Around the SEC: SEC throws its young QBs into the fire

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Around the SEC: SEC throws its young QBs into the fire

By Brett Hait

September 06, 2006

One freshman quarterback is about to be unleashed on the Southeastern Conference.

Another might not be far away from his turn, too.

True freshman Mitch Mustain will start for Arkansas on Saturday against Utah State. The announcement came from Coach Houston Nutt one day after the Razorbacks absorbed a 50-14 whipping by Southern California to open the 2006 season.

Mustain arrived in Fayetteville this summer with a staggering list of credentials. In 2005, he was named Gatorade, USA Today and Parade National Player of the Year while starring at nearby Springdale High.

Arkansas coveted Mustain so deeply that Springdale’s head coach, Gus Malzahn, was hired as the Razorbacks’ offensive coordinator.

Mustain will attempt to jump-start a sluggish Arkansas offense Saturday when the Razorbacks host Utah State. Opening-game starter Robert Johnson has been moved to wide receiver, meaning the Hogs will sink or swim with the rookie.

“Mitch has done some good things all through camp,” Nutt said. “He’s been very accurate, has shown some very good things under pressure and then he gets in the game, executes and takes us down the field. I just feel like now at this time you’ve got to give him his shot.”

Meanwhile, a similar scenario might be unfolding at Georgia, where true freshman Matthew Stafford could climb into the No. 2 quarterback slot when the Bulldogs travel to South Carolina on Saturday.

Like Mustain, Stafford arrived ready to play. At Highland Park High in Dallas last year, Stafford was ranked by some recruiting services as the nation’s best quarterback — even better than Mustain — and had his choice of colleges.

Last Saturday, when Georgia rolled past Western Kentucky, 48-12, Stafford entered the game to thunderous applause in the fourth quarter and engineered a touchdown drive by completing three passes and rushing for 19 yards.

Senior Joe Tereshinksi will likely start again this week for the Bulldogs, but the signs out of Athens indicate his situation might be precarious, at best. If Tereshinksi falters, look for Stafford to take over.

EERILY FAMILIAR: If the clock wasn’t already ticking for embattled Kentucky coach Rich Brooks, it has kicked into overdrive after the Wildcats were embarrassed 59-28 against archrival Louisville on Sunday.

Brooks was once an NFL head coach. But for whatever reason, he and defensive coordinator Mike Archer simply can’t improve the astoundingly poor UK defense, which was helpless in trying to slow down Louisville, even after star running back Michael Bush left the game with a broken leg.

Last season, Kentucky ranked last in the SEC in defense, permitting 34.1 points and 439.5 yards per game. Sunday’s performance was so eerily familiar that Wildcats linebacker Wesley Woodyard, who posted a game-high 17 tackles, apologized to the rest of the team for the performance of the defense.

Winning at Kentucky is never easy, but it can be done, as history shows. But without some semblance of defensive improvement, it’s nearly impossible.

QUICK SLANTS: The SEC was 7-3 against opponents from other conferences last week. Since the SEC expanded to 12 teams in 1992, it has won 73.6 percent of non-conference games, including bowls. Ã…cFlorida quarterback Chris Leak has moved into the SEC career top-10 in touchdown responsibility with 78 (tied for eighth) ... South Carolina posted its first defensive shutout since 2000 by topping Mississippi State 15-0 last Thursday. ... In Week 1, games involving SEC teams lasted 3:08, 10 minutes shorter than last yearÃ…fs average.

— Brett Hait covers Vanderbilt and the SEC for The City Paper. He can be reached at bhait@nashvillecitypaper.com