College Football 2011: 10 Starting QBs Who Should Be on the Bench
It's usually understood in football circles that a quarterback is supposed to lead his team to victory.
He is not, however, supposed to lead in bone-headed plays, dumb mistakes and foolish decisions.
If you are hoping to see Terrelle Pryor on this list, don't waste your time.
Instead, you will find starting quarterbacks who are currently in line to continue starting for their team, but really deserve to ride the pine.
They may have made this list because they have an apt replacement, or it could be they were just absolutely atrocious last season and no fan deserves to be subjected to that punishment two years in a row.
This is not a rundown of the worst QBs in the nation, but guys who have fooled us into believing they belong when their numbers tell a different tale.
So take a moment, check this out and then go back to watching Auburn players admitting they were paid to play.
10. Larry Smith: Vanderbilt Commodores
1 of 10
Poor Larry...
It's tough playing for the Commodores.
Smith was the worst among qualified players in passer efficiency ratings and his completion percentage of 47.4 percent is worse than Shaq's career free-throw percentage.
Add to this grim tale the fact that he only threw six touchdown passes and five interceptions, and it goes from grim to absolutely gruesome.
9. Dayne Crist: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
2 of 10
While Crist was sitting out the last four games of the season with a knee injury, his backup, Tommy Rees, was winning games.
While Crist lost four out of eight games he started, Rees found a way to win all four of the contests in which he got the nod.
Brian Kelly has made it very clear that whoever starts this season will have to earn it, and Crist may very well have lost his starting position permanently.
This is not entirely a bad thing, as Rees is only a sophomore going into next season. And with four years to mature as a starter, he may turn into the best quarterback the Irish have seen in a long time.
8. Jeff Tuel: Washington State Cougars
3 of 10
Unlike Crist, Tuel did not miss any games last season—although he probably should have.
The Cougars finished an abysmal 2-10 and Tuel's twelve interceptions were a big part of that.
If he can find a way to make better decisions, then he deserves to start, but should he continue to have the decision-making capability of an angry soccer parent, then he needs to take a seat on the bench.
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7. Ryan Nassib: Syracuse Orange
4 of 10
Syracuse has never really been a mecca for transcendent quarterbacks and last season was no exception to that rule.
Nassib completed only 56 percent of his passes and he did throw five touchdowns against Maine.
Again, it was Maine—so a quarter of his touchdowns came against awful competition in one game.
Unless Nassib finds a way to pick up his game, he deserves to sit on the bench.
6. James Vandenberg: Iowa Hawkeyes
5 of 10
Vandenberg was a serviceable replacement for the departed Ricky Stanzi when the Hawkeyes played Ohio State in 2009.
He is similar in style to Stanzi and will be an OK quarterback if he starts.
However, if Kirk Ferentz is a wise man, he will bench Vandenberg and start redshirt freshman A.J. Derby.
Derby is super athletic and would bring a whole new dimension to the Hawkeyes' already strong run game.
5. B.J. Daniels: South Florida Bulls
6 of 10
While Daniels is a tremendous athlete, quarterback may not be the position for him to showcase that talent.
He finished last season with a dreadful passer rating and his 13 interceptions to 11 touchdowns seem to be crying out for a seat on the sideline.
4. Jordan Webb: Kansas Jayhawks
7 of 10
Jordan Webb took over the starting duties for the Jayhawks midway through their first game of the season.
He started every game the rest of the season—except for three he missed due to injury—and yet finished the season with more interceptions than touchdowns.
Webb was only a freshman, but Turner Gill has apt replacements in Kale Pick or Quinn Mecham if he is tired of seeing Webb's foibles.
3. John Brantley: Florida Gators
8 of 10
This second coming of Tim Tebow was not all he was supposed to be.
Although he is a very talented kid, Brantley was a huge letdown for the Gators last season.
With all the talent new coach Will Muschamp has waiting in the wings, Brantley needs to improve his numbers—especially considering he ended up throwing more picks than scores.
Combine those woes with his 89th overall passer efficiency rating, and you have a recipe for a benched Gator.
2. Richard Brehaut: UCLA Bruins
9 of 10
Brehaut may be one of the worst starting quarterbacks in UCLA history, but fortunately for him, his backups are worse.
Brehaut started the last eight games of the season for the Bruins last year and led them to losses in six of those games.
He will have to improve his accuracy, as his 56-percent completion rate is less than mind blowing and his seven interceptions to only six TDs are mildly disappointing, to say the least.
Other than his accuracy, footwork, arm strength and decision making, Brehaut looks great headed into 2011.
1. Jacory Harris: Miami Hurricanes
10 of 10
JH12 has tremendous potential, but has never lived up to the hype.
He is incredibly adept at completing passes—to the opposition.
Harris finished last season with 15 interceptions to only 14 touchdowns.
While sophomore Stephen Morris is the best option for the 'Canes at QB, he is currently listed third behind Harris and Spencer Whipple, who spent much of last season a holder for place kickers...
New coach Al Golden has made it very clear that hard work will be rewarded and Harris has yet to demonstrate a penchant for a great work ethic.
While he looks more like Sebastian the Ibis than a football player, Jacory has plenty of talent, but Morris should get the nod for the good of the 'Canes future.
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