Week 1 of the college football season is all about the new quarterbacks.
Well, not entirely, but when all four of last season's College Football Playoff teams -- and several other notable squads -- are breaking in new quarterbacks, the spotlight shines even brighter on them. While Notre Dame's new starter, Jack Coan, made his Fighting Irish debut Sunday night with 18 career starts from Wisconsin under his belt, other quarterbacks came in extremely green.
"There's a lot of things for a young quarterback to process who has never played," Ohio State coach Ryan Day said after C.J. Stroud's first start for the Buckeyes, at Minnesota. "It's a very unique situation for someone who has really zero experience."
Some new quarterbacks had record-setting performances this weekend (Alabama's Bryce Young, Notre Dame's Coan), while others had nights they would just as soon forget (Clemson's D.J. Uiagalelei). Most, like Stroud, were somewhere in between.
Beginning with Stroud, here's a look at how the new starters for the four returning CFP participants (and a few CFP hopefuls) fared in Week 1, as well as what coaches are saying and what could come next.
Mixed reviews for Buckeyes' Stroud despite big plays
C.J. Stroud's debut as Ohio State's QB1 began somewhat predictably -- with some shakiness. Then there was a seismic spike in production, which underscores his talent but also the stars around him.
He finished the first half Thursday at Minnesota with eight completions for 58 yards and an interception, saying later that his "mind wasn't right" and that he played in a scattered way.
"Everything in the first half was fast and twitchy," a Big Ten coach told me.
Some coaches would sense the jitters from a young quarterback and condense their game plan, prioritizing the run and calling only safe, short, deliverable passing plays. But not Day.
"That's not the way we do it here," the Ohio State coach said.
Stroud attempted only eight passes in the second half and completed just five, but they went for 236 yards, a 47.2-yard average. Yards after the catches undoubtedly helped Stroud's line, but he looked more comfortable and flashed his arm talent. Early in the third quarter, he lofted a ball perfectly over Minnesota's Justus Harris to Chris Olave on a deep crossing route for a 38-yard touchdown.
He later hit Garrett Wilson in stride for a 56-yard score. His longest touchdown pass went for 70 yards, but freshman running back TreVeyon Henderson did the work after catching a screen pass in the left flat.
Since Ohio State scored all of its touchdowns on big plays, Stroud's overall performance was tough to fully evaluate. The Buckeyes ran only 48 plays, with seven on their final clock-killing drive.
"It was hard to get in a rhythm; there's times we put up 100 plays," an Ohio State source told me. "[Stroud] did a better job in the second half. He hit them when he had to. He managed it well."
After allowing a 71-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter, Minnesota's defense loaded up against the run, an area where it struggled in 2020 (207.1 YPG allowed). The Gophers seemed to be challenging Stroud to beat them over the top, and he delivered in the second half.
"You've got so much talent around, you just distribute the ball and let those wideouts go to work," an FBS quarterbacks coach said.
Other coaches weren't blown away by Stroud's debut as a starter.
"Missed a lot of throws," a Big Ten defensive assistant said. "He's just throwing to really good players and has a good enough line in front of him."
Ohio State's line allowed no sacks and only two quarterback hurries.
"Average," a Big Ten assistant said of Stroud. "He was awfully inaccurate in the first half, better in the second half, but he's got the best wide receivers and a good line. I thought he would be a no-doubt stud. I know it's his first start, but he doesn't remind me of [Dwayne] Haskins or [Justin] Fields."
A few coaches who watched Stroud mentioned arm strength. One FBS offensive coordinator said, "I thought that ball would explode out of his hand."
Stroud inevitably will draw comparisons to Haskins and Fields, who blossomed into first-round NFL draft picks under Day. But both had some meaningful experience before becoming Ohio State's starter. If Ohio State had played a full regular season in 2020 instead of only five games, Stroud likely would have had some opportunities behind Fields.
"I wish last year we had those seven games that we didn't play, where he [would have had] 150 to 200 snaps and thrown the ball," Day said.
The good news is Stroud passed his first test -- a conference road game against an improved Minnesota team -- with help from his teammates. Stroud will need to be better this week against Oregon, especially if standout pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (ankle) is good to go. But Ohio State's new QB1 has plenty of room to grow.
Alabama's Young impresses with poise, arm
By now, the assumption with every new Alabama quarterback and offensive playcaller is excellence. But unlike Mac Jones or Tua Tagovailoa, Bryce Young didn't play in meaningful situations before moving into the starter's role against Miami. No matter. He became the first Alabama quarterback to throw four touchdown passes in his first career start (Jones and a guy named Joe Namath threw three). Young completed 27 of 38 attempts for 344 yards, spreading the ball to nine pass-catchers and averaging 12.7 yards per completion.
Beyond the numbers, Young's poise and field awareness stood out to observers. He completed 12 of 18 passes for 158 yards and three touchdowns against Miami's blitz, with two touchdown strikes when directly pressured. A Power 5 defensive coordinator said he was most impressed with one of Young's incomplete passes in Miami territory.
"There's nobody open, he tries to extend the play and he throws the ball into the eighth row," the coach said. "It looks like, 'What is he doing?' But here's a kid who stayed poised, who knew that there's nothing there. Instead of trying to make something out of nothing and risk the football, he just throws it away. There's no grounding penalty.
"Just so poised and savvy."
An NFL scout I talked with Sunday said that Young, despite attempting only 22 passes in 2020, already had made an impression in scouting circles among those who had watched Alabama's practices.
"They were like, 'Holy s---. That young kid is going to be freaking unbelievable,'" the scout said. "I don't think there's a lot of surprise there."
Coach Nick Saban noted that Young's contributions went beyond the impressive stats, from redirecting protections to making smart decisions against Miami's different defensive sets.
"He plays like a veteran out there," Saban said.
Like Stroud, Young benefits from playing behind a formidable line, anchored by tackle Evan Neal, and alongside talented receivers, backs and tight ends such as John Metchie III, Jameson Williams and Trey Sanders. While Miami's defense has some individual talent, Young will face better overall units in the SEC.
But he doesn't seem likely to flinch, despite his lack of experience.
"For a freshman, the poise that he has, I was like, 'Oh boy, people are going to be in trouble for a long time with this kid,'" a Power 5 defensive coordinator said.
Clemson's Uiagalelei under siege in opening loss
As Trevor Lawrence looked on, his Clemson successor never seemed to have a chance against Georgia's swarming and relentless defense. Georgia sacked D.J. Uiagalelei seven times and had two hurries against him, holding Clemson to its first scoreless opening half since 2010 and to just three points total.
"They had him spinning," an ACC defensive coordinator said of Georgia. "They were bringing the house. I'm guessing they weren't overly confident in their back end, because it's all those new guys. So let's put pressure on this new quarterback, and they did."
Clemson's shockingly feeble offensive performance sparked questions. Is Georgia's defensive front simply that good? Where does Clemson's offensive line go from here? How many of the sacks fall on the line versus Uiagalelei?
Uiagalelei had an easier time last season, when he started two games while Lawrence recovered from COVID-19. He combined for 781 pass yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions against Boston College and Notre Dame, setting a record for single-game passing (432 yards) by a Notre Dame opponent. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound quarterback displayed a huge arm and strong decision-making skills. He took only three sacks in the two games.
"With D.J., he's used to it being easy, and when it's not easy and it's not clean, they don't know how to do it and get to [the] No. 2 and No. 3 [reads]," an NFL scout told me. "My guess is a guy who is that big, that strong, that good of an arm, he'll figure it out. Does he figure it out in Week 3 or Week 10, or next year? But he's going to figure out, just the progressions. That was his third start. He's really talented, but he's still raw.
"Let's not kill him if he has a bad game, but let's also not anoint him."
Clemson's remaining schedule looks very manageable, so Uiagalelei's production should surge. But which opponent will test Clemson's line, and put Uiagalelei in some of the pressure situations he faced against Georgia? Pitt ranked second nationally behind Clemson in sacks last season, and the Panthers host the Tigers on Oct. 23.
Coan raises expectations in first Notre Dame start
When Notre Dame named Jack Coan its starter Aug. 14, no one was surprised. The Irish needed a replacement for three-year starter Ian Book, who was underappreciated nationally despite a team-record 30 wins. Book's successor would operate a run-heavy offense, execute play-action and make good decisions, and lean on his backs, line and tight ends, especially Mackey Award contender Michael Mayer.
Enter Coan, who had done many of the same things well at Wisconsin.
"It's going to fit him," a Power 5 defensive coordinator said of Notre Dame's scheme. "It is a Big Ten offense. That tight end's legitimate; he'll play for anybody. They've been there for a while, they've got Notre Dame offensive linemen. Ian Book was a really, really good college quarterback. He created a lot of offense for them.
"[Coan] is a decision-maker, can throw to the sticks."
But Coan showed Sunday night that he can be more than a game manager or supplementary piece for Notre Dame. He set a team record for a season opener with 366 pass yards and tied the record for touchdown passes (4). Coan found four different targets for touchdowns, and he repeatedly looked downfield.
Mayer had the biggest night -- 9 receptions, 120 yards, 1 touchdown and 13 targets, six more than any other player -- but Coan also looked for Notre Dame's wide receivers, a group that has underperformed despite the team's success. Junior Kevin Austin Jr., who is finally healthy, showed promise with 91 yards on four catches, including a 37-yard touchdown on a perfectly placed pass from Coan. Joe Wilkins Jr. made an impressive touchdown catch in tight coverage. Coan and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees showed willingness to challenge for big plays.
"Before the game, Coach Rees talked about being in attack mode, and taking those shots when they present themselves," Coan said. "That's a big part about playing quarterback, taking the shots when they're there, and when they're not there, taking the checkdown."
After the game, coach Brian Kelly called out Notre Dame's third-down struggles (6 of 17), especially in the first half. In 2019, Coan ranked fifth nationally in completion percentage on third down (67.8%), so the offense's efficiency figures to improve. The bigger question is whether he'll continue to look for big plays, especially with Austin emerging.
Better defenses than FSU's await the Irish, including that of Coan's former team, Wisconsin. The two teams play Sept. 25 at Chicago's Soldier Field.
Notes on Texas' Hudson Card and other new starting quarterbacks
• Several people on the previous Texas coaching staff told me this summer that if Hudson Card didn't win the starting quarterback job, the Longhorns could be in trouble. Card had the higher ceiling, they said, despite being a redshirt freshman. New coach Steve Sarkisian went with Card first in Saturday's opener against No. 23 Louisiana, and the choice paid off. Card looked very steady against a veteran Louisiana defense, completing 14 of 21 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Sarkisian also got Casey Thompson significant playing time and seemed happy with the efficiency of both quarterbacks. The key will be how long Sarkisian rotates both rather than sticking with one (presumably Card).
• Haynes King gave Texas A&M a bit of everything in his first career start, which came against Kent State. Coach Jimbo Fisher emphasized the pass game, and King found Ainias Smith, Caleb Chapman and others for 293 yards and two touchdowns on 33 attempts. He also ran some options and showed his mobility, especially on a Johnny Manziel-like third-down scramble early in the second quarter. There were mistakes, though, including three interceptions, but King helped the Aggies convert 9 of 13 third-down opportunities, an encouraging sign for a young quarterback. "Really athletic," an FBS coach who watched the game said of King. "He was able to create off-script and bring a different dimension to the game. He throws it well, not great, but it's going to be good enough, and they've got some skill around him."
• Florida coach Dan Mullen reiterated that Emory Jones is the team's starting quarterback after a season-opening win over Florida Atlantic, but the situation in Gainesville is worth watching. Jones had 113 pass yards and a touchdown, as well as 74 rushing yards, but also threw two interceptions. Although backup Anthony Richardson completed only 3 of 8 pass attempts, he electrified the offense with 160 rushing yards on only seven carries. "Anthony ... did some nice things," Mullen said, before adding, "I mean, you've got to run the whole offense." Few major college coaches have earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to quarterbacks more than Mullen, but Florida will need more consistency from the position, especially with Alabama looming in Week 3.
• I'm fascinated to see how the quarterbacks will play this week in the Holy War. Baylor transfer Charlie Brewer made his first start for Utah last week against FCS school Weber State and passed for 233 yards and two touchdowns (his only interception came on a Hail Mary at the end of the first half). Brewer completed 19 of 27 pass attempts but had several dropped. Coaches liked Brewer's potential for Utah, with one FBS defensive coordinator saying, "They've never really had a kid who could throw it like he does." Jaren Hall also had a solid opener for BYU against Arizona, passing for 198 yards and two touchdowns, and adding a 39-yard run. Hall started two games for BYU in 2019 but didn't play at all last year behind Zach Wilson. "That guy knows how to play football and how to create space," coach Kalani Sitake said. "I like the way he controls the offense."