The American Athletic Conference QB position will have some dynamic shifts and changes as we head into 2019, with McKenzie Milton, the undoubted star of the league, likely set to miss the season with his severe leg injury from 2018 still in play. Ben Hicks, who would be starting for SMU, has also moved on as a transfer to Arkansas. With that in mind, here are the QBs in the conference that you should be looking for to make a splash in the AAC for 2019:
D'Eriq King, Houston
King broke through as a big time star, even if he was marred by a poor coaching job by Major Applewhite and his staff last fall that ended with the firing of the entire staff. With Dana Holgorsen leaving West Virginia to take over at Houston in 2019, that can only serve as good news for King, who may very well be a dark horse for QB of the year nationally in the new system. King passed for 2983 yards and 36 scores last season, and with just 6 INTs on the season, he finished with a striking 6:1 TD to INT ratio. He also shined when it came to accuracy, showing improvements in that area by completing 63.5% of his passes. He averaged 271.1 yards per game through the air, and added a dynamic 674 yards rushing and 14 more scores, while averaging 6.71 yards per carry. If you are looking for a breakout star that should be getting more national attention, this is your candidate for that role.
Shane Buechele, SMU
Taking over for Ben Hicks will be Buechele, who fell out of favor at Texas the moment Tom Herman landed in Austin. He was never going to beat out Sam Ehlinger for the job again, so he moved on and found a landing spot in Dallas with the Mustangs and coach Sonny Dykes, as Ben Hicks moved on to Arkansas. Buechele should flourish in Dykes' offense. He was solid, but unspectacular, as a freshman for Charlie Strong at Texas, as he passed for 246.5 yards per game, with 21 TDs to 11 picks, while completing 60.4% of his passes. He was limited by injury as a sophomore in 2017, playing just 9 games. He passed for just 156 yards per game that season, but completed 64.3 % of his passes, which was still a nearly 7% bonus above what Ehlinger did that season. He repeated his accuracy increase last fall to 68.2% in 2018, but played in just 2 games. With his accuracy levels being what they are, he should be a hero in the SMU offensive system.
Brady White, Memphis
White may not be as effective as Riley Ferguson was, but he was completely dependable in 2018 as a first year starter, and should show signs of development as a senior in Mike Norvell's system in 2019. He passed for 3296 yards and 26 TDs to just 9 INTs on the year, and completed 62.8% of his passes. He averaged 235 yards passing per game, while the Tigers adjusted to a more balanced attack, with more emphasis on the run game. Some talent has moved on from that run game, so he may need to take on an increased work load this fall, which should be fun to watch.
Desmond Ritter, Cincinnati
There has been no secret that the QB position at Cincinnati has been a rotating door of slop for some time now. There is also no doubt that with the installation of Ritter at QB last fall, the Bearcats shocked everyone and made a legitimate run at an AAC title under Luke Fickell as head coach. It would seem that the dark times have moved for the Bearcats. Ridder passed for 2445 yards with 20 TDs to just 5 INTs, and rushed for 572 yards and 3 more scores, all as a freshman.
Holton Ahlers, East Carolina
Ahlers makes this list based on his 4:1 TD to INT ratio last season, but he has a long road to travel. Still, he showed some flashes that he can get the job done, but first, he must improve upon his dismal accuracy, as he completed just 48.8% of his passes as a freshman. Still, there is plenty to mold for a new coaching staff under Mike Houston, who replaces Scottie Montgomery, who was an abject failure as head coach of the once proud Pirates. If ECU is to get back on track as being a power in this league, it all starts at the QB position, and while he is the likely starter, there is no guarantee until the new staff has evaluated the position in camps.
Darriel Mack, Jr., UCF
With Milton out this season with his injury, it all falls on Mack, a talented, yet streaky performer, who will have to carry a large load with plenty of expectations. Mack had some streaks that were just hard to watch in the AAC title game and in the bowl game against LSU, but still showed enough promise that he should be considered the starter from day one. He will be one of the biggest position question marks heading into 2019 in the AAC, but if it all works out, he could become a rising star.
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