Where Athlon Sports ranks each of the Pac-12 quarterbacks

Improved play under center would significantly boost the overall production of this offense, and Lewis opens the fall as the favorite to start after throwing for 1,540 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushing for 190 yards and two scores last season. However, Lewis did not eclipse more than 170 yards in any other matchup and averaged just 6.0 yards per attempt. If Lewis doesn’t take a step forward, Tennessee transfer JT Shrout could push for the job.

Plummer played in 21 games over the last four years at Purdue and threw for 3,405 yards and 26 touchdowns to 10 picks. The Arizona native has flashed potential at times as an off-and-on starter with the Boilermakers, and the ’22 season should provide an opportunity to make a splash as the full-time starter.

Coach Herm Edwards and new play-caller Glenn Thomas landed Alabama transfer Paul Tyson prior to spring practice, and Jones committed to the team in early May. The Georgia native flashed potential as the backup from 2018-20 and replaced Kyle Trask after his departure to the NFL prior to ’21. However, Jones had an up-and-down season in Gainesville. If Jones can play with more consistency and cut down on some of the mistakes, he should finish much higher on this list by December.

Injuries have wreaked havoc throughout Penix’s career, but if he can stay healthy, there’s optimism for the Tampa native to post his best season in ’22. Penix is reunited with former Indiana offensive coordinator (and new Washington coach) Kalen DeBoer after the two worked together in Bloomington in ’19. If Penix can stay healthy, reuniting with DeBoer should result in the best season of his career. And if he’s forced to miss time for any reason, the Huskies have two capable quarterbacks ready to go in Dylan Morris and Sam Huard.

J.T. Daniels considered Oregon State as a transfer destination this offseason but eventually opted for West Virginia. Despite missing on a transfer, the Beavers are still in good shape at quarterback. After starting the final three games of 2020, Nolan played in all 13 contests last year (12 starts) and threw for 2,677 yards and 19 touchdowns. Nolan’s steady play, accuracy and mobility are all huge assets for Oregon State’s offense going into the ’22 season.

The former five-star prospect might not post huge numbers and has room to improve on accuracy and generating more big plays downfield. However, considering what Oregon returns on defense and around the quarterback, solid play from Nix is likely enough to earn a trip to the Pac-12 title game.

Arizona coach Jedd Fisch was forced to start three quarterbacks due to injuries last fall. Combine the carousel under center with a first-year coaching transition and roster short on talent, it’s easy to see why the Wildcats finished 1-11 in ’21. However, there’s optimism in Tucson going into the fall. De Laura’s arrival from Washington State gives Arizona a potential all-conference candidate at quarterback.

McKee seems primed for a breakout year in 2022. The former four-star prospect in the ’18 signing class spent two years on an LDS mission and played in one contest in his return to Stanford in ’20. McKee shook off the rust as the year progressed, throwing for 2,327 yards and 15 touchdowns over 206 completions.

Few quarterbacks in college football are more intriguing than Ward going into the ’22 season. The FCS Incarnate Word transfer was a huge catch for new Washington State coach Jake Dickert and has the talent to rank among the top signal-callers in the conference if he can make a quick transition to the FBS level.

DTR’s decision to opt for another year in Westwood was great news for the Bruins after the Las Vegas native posted his best all-around season at UCLA. Thompson-Robinson has to navigate some new pieces around him along the offensive line and in the receiving corps, but coming off his best season at UCLA, there’s no reason to believe he will regress in ’22.

Rising’s insertion into the starting lineup helped Utah recover from a 1-2 start to eventually emerge as the Pac-12 champion last fall. The Texas transfer suffered a shoulder injury in the ’20 opener and opened the following season No. 2 on the depth chart behind Charlie Brewer. After nearly rallying the Utes to a comeback win over San Diego State on Sept. 18, Rising started the rest of the way for coach Kyle Whittingham’s team. The junior doesn’t make many mistakes, can extend plays as needed, and is a perfect fit for Utah’s offense. With a full offseason to work as the No. 1 quarterback, look for Rising to take a step forward in his second year as the starter.

Lincoln Riley’s rebuilding effort in Los Angeles got a lot easier thanks to Williams’ decision to follow his former coach at Oklahoma to the West Coast. The Washington, D.C. native wasn’t slated to start in ’21, but a few sluggish performances by the Sooners’ offense (and quarterback Spencer Rattler) pushed the five-star prospect into action midway through the year. Although his surroundings are new, Williams already knows Riley’s scheme and has one of the best receiving corps in college football at his disposal.