Ranking the Big-12 Quarterbacks

This is, officially, the year that the Big-12 passes the SEC in conference dominance. This could possibly be the best Big-12 class that has ever been put together, and it shows. All this due largely in part to the Big-12 Quarterbacks who have been simply astonishing. It is almost guaranteed that at least 3 of the Heisman finalists will be from the B-12 and will be QBs. The Quarterbacks are so good that a guy like Oklahoma State’s junior Zac Robinson, one of only three quarterbacks in the nation to rush for more than 800 yards and throw for more than 2,800 last season, can't get a sliver of national attention. When it comes to QB rating, the Big-12 owns 4 of the top 5 spots, 3 of 5 in passing yards, 3 in completion %, 4 in TD passes, and on and on and on. The Big-12 Quarterbacks are simply blowing away opponents and putting up some hefty numbers doing so.

The proven talent at this position goes way deep in the conference. Yet each of them has something to prove either as an individual or as the leader of a team for the rest of this college football season. For example, Mizzou’s Chase Daniel(no ‘s’) must beat Texas and win in the Big-12 Championship to have a shot at the National Championship, as well as the Heisman Trophy. If 2008 continues to fulfill its headline as The Year of the Quarterback in the Big 12, it will be because these 12 players have overcome the hurdles that await them.

With that said, I have brought it upon myself to rank the top-5 Big-12 QBs from best to “worst”.

Note: These rankings have NOTHING to do with NFL potential or readiness but to do with their ability in the NCAA and how they conduct themselves on the football field.


1. Colt McCoy
In 2006, McCoy surpassed all expectations for a redshirt freshman. He even set a then-NCAA first-year record with 29 touchdown passes. Last season, that number fell to 22, while his interceptions rose from seven to 18. Mack Brown took all responsibility of McCoy’s “decline” saying that they put too much on him, asking him to lead that team as a sophomore, and also pointed out the Colt was simply not ready to be that guy that everyone thought he was.

After a year of maturing and preparing to become the leader of his team, McCoy is pwning everybody. Halfway through the season, you would have to admit that Colt has the Heisman firmly in grasp. McCoy, like Matt Stafford of Georgia, can combine the benefit of two years' experience with an easier brand of leadership that comes with age.


2. Sam Bradford
Bradford led the nation in passing efficiency as a freshman with a rating of 176.5, which was a tie for the seventh-best single-season rating in history. He threw 36 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, and he completed 69.5 percent of his passes. I would say Bradford has more than proven that he has received his vaccine for a sophomore slump.

Bradford is 2nd in the nation in TD passes and leads in QB rating, the list goes on and on. Sure, his team lost to Texas this past week, (which was why I flip-flopped him and McCoy) but Bradford still threw for a mind-blowing 390 yards and 5 touchdowns. His only Achilles heal might be interceptions. He threw 2 against Texas and is on pace for 12 on the year which might be a little more than desired when you consider he really isn’t throwing that much.


3. Chase Daniel
The senior from Southlake, Texas, has played his entire career as if he has needed to prove something. He had to prove Texas wrong after they stopped recruiting him after his Junior year in high school. He had to prove that a man of his size (6-0, 225) could play big-time quarterback. He had to prove that Missouri should be taken seriously in the conference and on national stage. Daniel has done all of that. He has thrown for 10,235 yards, 78 touchdowns and only 27 interceptions (all Mizzou records). Last season, he was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and finished fourth in the Heisman vote.

Now, he needs to prove that he can rebound himself and his team from an embarrassing loss to Oklahoma State that should have never ever happened. Daniel threw the ball 52 times for 390 yards, 1 TD, and (oh my) 3 INTs. Some think that the OKST game draws a close to all Heisman hopes for Chase but I would have to disagree. With big wins over Texas, Kansas, and then the B-12 Championship, not only would Chase become the front-runner again but would also propel his team back toward #1.


4. Graham Herrell
Like his predecessors in Lubbock, Harrell has stats on steroids. In 2007, Harrell threw for 5,705 yards and 48 touchdowns, both of which led the nation. But, like Kliff Kingsbury, B.J. Symons, Sonny Cumbie and Cody Hodges before him, Harrell has garnered more stats than he has respect. Unfortunately, the skepticism will continue even while the Red Raiders challenge for the Big 12 South championship.

Most skeptics think the way they do because, yes, Texas Tech throws the ball like nobody out there. Herrell threw it 713 times last year and is on pace for 600 this year. He already has more attempts than most teams will gather all season. However, this year is different than last for Herrell. Herrell has only thrown 3 interceptions so far compared to last year’s 7 at this point in time. He finished with 14 last year and will be around 6 this year. That will grab many voters when they case their ballot. It takes an extremely good QB to only throw 6 interceptions on 600 pass attempts.


5. Todd Reesing
The Jayhawks went 12-1 last season in no small part because of Reesing. He is listed at 5-11, which must be in his platform cleats, yet Reesing threw for 3,486 yards, 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He also proved, as Texas Tech coach Mike Leach has said all along, that the spread offense doesn't need tall quarterbacks, only smart ones.

Todd is off to a very familiar start for himself in his Junior year, on pace for more pass yards but three fewer TDs. However, it is evident that the Jayhawks are not quite as good as their team last year but still has a respectable 16th ranking. He will have to show what he is made of with some ridiculous games left that include: #1 Texas, #4 Oklahoma, #7 Texas Tech, #11 Mizzou, as well as Nebraska. That means that Kansas only has two games left that they will be favored in and only one sure-thing win. Pretty stupid of me to say that though, as this season has been anything but sure-thing.


There you have it. There aren’t many (if any) conferences out there that can say their #5 QB is as good as Todd Reesing is, and there aren’t any that can say they have 5 QBs as superior that these men are.

Please tell me what you think at the comment section below.


Justin Hulsey
StLDieHard24@gmail.com