through last season.
The last time we saw each quarterback, Pribula was faring better than Holstein. That makes the Missouri transfer the man to beat. If you can start in the SEC, no reason you can’t thrive in the ACC. Holstein’s own starting experience, though, adds an element of intrigue. Let’s not forget, Holstein won his first seven games as Pitt’s starter in 2024.
So, it’s Pribula or Holstein, right? Well, wait just a minute. This being college football in the year 2026, a judge must have a word on this. Virginia’s old starter, Chandler Morris, is suing for a seventh year of eligibility, because who’d want to enter the real world if there’s a path toward being a perpetual college quarterback?
Best possibility: Pribula returns from injury with a vengeance. Virginia needs the guy who shredded Kansas in a rivalry win for Missouri.
Tennessee
Top contenders: George MacIntyre, Faizon Brandon, Ryan Staub
This one’s already had more dead ends than a corn maze. Tennessee tried for a big-time transfer. No luck. Then, Joey Aguilar went to court to chase his dream of being the Vols’ eighth-year senior, but a judge denied him.
That offseason theater overshadowed that Tennessee might possess a fine option in MacIntyre, a redshirt freshman who’s plenty talented. Is he durable? He’s tall, thin and untested. Brandon, a five-star rookie, is even greener. Staub, a former Colorado backup, provides a safety valve behind the ballyhooed youngsters.
The situation might be especially troubling, if not for coach Josh Heupel’s solid record for quarterback development. Last year, UCLA decided it didn’t want Aguilar to be its starter. So, Heupel grabbed him and turned him into the SEC’s passing yards per game leader. Who’s next?
Best possibility: MacIntyre proves himself sturdy and steady and calms concerns about his slendor frame.
Iowa
Top contenders: Jeremy Hecklinski, Hank Brown
Don’t you wonder what Iowa could do if it ever produced a good quarterback? Not even elite, just really good.
Iowa’s last 300-yard passing game? That came in a time before the words “coronavirus” and “COVID” were part of our everyday vocabulary.
The Hawkeyes quietly extended their streak to 13 consecutive winning seasons last year with a quarterback whose only 200-yard passing game came in a bowl victory against Vanderbilt. Despite the aerial limitations, the Hawkeyes’ offense improved with Mark Gronowski at the trigger, but he was one-and-done.
Hecklinski and Brown were in the program last year as backups. Neither played much. Hecklinski enjoys an inside edge, with a higher upside.
Best scenario: Let’s face it, Iowa being really good at quarterback probably remains a pipe dream, so just stay solid elsewhere on the roster.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s senior national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
