The NCAA 10: Top Coaches Who Could Play

he helped lead OSU to a 10-2 mark and a Holiday Bowl thumping of Wyoming, 62-14.  In that Junior campaign he was second in the nation in QB efficiency at 158.2, behind only Washington State’s Timm Rosenbach and ahead of Heisman finalists: USC’s Rodney Peete and UCLA’s Troy Aikman.  He was 153-236 for 2,163 yards, 19 TDs and 12 Ints. 

 

Granted, he was given the gift of handing off to the likes of Thurman Thomas and Barry Sanders (who won the Heisman in 1988) but he graduated as the all-time leader in passing at both Oklahoma State and in Big 8 history.

 

9. Frank Solich, FB, Nebraska (Head Coach: Ohio)

 

Known as “fearless Frankie” while with the Cornhuskers, Solich was an All Big 8 selection in 1965 and the first Nebraska player to rush for over 200 yards in a single game.  He was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated that year, and was later inducted into the Husker Hall of Fame.

 

8. Stan Brock, OT, Colorado (Head Coach: Army)

 

Brock was a Sporting News All-American in 1979 for the Buffaloes, on his way to becoming a first round draft pick (#12 overall) of the New Orleans Saints.  He would parlay that into a long and successful 16-year NFL career.

 

7. Sylvester Croom, C, Alabama (Head Coach: Mississippi State)

 

As captain, he helped Bear Bryant and the Crimson Tide to three SEC titles (as well as a National Title in 1973) and was an All-American center in 1974.

 

6. Rick Neuheisel, QB, UCLA (Head Coach: UCLA)

 

In 1983, his senior year with the Bruins, Neuheisel was fifth in the nation in QB efficiency at 142.5 (just ahead of UNLV’s Randall Cunningham and behind the nation’s leader, BYU’s Steve Young).  He was 163-236 for 1,947 yards, 9 TDs and 10 Ints, while leading UCLA to a 7-4-1 mark and garnering Rose Bowl MVP honors, beating #4 Illinois 45-9.

 

5. Turner Gill, QB, Nebraska (Head Coach: Buffalo)

 

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