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2019 Pac-12 spring quarterback battles: Arizona State, Cal, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State look for new starters

Breaking down the Pac-12 Spring QB battles.

By Jack Follman
Steve Clarkson’s 14th Annual Quarterback Retreat Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Arizona State

  1. Dillon Sterling-Cole 6’3 215 Jr. - DSC hasn’t really played since 2016, when he actually started a game for the Sun Devils, but things didn’t go well as he finished the year with one touchdown to four interceptions with another TD on the ground. He’ll get the top spot going into Spring though without any proven competitors and he has all the tools to step in for Manny Wilkins if he puts it all together.
  2. Jayden Daniels 6’3 180 Fr. - One of the biggest recruits to ever sign with ASU at any position, many hope and anticipate that Daniels will start as a true freshman and he easily could. He is in practice this Spring and has a great shot at taking a lead in the battle before Summer.
  3. Joey Yellen 6’2 215 Fr. - Daniels isn’t the only big time freshman showing up this spring. The much thicker, four-star recruit Yellen will fight for the starting spot as well.
  4. Ethan Long 6’1 205 Fr. - The Oregon native has the lowest ranking of any of the three incoming freshman, but he was still a high-three star and has the tools to give Daniels and Yellen competition right away.

Cal

  1. Chase Garbers 6’2 205 So. - Garbers was the starter in 2018, but he didn’t impress. He’ll have to progress or will likely lose his job to Modster, or another competitor.
  2. Devon Modster 6’2 215 Jr. - The dual threat playmaker failed to win the job at UCLA last year, but was good at times when he stepped in for Josh Rosen in 2017. He’ll give Garbers a serious run for his money at the very least.
  3. Brandon McIlwain 6’1 200 Jr. - I don’t think Cal wants McIlwain to be a full-time starter, but he’s more dangerous than Garbers at times and they might have to turn to him if neither Garbers or Modster can put it together.

Oregon State

  1. Jake Luton 6’7 230 Sr. - The frequently-injured veteran got a sixth year and it makes him the favorite to win the job in 2019. He has a rocket arm and great size, he just needs to progress into a consistent, good, Pac-12-level QB, and that has yet to be seen.
  2. Tristan Gebbia 6’2 195 rFr. - The Nebraska transfer was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and might have the talent the Beavers desperately need to take their offense to the next level. He’ll have to beat out Luton and his experience in the Spring to do that though.
  3. Jack Colletto 6’3 220 Jr. - Don’t count out Colletto. He started in OSU’s comeback win at Colorado and showed he was a threat with his legs, rushing for five TDs. He wasn’t good as a passer though, with zero TDs, and two interceptions.

Washington

  1. Jacob Eason 6’6 225 Jr. - The former five-star recruit and 2016 Georgia starter is the heavy favorite to replace Jake Browning. His arm is legendary and he looked good in the SEC as a true freshman. He should emerge as the leader coming out of Spring ball.
  2. Jake Haener 6’0 195 So. - Haener stepped in for Browning when the senior was struggling at Cal last year and promptly threw a game-losing pick six. He lacks the deluxe car wash physical tools Eason has, but he’s been with the Huskies since day one and fits the mold of smaller, dink and dunk QBs Chris Petersen as seemed to rely on for a lot of his career.
  3. Jacob Sirmon 6’5 220 rFr. - The blue chip recruit could be a dark horse to win the job. He has great size, a big arm and mobility. He is the favorite to probably at least win the back up job.
  4. Colson Yankoff 6’4 210 rFr. - Yankoff was a blue chip right up there with Sirmon in the Class of 2018 and he has a bit more mobility than Sirmon. The fact that he has the best mobility of the group could make him a dark horse candidate to win the job.
  5. Dylan Morris 6’0 190 Fr. - Morris has been favorably compared to Kellen Moore and is another one of those accurate QBs with limited size that Petersen seems to love. He probably won’t win the job, but will be right in the middle of things this Spring.

Washington State

  1. Gage Gubrud 6’2 205 Sr. - The Eastern Washington record-breaking grad transfer is the favorite to take over for Gardner Minshew. He’ll have to win the job, but he looks like he could have a Minshew or Vernon Adams-level impact in the one season he’ll get in Pullman.
  2. The Field- The field of players already at WSU to compete with Gubrud is pretty wide open. Senior Trey Tinsley seems to be the most-likely to beat him out for the job, but this field didn’t do much in the competition against Minshew last year.

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