Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Historical Debate ... Quarterback U.
By Pete Fiutak
Unlike Richard Cirminiello, I don't care a lick about pro production when it comes to schools producing great quarterbacks. Is UL Lafayette suddenly a great quarterback school because Jake Delhomme went there? All I care about is college production in college careers.
Also, forget about NFL-type talent and go by what actually happened on the field. Going back to 1970 and knowing what you know now, which schools had the best quarterback production at the highest level?
John Elway might be the greatest quarterback of all-time, but he never led Stanford to a bowl game. Johnny Unitas is one of the all-time legends, but was average at best at Louisville. On the flip side, Eric Crouch won a Heisman and led Nebraska to a national title game, but Canton isn't going to be calling anytime soon.
So without further ado, here are the 20 schools that produced the best college quarterbacks since around 1970 along with the five greatest quarterbacks for each team. Once again, this is based on production and not just talent. Only college players from, roughly, the past 35 or so years have been considered.
1. Miami
No school had more big-time performers play better in the biggest games and produce at a higher level. Year after year after year the Canes have fielded the quarterbacks that led the way to one of the most impressive two decade runs in college football history. Interestingly enough, the two Heisman winners, Vinny Testaverde and Gino Torretta, had some of the most painful performances in national title games.
Miami's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Ken Dorsey - Miami has had more talented quarterbacks, but none of them won like Dorsey did and few had his flair for the dramatic. He was the quarterback for the return of Miami football to elite status.
2) Steve Wash - Don't forget that Miami was seen as a bit of a choker program under Jimmy Johnson until Walsh led the Canes to a title in 1987. He was a mysterious Cleveland Gary fumble against Notre Dame away from going 24-0 and winning two straight national titles. He was the most clutch of all the Cane QBs.
3) Vinny Testaverde - He might have been the greatest Cane QB had he won a national title and not struggled in two stunning bowl losses.
4) Bernie Kosar - Watch the first half of the 1984 Orange Bowl classic against Nebraska and try and find a quarterback that showed more pinpoint accuracy in a big game.
5) Jim Kelly - It's hard to keep Craig Erickson and Heisman-winner Gino Torretta off the list, but Kelly was the one that started the unbelievable run of great players.
2. USC
Known for being Tailback U., USC has jumped up the charts in recent seasons thanks to Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. Leinart's amazing three year run as the starter almost single-handedly boosted the Trojans to number two on the list. The sheer number of great quarterbacks has helped with stars like Rodney Peete, Pat Haden and Paul McDonald the leaders of some of the best teams over the last 35 years.
USC's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Matt Leinart - Arguably the greatest college quarterback of all-time, Leinart won three BCS games, one national title, two AP national titles, a Heisman, and came within a transcendent performance by Vince Young away from another title.
2) Carson Palmer - Palmer came to USC as the golden boy, can't-miss recruit. He fell short of expectations for three years, and then put it all together under the tutelage of Norm Chow winning the Heisman with a 3,942-yard, 33 touchdown season bringing USC football back to prominence.
3) Paul McDonald - Overshadowed by the great Charles White, McDonald still put up great stats and led the Trojans to the 1978 national title. Remembering that White put up over 3,909 rushing yards in 1978 and 1979, McDonald threw for 3,913 yards during those two years with 37 touchdowns. He completed 62% of his throws in 1979.
4) Rodney Peete - A great three-year starter who was slightly overshadowed by playing in the same town as UCLA's Troy Aikman.
5) Rob Johnson - His three-year numbers were outstanding throwing 56 touchdown passes from 1992 to 1994 completing 65% of his throws.
3. Florida State
Overshadowed by Miami's quarterback success, Florida State hasn't quite gotten the credit it deserves as a quarterback factory. The Noles have cranked out two Heisman winners and several great field generals. Quick, name the great NFL receivers from Florida State before Peter Warrick, Laveraneues Coles, Javon Walker and the recent flurry of great players. These guys have gotten the job done in the biggest games with a bull's-eye squarely on their backs over the last two decades.
Florida State's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Charlie Ward - The perfect college quarterback, he was a great player on and off the field winning the Heisman and getting Bobby Bowden his elusive national title.
2) Chris Weinke - Had he not gotten hurt in 1998 he would have been been the starter in three national title games. He never got his just due as one of the all-time greats because of his age.
3) Thad Busby - Completely forgotten about by most college football fans, Busby threw for 3,317 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was two losses to Florida away from being unbeaten and winning two national titles.
4) Danny McManus - He was the leader at the beginning of the epic FSU run of top four finishes. If the Noles hadn't screwed up on special teams against Miami, McManus would have been the quarterback of the 1987 national champions.
5) Danny Kanell - His 57 career touchdown passes weren't bad. He'll always be remembered as the quarterback in the classic loss to Virginia and the one who engineered the comeback in the 31-31 tie against Florida in 1996.
4. BYU
The roll call of great quarterbacks is mesmerizing. Everyone knows about legends like Ty Detmer and Jim McMahon, but lesser known playmakers like Brandon Doman and Jon Walsh put up impressive seasons that kept the tradition rolling. BYU didn't face the killer schedules that other great teams played, and there's a thought that the system rolled up mega-numbers game-in-and-game-out against average teams. Who cares? These guys were really, really good always in the Heisman mix from the mid-1970s until 1991.
BYU's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Ty Detmer - He set the bar high for future quarterbacks to shoot for with his passing records. He left as the NCAA's all-time passing leader and won the Heisman with a magical 1990 season highlighted by his nationally televised 28-21 win over Miami.
2) Jim McMahon - There were other great BYU quarterbacks before him, but he was the one who gave the docile BYU program a cocky attitude when it came to the passing attack while setting a ton of records.
3) Robbie Bosco - While many college football fans still have issues with BYU's 1984 national title season, you have to give credit where credit is due; Bosco won a national title. His stats weren't too shabby, either, throwing 63 touchdown passes and for 8,148 yards in two years.
4) Steve Young - One of the best all-around quarterbacks of all-time, Young threw 51 touchdown passes and 7,002 yards in two years.
5) Gifford Nielson - Gary Sheide had some big years before Nielson, but Nielson was the one who put the BYU passing game on the map making it nationally known.
5. Nebraska
It's hard for some to get past the thought that a quarterback is only a quarterback if he throws the ball. Leadership, winning, effectiveness and decision making are every bit as important. Bottom line for a quarterback: Did he win? Nebraska quarterbacks were some of the most devastating offensive weapons in college football history as the leaders of some of the greatest teams. Tommie Frazier was the greatest quarterback to never win a Heisman, Scott Frost was one of the best unsung quarterbacks ever, and Eric Crouch won the Heisman and got Nebraska to a national title game. Others like Steve Taylor, Turner Gill, David Humm and Jerry Tagge were among the best quarterbacks in the game during their time.
Nebraska's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Tommie Frazier - Arguably the greatest college quarterback of all-time, he was a missed field goal away from winning three national championships and was the leader of the 1995 team which was, arguably, the best team of all-time.
2) Eric Crouch - The three-year starter fought off an early quarterback controversy to win the Heisman and lead the Huskers to the BCS championship game. In that 2001 Heisman winning year he ran for 1,115 rushing yards to go along with his 1,510 passing yards.
3) Jerry Tagge - From 1969 to 1971 he cranked out 5,283 total yards of offense leading the Huskers to two national titles.
4) Scott Frost - One of the most under-appreciated quarterbacks of all-time, Frost led the Huskers to a piece of a national championship with a tremendous 1997 season rushing for 1,095 yards and throwing for 1,237. He was the first Husker to run and throw for 1,000 yards in a season.
5) Turner Gill - Possibly the most talented all-around Husker quarterback, Gill was the ultimate field general to go along with his passing efficiency.
6. Florida
This might seem too low considering all the high-octane performers under Steve Spurrier, but take Danny Wuerffel out of the mix and too many of the stars came up short in the biggest of the big games. Other than BYU, the schools ahead of Florida had quarterbacks in national title games. Florida had Wuerffel. This study goes back to roughly 1970, but I'm still including Spurrier since he's still such a relevant figure.
Florida's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Danny Wuerffel - Arguably one of the five greatest college quarterbacks ever, Wuerffel was the one who ran Spurrier's offense better than anyone else with two national title appearances and the Ball Coach's lone championship.
2) Steve Spurrier - Yeah he played before 1970, but the future Ball Coach won the Heisman and is still the most popular of all the Gator quarterbacks.
3) Rex Grossman - Can we do a recount and give him the 2001 Heisman? He threw for 77 career touchdowns and 9,164 yards, but his legacy is a bit tainted by the loss to Tennessee in 2001 that would have propelled the Gators to the SEC title game and with a win, a showdown with Miami for the national title.
4) Shane Matthews - The first great Spurrier quarterback led the SEC in passing for three straight years and threw 74 touchdown passes and 9,287 passing yards.
5) Kerwin Bell - Bell threw 56 touchdown passes, the best in SEC history. With Florida on probation in 1984 and 1985, his tremendous seasons fell by the wayside. His production fell off in 1986 and 1987 on teams that weren't nearly as strong, but he still remained a fan favorite.
7. Oklahoma
There's no greater gap in styles than there is in the Oklahoma quarterbacks. You have some of the greatest option runners of all-time mixed in with Heisman-caliber passer. If nothing else, OU might have the most fun-to-watch quarterbacks of all-time whether it's J.C. Watts flinging a pitch to a streaking Billy Sims, Jamelle Holieway juking and cutting up the field or Jason White letting it fly deep.
Oklahoma's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Jamelle Holieway - He never made an All-America team and wasn't in the Heisman mix. However, he's generally considered the greatest option quarterback of all-time and led the Sooners to the 1985 national title. Always a top runner leading the team in rushing in his sophomore and junior seasons, he became an improved passer by his senior year with a 161.73 efficiency rating.
2) Jason White - White had a Heisman and two national title appearances, Holieway has a championship. Flip a coin as to which one deserves the top spot.
3) Josh Heupel - The quarterback in the resurgence of Sooner football, he was the steady leader that brought OU the 2000 national title and was the runner-up in the Heisman race with a 33 touchdown, 3,850-yard season. His threw for 7,456 yards in two seasons.
4) J.C. Watts - The best option quarterback ever until Holieway came along, Watts led the Sooners to two Big 8 championships and two Orange Bowl wins.
5) Jack Mildren - A three-year starter, Mildren suffered from being the quarterback of some monster OU teams at the same time Nebraska was at the height of its power. He had a passer efficiency rating of 199.52 in 1971.
8. Purdue
Purdue has cranked out a stunning array of great passing quarterbacks. While this exercise only looks at the last 35 years or so, an exception is being made here for Bob Griese, who played from 1964 to 1966. If I'm going to include Steve Spurrier for Florida, I have to put the still-prominent Griese on the list. Few schools were as consistent with its great players as there was a succession of top players starting with Len Dawson in the 1950s to Griese and Mike Phipps in the 1960s to Gary Danielson and Mark Hermann in the 1970s to Scott Campbell and Jim Everett in the 1980s to Drew Brees in the 1990s.
Purdue's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Drew Brees - Bob Griese was great, but Brees put up such astronomical numbers with 11,792 career yards and 90 touchdowns that it's too hard not to make him number one. That he took the Boilermakers to the Rose Bowl in 2000 seals it.
2) Bob Griese - He threw more career interceptions than touchdowns, but he was a two-time All-American and Heisman runner-up who led Purdue to a Rose Bowl win in 1968.
3) Mark Herrmann - A four-year starter, Herrmann was the first high-octane passer in Boilermaker history throwing for 9,946 yards and 71 touchdowns.
4) Scott Campbell - Good enough to keep Jim Everett on the bench for two years, Campbell took over for Mark Herrmann and kept the passing attack flying throwing for 7,636 yards and 45 touchdowns starting for three seasons.
5) Jim Everett - Take your pick between Everett or Kyle Orton here. Everett had a phenomenal final two years of a great career throwing for 6,907 yards with 41 touchdown passes.
9. Michigan
Considering it's always thought of as a tough, grind-it-out Big Ten running team, Michigan has put up an impressive array of great passers over the years. There hasn't been too many Heisman-caliber, everyone's-All-America superstars, but there have been plenty fantastic passers that won big games, championships and in the case of Brian Griese, a national title. There are few more demanding places to play as the starter not only has to deal with 100,000+ fans, he has to deal with playing against defenses that crank their gameplans up an extra notch during Michigan-week.
Michigan's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Rick Leach - The most decorated of all the recent Wolverine quarterbacks, Leach was a three-time All-Big Ten selection who finished third in the Heisman in 1978, was in the running in 1976 and got some votes in the Big Ten title winning 1977 season. He set the NCAA record for the most touchdowns accounted for (82) and broke the Big Ten records for total offense, total plays and touchdown passes.
2) Jim Harbaugh - He finished third in the 1985 Heisman voting and set many of the school's passing records. He went 23-3-1 in his final two seasons finishing with a 1986 Big Ten title.
3) Elvis Grbac - A four-year starter, Grbac took Michigan to three Rose Bowls while setting the record for most touchdown passes in a season with 25 in 1991. He finished his career with 71 touchdown passes and 6,460 yards.
4) John Navarre - He never, ever got the respect he deserved. His numbers are kinder to him than the fans ever were finishing his career as Michigan's all-time leading passer throwing for 9,254 yards and 72 touchdowns culminating with a Big Ten title in 2003.
5) Brian Griese - It's all about the championships, and Griese finally got the program over the national title hump in 1997. He was coldly efficient always coming up with the key third down pass needed to keep drives, and the season, alive completing 63% of his passes.
10. Tennessee
Tennessee has had a fantastic mix of superstars and steady role players over the years. Obviously Peyton Manning is the superstar of the bunch, but there were other great quarterbacks that somehow have been forgotten about by most college football fans. Tee Martin won a national title, Casey Clausen was a great four-year rock of a starter, and Heath Shuler was one of the school's most dynamic players.
Tennessee's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Peyton Manning - The standard for all SEC quarterbacks, Manning finished his career with 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns and a second-place finish in the 1997 Heisman. However, he'll also always be remembered for not beating Florida and only winning one SEC title with some of the most talented teams in college football.
2) Tee Martin - It was his steady leadership and clutch play that led the Vols to the 1998 national title. His stats weren't bad finishing his career with 4,592 yards and 32 touchdowns.
3) Casey Clausen - The Iceman had one of the better unheralded careers in recent college football history starting for four years finishing with 9,707 yards and 75 touchdown passes.
4) Andy Kelly - He was a strong passer for three years setting most of the Tennessee passing records until Manning came in and blew them all away. He led the Vols to a tremendous 11-1 season in 1989.
5) Heath Shuler - The Tennessee golden boy before Peyton Manning arrived, Shuler put up two fantastic years in 1992 and 1993 before making the mistake of jumping early for the NFL.
Honorable U.
The next ten greatest quarterback schools over the last 35 years (remember, based on college production)...
11. Notre Dame - the main man: Joe Montana
12. Washington - the main man: Warren Moon
13. Penn State - the main man: Todd Blackledge
14. Texas Tech - the main man: B.J. Symons
15. Auburn - the main man: Jason Campbell
16. Washington State - the main man: Ryan Leaf
17. Syracuse - the main man: Donovan McNabb
18. Stanford - the main man: Jim Plunkett
19. Houston - the main man: Andre Ware
20. California - the main man: Steve Bartkowski
By Pete Fiutak
Unlike Richard Cirminiello, I don't care a lick about pro production when it comes to schools producing great quarterbacks. Is UL Lafayette suddenly a great quarterback school because Jake Delhomme went there? All I care about is college production in college careers.
Also, forget about NFL-type talent and go by what actually happened on the field. Going back to 1970 and knowing what you know now, which schools had the best quarterback production at the highest level?
John Elway might be the greatest quarterback of all-time, but he never led Stanford to a bowl game. Johnny Unitas is one of the all-time legends, but was average at best at Louisville. On the flip side, Eric Crouch won a Heisman and led Nebraska to a national title game, but Canton isn't going to be calling anytime soon.
So without further ado, here are the 20 schools that produced the best college quarterbacks since around 1970 along with the five greatest quarterbacks for each team. Once again, this is based on production and not just talent. Only college players from, roughly, the past 35 or so years have been considered.
1. Miami
No school had more big-time performers play better in the biggest games and produce at a higher level. Year after year after year the Canes have fielded the quarterbacks that led the way to one of the most impressive two decade runs in college football history. Interestingly enough, the two Heisman winners, Vinny Testaverde and Gino Torretta, had some of the most painful performances in national title games.
Miami's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Ken Dorsey - Miami has had more talented quarterbacks, but none of them won like Dorsey did and few had his flair for the dramatic. He was the quarterback for the return of Miami football to elite status.
2) Steve Wash - Don't forget that Miami was seen as a bit of a choker program under Jimmy Johnson until Walsh led the Canes to a title in 1987. He was a mysterious Cleveland Gary fumble against Notre Dame away from going 24-0 and winning two straight national titles. He was the most clutch of all the Cane QBs.
3) Vinny Testaverde - He might have been the greatest Cane QB had he won a national title and not struggled in two stunning bowl losses.
4) Bernie Kosar - Watch the first half of the 1984 Orange Bowl classic against Nebraska and try and find a quarterback that showed more pinpoint accuracy in a big game.
5) Jim Kelly - It's hard to keep Craig Erickson and Heisman-winner Gino Torretta off the list, but Kelly was the one that started the unbelievable run of great players.
2. USC
Known for being Tailback U., USC has jumped up the charts in recent seasons thanks to Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart. Leinart's amazing three year run as the starter almost single-handedly boosted the Trojans to number two on the list. The sheer number of great quarterbacks has helped with stars like Rodney Peete, Pat Haden and Paul McDonald the leaders of some of the best teams over the last 35 years.
USC's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Matt Leinart - Arguably the greatest college quarterback of all-time, Leinart won three BCS games, one national title, two AP national titles, a Heisman, and came within a transcendent performance by Vince Young away from another title.
2) Carson Palmer - Palmer came to USC as the golden boy, can't-miss recruit. He fell short of expectations for three years, and then put it all together under the tutelage of Norm Chow winning the Heisman with a 3,942-yard, 33 touchdown season bringing USC football back to prominence.
3) Paul McDonald - Overshadowed by the great Charles White, McDonald still put up great stats and led the Trojans to the 1978 national title. Remembering that White put up over 3,909 rushing yards in 1978 and 1979, McDonald threw for 3,913 yards during those two years with 37 touchdowns. He completed 62% of his throws in 1979.
4) Rodney Peete - A great three-year starter who was slightly overshadowed by playing in the same town as UCLA's Troy Aikman.
5) Rob Johnson - His three-year numbers were outstanding throwing 56 touchdown passes from 1992 to 1994 completing 65% of his throws.
3. Florida State
Overshadowed by Miami's quarterback success, Florida State hasn't quite gotten the credit it deserves as a quarterback factory. The Noles have cranked out two Heisman winners and several great field generals. Quick, name the great NFL receivers from Florida State before Peter Warrick, Laveraneues Coles, Javon Walker and the recent flurry of great players. These guys have gotten the job done in the biggest games with a bull's-eye squarely on their backs over the last two decades.
Florida State's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Charlie Ward - The perfect college quarterback, he was a great player on and off the field winning the Heisman and getting Bobby Bowden his elusive national title.
2) Chris Weinke - Had he not gotten hurt in 1998 he would have been been the starter in three national title games. He never got his just due as one of the all-time greats because of his age.
3) Thad Busby - Completely forgotten about by most college football fans, Busby threw for 3,317 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was two losses to Florida away from being unbeaten and winning two national titles.
4) Danny McManus - He was the leader at the beginning of the epic FSU run of top four finishes. If the Noles hadn't screwed up on special teams against Miami, McManus would have been the quarterback of the 1987 national champions.
5) Danny Kanell - His 57 career touchdown passes weren't bad. He'll always be remembered as the quarterback in the classic loss to Virginia and the one who engineered the comeback in the 31-31 tie against Florida in 1996.
4. BYU
The roll call of great quarterbacks is mesmerizing. Everyone knows about legends like Ty Detmer and Jim McMahon, but lesser known playmakers like Brandon Doman and Jon Walsh put up impressive seasons that kept the tradition rolling. BYU didn't face the killer schedules that other great teams played, and there's a thought that the system rolled up mega-numbers game-in-and-game-out against average teams. Who cares? These guys were really, really good always in the Heisman mix from the mid-1970s until 1991.
BYU's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Ty Detmer - He set the bar high for future quarterbacks to shoot for with his passing records. He left as the NCAA's all-time passing leader and won the Heisman with a magical 1990 season highlighted by his nationally televised 28-21 win over Miami.
2) Jim McMahon - There were other great BYU quarterbacks before him, but he was the one who gave the docile BYU program a cocky attitude when it came to the passing attack while setting a ton of records.
3) Robbie Bosco - While many college football fans still have issues with BYU's 1984 national title season, you have to give credit where credit is due; Bosco won a national title. His stats weren't too shabby, either, throwing 63 touchdown passes and for 8,148 yards in two years.
4) Steve Young - One of the best all-around quarterbacks of all-time, Young threw 51 touchdown passes and 7,002 yards in two years.
5) Gifford Nielson - Gary Sheide had some big years before Nielson, but Nielson was the one who put the BYU passing game on the map making it nationally known.
5. Nebraska
It's hard for some to get past the thought that a quarterback is only a quarterback if he throws the ball. Leadership, winning, effectiveness and decision making are every bit as important. Bottom line for a quarterback: Did he win? Nebraska quarterbacks were some of the most devastating offensive weapons in college football history as the leaders of some of the greatest teams. Tommie Frazier was the greatest quarterback to never win a Heisman, Scott Frost was one of the best unsung quarterbacks ever, and Eric Crouch won the Heisman and got Nebraska to a national title game. Others like Steve Taylor, Turner Gill, David Humm and Jerry Tagge were among the best quarterbacks in the game during their time.
Nebraska's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Tommie Frazier - Arguably the greatest college quarterback of all-time, he was a missed field goal away from winning three national championships and was the leader of the 1995 team which was, arguably, the best team of all-time.
2) Eric Crouch - The three-year starter fought off an early quarterback controversy to win the Heisman and lead the Huskers to the BCS championship game. In that 2001 Heisman winning year he ran for 1,115 rushing yards to go along with his 1,510 passing yards.
3) Jerry Tagge - From 1969 to 1971 he cranked out 5,283 total yards of offense leading the Huskers to two national titles.
4) Scott Frost - One of the most under-appreciated quarterbacks of all-time, Frost led the Huskers to a piece of a national championship with a tremendous 1997 season rushing for 1,095 yards and throwing for 1,237. He was the first Husker to run and throw for 1,000 yards in a season.
5) Turner Gill - Possibly the most talented all-around Husker quarterback, Gill was the ultimate field general to go along with his passing efficiency.
6. Florida
This might seem too low considering all the high-octane performers under Steve Spurrier, but take Danny Wuerffel out of the mix and too many of the stars came up short in the biggest of the big games. Other than BYU, the schools ahead of Florida had quarterbacks in national title games. Florida had Wuerffel. This study goes back to roughly 1970, but I'm still including Spurrier since he's still such a relevant figure.
Florida's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Danny Wuerffel - Arguably one of the five greatest college quarterbacks ever, Wuerffel was the one who ran Spurrier's offense better than anyone else with two national title appearances and the Ball Coach's lone championship.
2) Steve Spurrier - Yeah he played before 1970, but the future Ball Coach won the Heisman and is still the most popular of all the Gator quarterbacks.
3) Rex Grossman - Can we do a recount and give him the 2001 Heisman? He threw for 77 career touchdowns and 9,164 yards, but his legacy is a bit tainted by the loss to Tennessee in 2001 that would have propelled the Gators to the SEC title game and with a win, a showdown with Miami for the national title.
4) Shane Matthews - The first great Spurrier quarterback led the SEC in passing for three straight years and threw 74 touchdown passes and 9,287 passing yards.
5) Kerwin Bell - Bell threw 56 touchdown passes, the best in SEC history. With Florida on probation in 1984 and 1985, his tremendous seasons fell by the wayside. His production fell off in 1986 and 1987 on teams that weren't nearly as strong, but he still remained a fan favorite.
7. Oklahoma
There's no greater gap in styles than there is in the Oklahoma quarterbacks. You have some of the greatest option runners of all-time mixed in with Heisman-caliber passer. If nothing else, OU might have the most fun-to-watch quarterbacks of all-time whether it's J.C. Watts flinging a pitch to a streaking Billy Sims, Jamelle Holieway juking and cutting up the field or Jason White letting it fly deep.
Oklahoma's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Jamelle Holieway - He never made an All-America team and wasn't in the Heisman mix. However, he's generally considered the greatest option quarterback of all-time and led the Sooners to the 1985 national title. Always a top runner leading the team in rushing in his sophomore and junior seasons, he became an improved passer by his senior year with a 161.73 efficiency rating.
2) Jason White - White had a Heisman and two national title appearances, Holieway has a championship. Flip a coin as to which one deserves the top spot.
3) Josh Heupel - The quarterback in the resurgence of Sooner football, he was the steady leader that brought OU the 2000 national title and was the runner-up in the Heisman race with a 33 touchdown, 3,850-yard season. His threw for 7,456 yards in two seasons.
4) J.C. Watts - The best option quarterback ever until Holieway came along, Watts led the Sooners to two Big 8 championships and two Orange Bowl wins.
5) Jack Mildren - A three-year starter, Mildren suffered from being the quarterback of some monster OU teams at the same time Nebraska was at the height of its power. He had a passer efficiency rating of 199.52 in 1971.
8. Purdue
Purdue has cranked out a stunning array of great passing quarterbacks. While this exercise only looks at the last 35 years or so, an exception is being made here for Bob Griese, who played from 1964 to 1966. If I'm going to include Steve Spurrier for Florida, I have to put the still-prominent Griese on the list. Few schools were as consistent with its great players as there was a succession of top players starting with Len Dawson in the 1950s to Griese and Mike Phipps in the 1960s to Gary Danielson and Mark Hermann in the 1970s to Scott Campbell and Jim Everett in the 1980s to Drew Brees in the 1990s.
Purdue's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Drew Brees - Bob Griese was great, but Brees put up such astronomical numbers with 11,792 career yards and 90 touchdowns that it's too hard not to make him number one. That he took the Boilermakers to the Rose Bowl in 2000 seals it.
2) Bob Griese - He threw more career interceptions than touchdowns, but he was a two-time All-American and Heisman runner-up who led Purdue to a Rose Bowl win in 1968.
3) Mark Herrmann - A four-year starter, Herrmann was the first high-octane passer in Boilermaker history throwing for 9,946 yards and 71 touchdowns.
4) Scott Campbell - Good enough to keep Jim Everett on the bench for two years, Campbell took over for Mark Herrmann and kept the passing attack flying throwing for 7,636 yards and 45 touchdowns starting for three seasons.
5) Jim Everett - Take your pick between Everett or Kyle Orton here. Everett had a phenomenal final two years of a great career throwing for 6,907 yards with 41 touchdown passes.
9. Michigan
Considering it's always thought of as a tough, grind-it-out Big Ten running team, Michigan has put up an impressive array of great passers over the years. There hasn't been too many Heisman-caliber, everyone's-All-America superstars, but there have been plenty fantastic passers that won big games, championships and in the case of Brian Griese, a national title. There are few more demanding places to play as the starter not only has to deal with 100,000+ fans, he has to deal with playing against defenses that crank their gameplans up an extra notch during Michigan-week.
Michigan's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Rick Leach - The most decorated of all the recent Wolverine quarterbacks, Leach was a three-time All-Big Ten selection who finished third in the Heisman in 1978, was in the running in 1976 and got some votes in the Big Ten title winning 1977 season. He set the NCAA record for the most touchdowns accounted for (82) and broke the Big Ten records for total offense, total plays and touchdown passes.
2) Jim Harbaugh - He finished third in the 1985 Heisman voting and set many of the school's passing records. He went 23-3-1 in his final two seasons finishing with a 1986 Big Ten title.
3) Elvis Grbac - A four-year starter, Grbac took Michigan to three Rose Bowls while setting the record for most touchdown passes in a season with 25 in 1991. He finished his career with 71 touchdown passes and 6,460 yards.
4) John Navarre - He never, ever got the respect he deserved. His numbers are kinder to him than the fans ever were finishing his career as Michigan's all-time leading passer throwing for 9,254 yards and 72 touchdowns culminating with a Big Ten title in 2003.
5) Brian Griese - It's all about the championships, and Griese finally got the program over the national title hump in 1997. He was coldly efficient always coming up with the key third down pass needed to keep drives, and the season, alive completing 63% of his passes.
10. Tennessee
Tennessee has had a fantastic mix of superstars and steady role players over the years. Obviously Peyton Manning is the superstar of the bunch, but there were other great quarterbacks that somehow have been forgotten about by most college football fans. Tee Martin won a national title, Casey Clausen was a great four-year rock of a starter, and Heath Shuler was one of the school's most dynamic players.
Tennessee's five greatest quarterbacks
1) Peyton Manning - The standard for all SEC quarterbacks, Manning finished his career with 11,201 yards and 89 touchdowns and a second-place finish in the 1997 Heisman. However, he'll also always be remembered for not beating Florida and only winning one SEC title with some of the most talented teams in college football.
2) Tee Martin - It was his steady leadership and clutch play that led the Vols to the 1998 national title. His stats weren't bad finishing his career with 4,592 yards and 32 touchdowns.
3) Casey Clausen - The Iceman had one of the better unheralded careers in recent college football history starting for four years finishing with 9,707 yards and 75 touchdown passes.
4) Andy Kelly - He was a strong passer for three years setting most of the Tennessee passing records until Manning came in and blew them all away. He led the Vols to a tremendous 11-1 season in 1989.
5) Heath Shuler - The Tennessee golden boy before Peyton Manning arrived, Shuler put up two fantastic years in 1992 and 1993 before making the mistake of jumping early for the NFL.
Honorable U.
The next ten greatest quarterback schools over the last 35 years (remember, based on college production)...
11. Notre Dame - the main man: Joe Montana
12. Washington - the main man: Warren Moon
13. Penn State - the main man: Todd Blackledge
14. Texas Tech - the main man: B.J. Symons
15. Auburn - the main man: Jason Campbell
16. Washington State - the main man: Ryan Leaf
17. Syracuse - the main man: Donovan McNabb
18. Stanford - the main man: Jim Plunkett
19. Houston - the main man: Andre Ware
20. California - the main man: Steve Bartkowski