Ladies and gentlemen, it’s been a while. After taking some time off to learn from the J-School, we’re out, guns blazing. In 19 days, the Tigers will take the field against Arkansas Pine-Bluff, looking to start the season on good footing. As it is today in the world of college sports, the roster has seen quite the overhaul all around, with multiple departures in the transfer portal, as well as the inevitable graduations.

With Beau Pribula opting to take his talents to Virginia, the quarterback room looks quite different this season. Let’s break down each player, starting from the 1st string and working our way down.

Starter: Austin Simmons, RS JR: The moment that the news broke, it was no secret that Drinkwitz wasn’t bringing in the former Rebel to sit. Last season, Simmons was the starting quarterback for Lane Kiffin and company until tragedy struck for the then-sophomore, with an early injury that sidelined him for numerous weeks. Unfortunately for Simmons, Trinidad Chambliss would erupt on the scene and never look back, leading the Rebels all the way to the college football playoff semifinals.

In Simmons’s first start against Georgia State, glimpses of his talent were shown, but he also struggled to take care of the ball, posting a stat line of 20/31 for 341 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 picks. A solid game, yes, but against that level of competition, not exactly ideal. Simmons would start the next game against Kentucky, with struggles continuing in the wrong direction. Simmons would struggle to find any rhythm, going 13/24 for 235 yards, 1 rushing TD, and 2 picks. The rest of the season, Simmons would be used sparsely on certain formations or in garbage time. Simmons would play in November against the Citadel, going 7/12, for 100 yards and 1 interception.

So the question lingers: what made Eli and his staff bring this kid in? The stats don’t scream confidence, so if it isn’t just the performance at face value, what is it? The answer is quite simple, really, and that would be the upside. After all, it’s the blueprint that we saw last season. Drinkwitz and his staff took a massive swing on Beau Pribula, but the bat whiffed entirely. This season, Drinkwitz aims to make contact. A few things intrigue me about Simmons’s game.

Firstly, his ability to push the ball down the field. It’s no secret that at the forefront of Simmons’s game is his arm strength. Simmons can place the ball anywhere on the field from any angle, which gives his game a very high ceiling. You can compare him to a younger version of Josh Allen. Please do not mistake me and think I’m saying that he’s near that talent level, but in terms of his arm strength being the calling card, with a mixed bag in the accuracy and decision-making department, the shoe fits.

Secondly, Simmons is not a statue in the pocket. Beau Pribula was a running quarterback who was trying his best to be a pure passer, whilst Simmons is a pure passer who can run. Last season, Simmons ran 22 times for 71 yards and a touchdown. 61 of those yards came through the first two games, meaning he would have been on pace for about 350 yards. Whilst I don’t think Simmons will be on many designed run concepts, I expect him to be mobile enough to get out of the pocket and potentially make some plays down the field.

I think one sentence best encapsulates what the Austin Simmons experience could look like. The ceiling is higher than previous years, but the floor is lower.

2nd String: Matt Zollers, SO: Here’s a familiar face, the lone one in this quarterback room. Zollers came into the program last season as a heralded quarterback recruit, boasting a big arm and 5 starts on some recruiting sites. Zollers was expected to take a backseat and redshirt last season, but after Sam Horn got injured on the first play of his season, Zollers was thrust into the role of full-time backup. Zollers saw his way onto the field against Central Arkansas in garbage time, going 3/3, 58 yards, and one touchdown, displaying what the future could look like.

Zollers would make occasional appearances, but it all changed in Nashville on October 25th. Late in a close game with the Tigers on the one-yard line, Beau Pribula would attempt a sneak up the middle and got lost in the pile. As everyone rose, Pribula stayed down. Pribula would be carted off, and in stepped Matt Zollers. Zollers would revitalize a struggling Tigers offense, making impressive throws and even leading the team on a touchdown drive, with a TD pass to tight end Jude James. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and the Tigers would lose a tough one.

Zollers’s first start was against Texas A&M, which felt like an absolute nightmare of a first start. The feelings were quickly validated. The Missouri offense stalled the entire game and struggled to move an inch, with Zollers never finding any rhythm. The freshman would go 7/22, for 77 yards and a QBR of 16.8. Yikes. Zollers looked scared, timid, and the lights were simply too bright. Zollers would have a comeback game against Mississippi State, going 8/15, 112 yards, 2 touchdowns, and one interception. While it wasn’t a jaw-dropping performance, improvement was made. Pribula would make his return, and Zollers wouldn’t log anything until the bowl matchup against Virginia. In that game against the Cavaliers, Zollers would show inconsistency, going 12/22 for 101 yards and a pick. Zollers was never able to get the offense going, and the season ended on a sour note.

Zollers is similar to Simmons in the exact same way. The thing that Zollers has going for him is being a heralded recruit and having elite arm talent. Zollers showed the ability to throw deep last season and was certainly never shy to do so. Yet with that strength, the weaknesses glare. Zollers struggled to make quick decisions, and he was largely inaccurate, often rifling balls above receivers’ heads. If Zollers can get some control on the ball, he could very well be the future of this team.

3rd String, Nick Evers, RS SR: Nick Evers is another transfer portal acquisition, being brought in to add depth to the room. Evers has bounced around from program to program, starting his career at Oklahoma, then going to Wisconsin, and inevitably landing at his recent stop, UCONN.

Evers has struggled to find consistent time on the field throughout his stints, with his most playing time coming in 2024 for the Huskies. Evers went 97/180 on the year, for 919 yards, equaling 5 touchdowns and interceptions separately.

Evers’s role on the team will likely be a mentor role and also an emergency calling card in case of injuries. Nothing to write home about necessarily, but a solid depth piece.

4th string, Gavin Sidwar, FR: Gavin Sidwar will likely redshirt this season, as it will be tough for the freshman to get on the field in a crowded quarterback room. Sidwar is a 3-star recruit out of LaSalle College in Pennsylvania. Sidwar earned a starting role as a freshman and never looked back, and now is the leader in just about every offensive category for the school, as well as capturing the state title last season.

Sidwar displays solid arm talent and good accuracy, impressing the coaches throughout spring ball. For Sidwar, the goal is to soak in as much as possible and develop to potentially be a backup next season, or even contend for the starting role.

The quarterback room this season is full of talent but also has plenty of unknowns. Only time will tell how things shape out this season, but Tiger fans have every reason to be intrigued.