College football season is about a month away. Teams are wrapping up their respective conference media days in various cities and venues across the country and will report to camp over the next few weeks.
But as these camps begin, some teams still have to determine who their starting quartebrack will be when they take the field for their season openers.
Here are some notable quarterback competitions that are still undecided as we close out July and enter August.
Alabama: Ty Simpson vs. Keelon Russell vs. Austin Mack
Who replaces Jalen Milroe? Head coach Kalen DeBoer needs to make the right pick as he faces questions about his job security after just one season at the helm.
Simpson has the advantage when it comes to experience. The redshirt junior has served as a backup for the Crimson Tide ovewr the last three seasons, learning from some successful quarterbacks and coaches while appearing in 16 games. He is also one of the players initially brought in by Nick Saban and experienced the coaching transition, potentially increasing his ability to see the field from different perspectives.
However, the staff might want to go with a guy they recruited themselves, and Mack started his college career with DeBoer and company at Washington. He brings a unique and athletic build (6-foot-6, 235 lbs) and an extra year of familiarity with DeBoer's offense.
Then there's Russell. The Duncanville, Texas, product was a consensus top recruit in the Class of 2025. While he has yet to take a collegiate snap, there's a ton of hype around him, and many believe he's ready for the next level. It might be a risk to start a true freshman, but Keelon Russell would bring excitement to the Alabama fanbase if he opens the season as the starter.
Ohio State: Julian Sayin vs. Tavien St. Clair vs. Lincoln Keinholz
Head coach Ryan Day update the Buckeyes' competition to a "two-horse race" between Kienholz and Sayin at Big Ten media days this week. Kienholz has experience, while Sayin comes in with extreme hype after transferring from Alabama last year.
Freshman Tavien St. Clair, a consensus five-star recruit who many believe will become college football's next superstar signal-caller, was expected to be part of the competition but now appears to be an afterthought.
Sayin is now the high-upside option as the top quarterback prospect in the 2024 recruiting class. He played in four games last season and has been considered "ready to play" since entering the college ranks. He's more of a pocket-passer, but has a deceptive running ability if needed.
Kienholz was a lesser recruit but has the most reps as a Buckeye, appearing in two regular season games and the Cotton Bowl Classic against Missouri. However, the offense struggled mightily in that game, giving pause to his future as the Ohio State starter.
As the elder statesman in this competition, he must show growth and prove those struggles are behind him if he hopes to win the job.
Tennessee: Joey Aguilar vs. Jake Merklinger vs. George MacIntyre
Tennessee needs to replace Nico Iamaleava after a stellar 2024 season in which he became the first Tennessee freshman (true or redshirt) to win a bowl game since Peyton Manning. He was also the first freshman to lead the team to 10 wins and the first Vols quarterback to do so since 2003.
The replacement options aren't bad, but the potential and production will be challenging to replace. Aguilar brings the experience and probably enters camp as the favorite to win the job after starting the last two seasons at Appalachian State and throwing for at leats 3,000 yards in each campaign.
Meanwhile, Merklinger is another formerly highly-heralded recruit, which will give him a chance to win the job despite limited reps in college so far. MacIntyre is a true freshman who picked the Vols over other elite programs and presents an intriguing option as a local kid who comes from a family of college football coaches.
Whoever wins the job will have big shoes to fill, but Josh Heupel's system should put him in a position to succeed.
Oregon: Dante Moore vs. Austin Novosad
Dillon Gabriel was electric for the Ducks, and they'll be looking for a player with a similar impact to take over control of their high-power offense.
Moore seems like the most likely choice. After all, he was considered a generational talent coming out of high school and has Power Four starting experience at UCLA. While there were plenty of growing pains, there also seemed to be an understanding that he was transferring to Oregon as a sort of "starter in waiting."
Now that Gabriel is off to the NFL, the waiting may finally be over. But Moore won't just be handed the job.
Austin Novosad was a top-300, four-star recruit himself, but seemingly fell behind Moore on the depth chart last season. Putting on the muscle to withstand the college game was a concern for him entering the ranks, but the rest of the profile could make him suited competition for Moore.
Still, expect Moore to be the starter when the season opens because his ceiling is too high to keep on the bench. He also brings more high-octane playing style to the position that is consistent with an Oregon offense.
Colorado: Kaidon Salter vs. Julian Lewis
Colorado has another high-profile quarterback competition as it tries to replace Shedeur Sanders. This will be the first time Deion Sanders has not had his son as his starting quarterback, and the team has kept it under wraps (even bringing both Salter and Lewis to Big 12 media days earlier this month).
It figures to be an incredibly close race as both players fit the offense and have a similar skill set.
Salter is the veteran option with high upside after leading Liberty to a 21-5 record the past two seasons, including a Conference USA championship and a Fiesta Bowl appearance against Oregon. He's been a real difference-maker on the field with over 5,000 passing yards, 2,000 rushing yards, and 77 touchdowns in his career.
Lewis, meanwhile, is another "star in the making" as a five-star freshman, drawing comparisons to former Alabama star Bryce Young. Coach Prime isn't one to shy away from bold moves and decisions, and in a competition this close, putting a true freshman on the field at the start of his career wouldn't be a surprise.
BYU: McCae Hillstead vs. Bear Bachmeier vs. Treyson Bourguet
The sudden departure of Jake Retzlaff leaves an unexpected yet massive hole in the BYU offense, and the Cougars will have to move quickly to fill it. They had been operating without him being around, but now we're about to see how prepared they are for life without him.
Bachmeier is the most compelling option. He's a four-star freshman who initially signed to play at Stanford and later transferred to the Cougars. He also has college football in his blood as his brother Hank was a starting quarterback for three schools. His other brother, Tiger, is also transferring to BYU as a wide receiver, which should add some chemistry in the passing game.
The other two options have college football playing experience on their side. Hillstead made four starts at Utah State as a freshman, and Bourguet played two years at Western Michigan, splitting time as the Broncos' quarterback.
All three come with their respective risks, but the experienced options may be better for the time being with the season so close.
West Virginia: Nicco Marchiol vs. Jaylen Henderson vs. Max Brown
Head coach Rich Rodriguez has said he "likes" where his quarterback competition is but has said very little beyond that. All we really know is that is seems like a three-horse race, with Marchiol presumed to have the advantage entering the off season as the only one of the three to have spent his entire college career at West Virginia.
Marchiol signed with the Mountaineers in 2022 as a consensus top-300 recruit nationally. Since coming to Morgantown, he's steadily climbed the ranks, accumulating 20 appearances and three starts. He's waited his turn, but a new coaching staff may have different ideas.
Henderson has bounced around college football a bit with previous stops at Fresno State and Texas A&M. He was most notably a rare bright spot late in the season as the Aggies decided to part ways with Jimbo Fisher, but he fell beg=hind Conner Weigman and Marcel Reed last season. He has limited playing experience at the college level but brings a dual-threat ability that Marchiol doesn't.
Brown also has limited exposure to college football, with just over 700 passing yards between Florida and Charlotte.
Marchiol seems like a clear frontrunner, but no choice has officially been made.