Orlando Sentinal Lists Cal as one of the Top 10 Teams with QB Troubles

10 top teams with QB problems

By Mike Huguenin Sentinel Staff Writer Posted July 7, 2005
FSU isn't the only school with designs on a top-10 finish sweating out its quarterback situation. Here are some others.

Auburn: Jason Campbell is gone. The new guy should be sophomore Brandon Cox, a lefty who has attempted 34 career passes. He has solid receivers and will be protected by a good line, but the running game is a question, too.

California: Aaron Rodgers is gone. That means Coach Jeff Tedford will go into his lab and come out with another star player. The battle likely will continue into September, with touted JC transfer Joseph Ayoob and redshirt freshman Nathan Longshore the candidates. Everything else appears to be in place for a potent offense.

Georgia: David Greene, who seemingly was the starter for a decade, is gone. Fifth-year senior D.J. Shockley finally is the man. He has all the physical tools, and is helped by a great stable of tailbacks and a good offensive line. Still, there remains a question about how proficient a passer Shockley can be (50.4 percent completion rate in his career).

LSU: Marcus Randall is gone. New Coach Les Miles inherits a ton of talent -- he might have the most talented team in the SEC and one of the two or three most-talented teams in the nation -- but does he have a quarterback he can count on? Sophomore JaMarcus Russell looks as if he's the guy, but he was wildly inconsistent last season, meaning true freshman Ryan Perrilloux could get a chance to win the job.

Miami: Brock Berlin is gone. Sophomore Kyle Wright, who was less than stellar in the spring, heads into the season as the starter. He threw nine passes last season. There's only one other scholarship quarterback on the roster, redshirt freshman Kirby Freeman.

Oklahoma: Jason White is gone. While the Sooners have loved to throw the ball the past few seasons, this should be TB Adrian Peterson's team now. Junior Paul Thompson, who didn't play last season and has 47 career passing attempts, heads into fall practice as the starting QB. But redshirt freshman Rhett Bomar is said to be too good to keep on the bench.

Virginia Tech: Bryan Randall is gone. The Hokies will turn to Marcus Vick, who has a ton of talent but also has been in a ton of trouble off the field. Tech is a legit contender for the national title if Vick plays well.