Storylines - Quarterbacks

We've already covered a few of the storylines you're going to be hearing about over the next few weeks. From a potential battle at the guard position to concerns at wide receiver and safety. But there's one storyline that's going to be forced down everyone's throat this fall, so we might as well take a look at it.

Quarterbacks

The Situation

After spring practice, there was little doubt who would be the starter this fall. Jameill Showers was the most consistent player this spring, and he has the ability to make all of the throws. Another thing in his favor is that he doesn't waste time with the ball, he makes his decision and goes with it. 

The only player that really had a chance in the spring to challenge Showers was freshman Johnny Manziel. However, Manziel was inconsistent all spring. He had a hard time making the simple plays that are vital in Kevin Sumlin's spread offense, and that cost him. Then, he had an off-the-field issue this summer where he was arrested and temporarily suspended from the team. While it likely won't have much of an impact on the actual football, it certainly didn't help Manziel's case.

Matt Joeckel had chances this spring, but wasn't able to make plays like the other two. He's not as mobile as Showers and Manziel, and he tends to hold on to the ball too long. However, he has shown the ability to make good throws and it will be interesting to see how far he's come this summer.

Finally, there's Matt Davis. The freshman from Klein Forest looked like a freshman in the spring, but now has had a summer to learn the offense and get a better rhythm with his wide receivers. Though he has potential, Davis isn't expected to challenge for the quarterback position any time soon.

The Story

At this point, it seems inevitable that Kevin Sumlin will eventually name Showers the starting quarterback, but the fact that he hasn't yet means this is a story that's going to continue on. The question right now, for the hardcore fans on sites like these, isn't 'who's the probable starter?' It's 'How much better has Manziel gotten?'

A first time starter going wire to wire in the SEC is rare. Whether by injury or other factors, it's almost certain that Manziel will see the field at some point. Based on what we saw this spring, that would be cause for concern. He was careless with the ball this spring, and he still had happy feet in the pocket. We've heard from a number of sources that he's been working hard this offseason at making quick throws, and figuring out which throws he can and can't make at this level. 

Another question might be whether or not there is anything Manziel could do to jump Showers before the start of the season, but quite frankly I don't see it. Showers would have to take a step back, and Manziel would have to make a pretty big jump forward this camp to become the starter. 

So even though the national and regional headlines are probably going to talk about the ongoing quarterback battle, that's probably not the real story. The story is how confident Aggie fans are going to be when, not if, Manziel inevitably enters a game.