Who's next? Examining the CFB QBs set to take over for 2023 stars

Spring is in the air, and with it is college football fans' first glimpse of several quarterbacks stepping into the massive shoes left behind by future NFL pros.

LSU and USC, which meet in the 2024 season opener in Las Vegas, must replace Heisman Trophy-winning quarterbacks, while Michigan moves on from its national championship-winning quarterback.

Big Ten newcomers Oregon and Washington have also turned the pages from last season's Heisman finalists.

Here's a forecast of the quarterback situation at each of the five universities as teams conduct spring practices. 

LSU Tigers

Out: Jayden Daniels | In: Garrett Nussmeier

LSU must have liked what it saw from Garrett Nussmeier during last Saturday's spring game. The fourth-year Tigers quarterback was a perfect 7-of-7 for 187 yards and two touchdowns, showing that while the defense remains a work in progress, the offense might not decline in 2024.

Nussmeier, the son of former NFL quarterback and current Eagles quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier, is much more of a gunslinger than Daniels, who was meticulous about where he threw the football. Garrett will likely take bigger risks, which could be to both the Tigers' advantage and disadvantage.

Michigan Wolverines

Out: J.J. McCarthy | In: Alex Orji

Michigan's spring game this Saturday, its first under head coach Sherrone Moore, will mark fans' first chance to see how Alex Orji operates the first-team offense. 

He's mostly served as a seldom-used wildcat quarterback in Michigan's offense the past two seasons, gaining 123 yards and scoring three touchdowns on 21 carries. He only has one career pass attempt, a five-yard completion against Connecticut on Sept. 17, 2022.

Oregon Ducks

Out: Bo Nix | In: Dillon Gabriel

No team is better positioned to move on from its star 2023 quarterback than Oregon. The Ducks added former UCF and Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel via the transfer portal earlier this year, and he'll give head coach Dan Lanning a legitimate shot to lead the program to a conference title in its first season as a Big Ten member.

The sixth-year senior has 125 career passing touchdowns, 31 shy of breaking Case Keenum's record set in 2011.

USC Trojans

Out: Caleb Williams | In: Miller Moss

USC has one of the bigger questions at quarterback with Miller Moss taking the reins from 2022 Heisman winner Williams. A 2021 recruiting class member, Moss stuck around following Clay Helton's firing and should be in line to start in his third year in head coach Lincoln Riley's offense.

Moss has 92 career pass attempts and is 58-of-79 for 840 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception under Riley.

Washington Huskies

Out: Michael Penix Jr. | In: Will Rogers

The former Mississippi State quarterback committed to the Huskies when Kalen DeBoer led the program, but head coach Jedd Fisch, who coached Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita to a strong season in 2023, convinced Rogers to stay in Seattle.

The four-year Bulldogs starter set multiple program records at Mississippi State, including passing yards (12,315), touchdowns (94) and completion percentage among quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts (69.3 percent).