&With the 2007 college football season quickly approaching, many upper echelon teams are expecting to cruise to 10 wins and BCS bowl birth. But the high seas of expectations are turbulent, and many obstacles lay between them and the championship they seek.
An experienced quarterback can navigate through and around the hazards of a long season, a luxury which many of the nation's elite programs are fortunate enough to have. But some highly ranked teams may find the sailing less than smooth as they break in young, unproven arms this season, causing nervous fans to wonder: who's at the helm?
Matt Flynn, LSU, No. 2;/h3>
No other quarterback in the nation faces a tougher situation this season than Matt Flynn. Everyone and their brother already has LSU squaring off against the Trojans in New Orleans on Jan. 7 in the BCS Championship Game, and anything less would be a disappointment for Tiger fans. His arm should be well rested, having waited and watched behind JaMarcus Russell for the past two seasons, although he did complete 60% of his passes in limited duty last year.
Despite the high expectations, Flynn is lucky enough to have a wealth of talent at his disposal, including returning senior Early Doucet, a playmaker at wide receiver, and a stable of capable running backs headlined by Jacob Hester. The defense, which returns eight starters to a unit that was third in the nation last season in total defense, will help the first-year quarterback immensely by keeping him on the field and cleaning up any messes he might make.
Also a friend of Flynn is the Tiger's schedule, where every SEC powerhouse must come to Tiger Stadium, with the only true road test being a Nov. 3 trip to Alabama, where Nick Saban and his Crimson Tide await.
Tyler Donovan, Wisconsin, No. 7
On the heels of a 12-1 campaign a year ago, the Badgers are the trendy pick to challenge Michigan for the Big Ten championship this season, despite facing the daunting task of replacing a quarterback who won 29 games in his career in John Stocco. Tyler Donovan, a senior who filled in nicely for an injured Stocco against Iowa last season, looks poised to take over the reigns of a high-powered offense which showcases P.J. Hill, one of the best backs in the country, and veteran receivers Luke Swan and Paul Hubbard.
Expectations are high in Badger-land, the highest they've been in years, and with 18 returning starters, quarterback is the only question mark. If things go down hill, Donovan will most likely get the blame. It doesn't help that standing behind him is Allan Evridge, a junior transfer from Kansas State who started six games for the Wildcats in 2005.
If everything goes according to plan, Donovan will have Wisconsin 9-0 heading into a big road game at Ohio State, followed the next week by a visit from the Wolverines. Those two games will determine whether or not the Badgers contend for a BCS game.
Todd Boeckman, Ohio State, No. 11
Speaking of Ohio State, the fans in Columbus are wondering if junior Todd Boeckman can fill the shoes of last season's Heisman winning quarterback, Troy Smith. Unlike Flynn and Donovan, the new Buckeye starter doesn't have experience around him at the running back and wide receiver spots, thanks to the early departures of Ted Ginn, Anthony Gonzalez, and Antonio Pittman to the NFL this past offseason.
The main focus of the offense should be second-year back Chris Wells, with Brian Robiskie and Brian Hartline filling in the gap at receiver. Experience on the offensive line will help, but the Buckeye fans are impatient, and capable backups Rob Schoenhoft and mobile freshman Antonio Henton are lurking on the depth chart behind the junior quarterback.
Boeckman should be fine thanks to Ohio State's weak out-of-conference schedule (Youngstown State, Akron, Washington, Kent State), but a night game in Happy Valley should test his presence in big situations. He'll need it, with huge battles with Wisconsin and Michigan late in the season.
Tim Tebow, Florida, No. 6
Sure, everyone knows he can run, but can he throw? That's the big question in Gainesville this season, but the fact is, it may not matter how well he throws it. Last season, coach Urban Meyer used both Chris Leak and Tebow to get to a national title. This year, Tebow is Meyer's guy, handpicked to run the shotgun-option offense that was so successful with Alex Smith in Utah.
When he does throw, he has a duo of potential stars to choose from in Percy Harvin and Andre Caldwell. The offensive line returns four starters, which should help the young quarterback transition into a leader on offense.
Defense is a giant question mark for the Gators in '07. Only two starters return from a unit that Florida relied on heavily during last year's title run. Tebow and the youngsters on defense will have to learn in a hurry, with a brutal early schedule that includes home games against Tennessee and Auburn, followed by a trip to Baton Rouge to face Flynn's Tigers in October.
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