Six quarterbacks from Georgia are starters in SEC

“They’re getting developed in high school more, and I think they’re throwing, catching, the 7-on-7 things, what they’re being exposed to,” he said. “They’re coming to school earlier. … They still get to work out, they still get to get accommodated to all the teammates and things that go on.”

A brief look at the six SEC starters who are making news this week:

JOSHUA DOBBS

Tennessee (Alpharetta)

6-3, 216, sophomore

Comment: After ripping South Carolina for 645 yards in offense Saturday night in an upset that left Gamecocks coach Steve Spurrier almost speechless, Dobbs was selected SEC offensive player of the week. Former starter Justin Worley is out with a torn shoulder labrum, allowing Dobbs to take a fast-improving Volunteers team to its first bowl game since 2010. Not one player at Tennessee has played in a bowl game.

He said it: "I don't think people truly understand what this team accomplished Saturday night, with only nine individuals on the 70-person travel squad who had ever (played at) South Carolina before, playing an inordinate amount of freshmen and them stepping up in critical moments in critical situations and making plays." — Tennessee coach Butch Jones

Notable: Against South Carolina, Dobbs passed for 301 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 24 times for 166 yards and three scores. It was the most rushing yards by a Tennessee quarterback in history and the first since Jimmy Streater in 1979 to surpass 100.

JOHNNY MCCRARY

Vanderbilt (Cedar Grove)

6-4, 230, redshirt freshman

Comment: McCrary, chosen as the SEC freshman of the week, is the fourth starting QB this season for the Commodores. He has seven TD passes and one interception in back-to-back starts against Missouri and Old Dominion.

He said it: "Johnny is playing well, and there's no reason for us to disrupt what's happening right now. … We just need to stay in a groove of what we're doing offensively and continue to go." — Vandy coach Derek Mason in a radio interview Monday

Notable: McCrary had five touchdown passes in a 42-28 victory against ODU.

NICK MARSHALL

Auburn (Wilcox County)

6-1, 210, senior

Comment: Despite his off-field issues at Georgia before he left for junior college and then Auburn, he's now being pumped as a Heisman Trophy candidate for the No. 3 Tigers. He led Auburn to the BCS title game a season ago and, if anything, has improved. Last week, he was instrumental in an important road victory at Ole Miss.

He said it: "He's one of the best offensive players in college football. … Our quarterback is probably the best in the country at extending plays. When things break down, he still can get the job done. As far as the double-move when he rolled out and took one step and threw it 60 yards in a perfect throw (against Ole Miss), there are probably not very many people in the country who can do that." — Auburn coach Gus Malzahn

Notable: Marshall completed 15 of 22 passes for a season-high 254 passing yards with two touchdowns against the Rebels and rushed for 50 yards and two more touchdowns.

BLAKE SIMS

Alabama (Gainesville)

6-0, 215, fifth-year senior

Comment: He was chosen as one of 16 semifinalists for the 2014 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award this week, with 2,034 passing yards in eight games with 15 touchdowns and three interceptions. Unlike so many players today, he waited his turn at Alabama, and it's paid off.

He said it: "Blake has gotten better every single week. We've been able to develop some rhythm. Blake is a great person. That's what I love about him. He's very approachable, so if I see something, I can approach him about it and talk to him about it, and he'll follow through with it." — Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper

Notable: Sims threw for the second-most yards in a single game in Crimson Tide history with 445 yards and four touchdowns against Florida. He is third nationally and leads the SEC in passing efficiency and has rushed for 250 yards and five touchdowns.

ANTHONY JENNINGS

LSU (Marietta)

6-2, 216, sophomore

Comment: Jennings has had his ups and downs, helping LSU to key victories as a freshman, but getting benched and booed at home earlier this season. he seems to have grown up in the past three weeks, winning the job over freshman Brandon Harris, who got the road start in a loss at Auburn.

He said it: "We definitely have all the faith in Anthony because whenever we need a play, he makes it for us. That's why the confidence is there and he's going to keep on doing that and keep on getting better." — LSU center Elliott Porter

Notable: Over the past two weeks, Jennings is 17-of-35 for 230 yards and two touchdowns. But more important, he has protected the ball and put the offense in the right position in victories against Kentucky and Ole Miss. The next step in his progression comes Saturday against Alabama.

HUTSON MASON

Georgia (Lassiter)

6-3, 209, senior

Comment: He's not Aaron Murray, but he's comfortably managing the offense for offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and coach Mark Richt and makes few mistakes.

He said it: "He hasn't really thrown many balls that were ill-advised, very few of those. He's doing a good job of getting us in the right running game, right protections. There's a lot to what he has to do at the line of scrimmage and he handles that well." — Richt

Notable: Mason completes a high percentage of passes (67.9) but didn't have his first 200-yard passing game till the loss against Florida (319) with some of those completions coming after the game was out of control. He does guide the offense that leads the SEC in scoring at 40.5. All that said: The next four and maybe five weeks — at Kentucky, Auburn, Charleston Southern, Georgia Tech and perhaps SEC title game? — will determine his place in Georgia lore.