This article was originally published with The Red & Black on July 20, 2015 and can be found here.

HOOVER, Ala. — Quarterback competitions are ongoing at several Southeastern Conference schools.

Ole Miss is searching for a quarterback capable of replicating the work of Bo Wallace. Georgia has a battle between redshirt sophomore Brice Ramsey and junior Faton Bauta. The Alabama Crimson Tide crave a player who can lead them to another national championship. Steve Spurrier would be content with a couple QBs who can handle South Carolina’s offense.

 

Although many coaches have not announced who will line up behind center in September, a select few are just waiting to see what their guys can do.

Among the top quarterbacks in the conference is Mississippi State’s Dak Prescott. Prescott could have moved on to the NFL last year but opted to return. Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen pointed towards the reward of another year of playing, but Prescott discussed being driven by something else. The senior from Haughton, Louisiana, played below his personal standards at the end of last season, leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

That competitive fire is something Mississippi State defensive end Ryan Brown sees from Prescott on a regular basis.

“A couple of weeks ago we were in the locker room and taking shots at a trash can,” Brown said. “Dak was taking shots from 20 feet and he wouldn’t leave until he made one. I’ve never seen anyone as competitive as he is.”

Prescott placed himself among the best quarterbacks from the SEC West division last year, something Auburn junior Jeremy Johnson hopes to do in 2015. Johnson patiently waited for his chance to start by backing up Nick Marshall for the last two seasons. Now that Marshall has moved on, it’s his chance to sling it in Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn’s offense.

Johnson believes his experience within the program will help him excel in the coming year.

“I’ve been in the system for three years now,” Johnson said. “Even when I wasn’t playing, I’ve always been competing as a starter. My time is here now.”

The East division has a few established quarterbacks as well. Joshua Dobbs took control of the Tennessee Volunteers last season and provided solid play for a team lacking it. Dobbs became a fan favorite for his successes and his bright intellect, but his intent remains on making the Volunteers even better.

Like Johnson, Dobbs hasn’t changed his work habits just because he’s been named the starter.

“Obviously, it’s great,” Dobbs said. “But I feel like since I’ve been on campus that I’ve done a great job of approaching every practice and every workout like that. It’s kind of a continuation of that.”

Dobbs’s arrival is a welcomed sight for Tennessee head coach Butch Jones. Jones has been rebuilding the Volunteers’ program since he took over after the 2012 season and saw the team’s win total jump from 5 to 7 last year. Having his starting quarterback gives him an early advantage over SEC East foes like Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina and Vanderbilt.

“It makes it easier in terms of he’s proven himself,” Jones said. “We challenged him this spring to be what we call a CEO quarterback, an individual who owns the offense. We’re excited about him.”

Standing alongside Dobbs in the division is Missouri junior Maty Mauk. The former three-star recruit according toRivals.com had some ups and downs last season but powered the Tigers to their second consecutive SEC Championship game appearance. Now approaching his junior year, his play will determine if Missouri remains on top of the division.

The junior from Kenton, Ohio, is still a bit of a work-in-progress for the Tigers. Mauk threw 13 interceptions one season ago, which was the second-highest mark among SEC quarterbacks. His 53.4 completion percentage was also second worst in the conference. His struggles last season aside, Missouri head coach Gary Pinkel remains confident Mauk is the best choice at quarterback.

Mauk believes there is an advantage in knowing early on he will be Missouri’s starter.

“It for sure helps us as an offense,” Mauk said. “We know what we’re working with. Now we can go out there and start getting live reps. We’ve been working on [my game] with moving in the pocket and throwing some. That’s just some of the things we’ve done to make our offense progress in the right way.”

This collection of quarterbacks has a head start, but it’s up to each individual to make the most of it. As Dobbs and Mauk described, the offseason spent as the No. 1 on the depth chart isn’t enough; improvement must be sought each day.The reason is simple: their play will ultimately determine how long their teams last in the conference-title race.

Although he was discussing his own team, Dobbs sounded like the CEO of these SEC quarterbacks when he discussed last year’s results.

“We’re not done yet,” Dobbs said. “[Last season’s success] was a stepping stone to this season. We’re excited to get back on the field.”