Veteran quarterbacks dominate college football. We’re in the forever era of eligibility with players like Dillon Gabriel (Oregon), Cameron Ward (Washington State) and Will Howard (Ohio State) playing a huge role in the national conversation in their fifth and even sixth years within the sport.
But some schools are still going young. These are two second-year passers you need to know:
Nico Iamaleava, QB, Tennessee
Iamaleava is probably most known for his NIL at this point. But that will soon change as he’s handed the keys to one of college football’s most explosive offenses.
The Cheez-It Bowl was a sneak preview of Iamaleava’s firepower as he threw for 151 yards and a touchdown in a 35-0 win over Iowa, which had the No. 1 defense in the country last year. Iamaleava’s arm borders on elastic with his ability to throw from multiple angles and slots, and he’s a plus athlete, too.
Expect him to shine in Josh Heupel‘s veer-and-shoot attack.
Jackson Arnold, QB, Oklahoma
There’s a reason Oklahoma was OK with Gabriel entering the transfer portal: The program was ready to turn the page to the Arnold era.
A five-star signee in the 2023 class, Arnold has long been considered the future in Norman. We got a sneak peak of that in the Alamo Bowl when Arnold threw for 361 yards in a loss to Arizona.
His performance was a bit uneven with a trio of interceptions, but the talent was undeniable. Expect Arnold to be a difference maker next year.
