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Here’s our weekly look at the SEC quarterbacks with most difficult assignments on Saturday:
BRANDON HARRIS, LSU
Opponent: at No. 4 Alabama
With SEC West supremacy and the inside track to a playoff spot on the line, Harris will be the man responsible for bringing some balance to the LSU offense, and he’ll have to do so with 100,000 Tide fans in full throat, urging his demise. This is where we’ll truly find out where Harris is in his development. In his first year as a starter, he’s yet to throw an interception and passed every test put in front of him, notably completing 13 of 19 for 202 yards and two touchdowns in a critical win over Florida. But while the Gators have a strong defense, Alabama’s has been better. The Tide lead the conference in pass defense efficiency and interceptions.
JAKE COKER, ALABAMA
Opponent: vs. No. 2 LSU
Much of what was said above about Harris holds true for Coker as well. Obviously, he gets the benefit of playing at home, and the Tide have already been through some battles this season. But the pressure will be amplified Saturday by all that is riding on this game. With a loss already on its ledger, Alabama can scarcely afford another. In closer-than-expected games against Arkansas and Tennessee, Coker has been able to come through with big plays in key situations and ultimately lift the Tide to victory. Whether he can do so against a defense as talented as LSU’s is another matter, and could determine the direction of Alabama’s season.
GEORGIA QB TO BE DETERMINED
Opponent: vs Kentucky
The Wildcats defense isn’t what’s imposing in this game. Kentucky ranks near the bottom of the conference against the pass and surrenders nearly 30 points per game. That’s the good news – pretty much all of it. Because Georgia is a program in turmoil right now, perhaps more than ever before in Mark Richt’s tenure. From stories about eroding support for the head coach, to whispers of bickering assistants, to shuffling offensive linemen, to the very fact that we don’t know as of Wednesday night who the quarterback is going to be on Saturday, this is a program with issues. And when problems pop up on a football team, two individuals more than any others — the head coach and the quarterback — are asked to fix them. It remains difficult to fully believe that the Bulldogs’ dysfunction is layers deep. This team has recruited too well for too long to be as bad as they’ve looked on offense the past two games. A good game against a softer opponent could turn things around. But if the opposite happens, if Georgia can’t run and can’t find a capable quarterback, if Kentucky bolts out to an early lead, pressure is going to build quickly in Sanford Stadium.
Brent Holloway is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia, LSU and Mississippi State.
