Projecting Every Conference's Best QBs for the 2023 CFB Season
The difference between poor quarterback play and a reliable signal-caller is a defining point of every college football season.
Last year, for example, programs such as TCU, USC and Washington ascended from mediocrity to a Top-10 final ranking thanks to a star QB.
Max Duggan rose to prominence and guided the Horned Frogs to an appearance in the national championship, while transfers Caleb Williams and Michael Penix Jr. turned USC and Washington, respectively, into Pac-12 contenders.
An outstanding quarterback can change the direction of any team.
Williams and Penix are among the best QBs for the 2023 season. However, since they're both in the Pac-12—a league stacked with talent at the position—we can only choose one of them as best in the conference.
The choices are subjective but based on returning production, incoming transfers and overall depth.
AAC: Tulane Green Wave
1 of 10
Considering what Michael Pratt accomplished in 2022, it's pretty sensible to stick with him, right?
The dual-threat quarterback threw for 3,010 yards at a terrific 8.9 per attempt, tossing 27 touchdowns to only five interceptions. He also rushed for 478 yards and 10 scores, leading Tulane to a 12-2 record with an AAC championship and victory over USC in the Cotton Bowl.
Yeah, be excited about Pratt.
Since running back Tyjae Spears is now in the NFL, Tulane will likely put more responsibility on Pratt. Even if that doesn't lead to winning the American again, the 21-year-old should keep the Green Wave in the race.
ACC: North Carolina Tar Heels
2 of 10
As the league abandons its two-division format, North Carolina's chances of reaching the ACC Championship Game have taken a substantial hit. Clemson and Florida State are solidly the conference's top teams.
Thanks to Drake Maye, though, the Tar Heels are the next threat.
In his first season as a starter, the 20-year-old finished second nationally with 358.5 yards of total offense per game. He passed for 4,321 yards, rushed for 698 and totaled 45 touchdowns compared to seven interceptions.
The departure of offensive coordinator Phil Longo is mildly concerning, but Maye's talent outweighs much of that worry. Plus, it helps that UNC landed wideouts Devontez Walker (Kent State) and Nate McCollum (Georgia Tech) to restock a receiving corps that lost All-American target Josh Downs and Antoine Green.
He'll produce at a high level in what's probably his final college season.
Big Ten: Michigan Wolverines
3 of 10
J.J. McCarthy is not a polished player. He is, however, an intriguing and established talent with evident upside.
Last year, the 20-year-old quickly overtook Cade McNamara as the Wolverines' starter. He didn't dominate all season, but he shepherded an elite roster to a second straight Big Ten crown and College Football Playoff trip.
Michigan undeniably took a run-first approach, leaning on Blake Corum and later Donovan Edwards. McCarthy, though, filled his role excellently. He limited mistakes while tallying 8.4 yards per attempt, throwing 22 touchdowns to five interceptions while adding 306 rushing yards.
For the Wolverines to chase a national title, McCarthy must be a more dynamic passer. But a full season of experience should lead to positive development in 2023.
Big 12: Kansas Jayhawks
4 of 10
Jalon Daniels is the 2023 version of college Patrick Mahomes.
No, I'm not suggesting the Jayhawks have a future NFL superstar at quarterback. But when Mahomes played at Texas Tech, he made the Red Raiders appointment viewing on my calendar. Although they didn't always win, that offense was straight-up fun to watch.
The story should be similar for Kansas, which emerged from a decade-long drought behind Daniels last season. He guided the Jayhawks to five straight wins before an injury derailed his breakout year.
He returned in November and saved his best for last.
In the Liberty Bowl opposite Arkansas, he racked up 565 total yards and six touchdowns. Daniels led an epic 25-point comeback to force overtime, a real accomplishment despite the 55-53 loss.
Hopefully, the Jayhawks will have a healthy Daniels for a full season in order to make a run at back-to-back postseason trips.
C-USA: Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
5 of 10
Austin Reed led the Football Bowl Subdivision in passing yards last season. That pretty much concludes this discussion.
Of course, it's not quite that simple. Context matters, and something like an overhauled coaching staff and rebuilt offense could be reason to temper expectations. But that's largely not the case for Reed and WKU.
Star receiver Malachi Corley is back, along with key complements Michael Mathison and Dalvin Smith.
Offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle left for Washington State, so Reed is adjusting to Drew Hollingshead. WKU coach Tyson Helton returns, though, so there is stability in the team's approach.
Reed probably won't stand atop the FBS again—that is an enormous bar, after all—but he might not be terribly far away, either.
MAC: Ohio Bobcats
6 of 10
The asterisk to know is Kurtis Rourke needs to fully recover from an ACL injury that ended his 2022 season in November.
Because the typical recovery time is around nine months, the timing of the setback made his availability for 2023, at the very least, an uncertainty. The latest news, thankfully, is promising. The 22-year-old didn't participate in the spring game, but he did warm up for it.
And the Bobcats should be eager to watch the encore.
Rourke threw for 3,256 yards at 9.2 per attempt with 25 touchdowns to four interceptions last season. He also scampered for 249 yards and four scores, leading Ohio to an 8-3 record in 11 starts.
Ohio, which lost to Toledo in the 2022 MAC Championship Game, is built to challenge for the league title if Rourke is healthy.
MWC: San Jose State Spartans
7 of 10
Heading into the season, the perception is San Jose State will likely struggle on defense. The unit's effectiveness cratered late in 2022 and now has to replace Viliami Fehoko Jr., Cade Hall and a handful of seniors.
At least the Spartans should put up some points.
Chevan Cordeiro, who transferred from Hawaii, totaled 3,516 yards and 32 touchdowns in his debut campaign. While the Spartans ended fourth in the conference in both points and yards per game, he guided the program to its second seven-win season over the last decade.
Cordeiro isn't a flashy player, but he's comfortable operating within Brent Brennan's system and is a stable presence.
Pac-12: USC Trojans
8 of 10
You see the above picture, yes? Sweet.
Caleb Williams is the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, and there isn't much evidence to suggest he'll regress in 2023.
Still, the impressive part is Williams has strong competition. Along with Michael Penix Jr. at Washington, the Pac-12 also boasts 2022 breakout sensation Bo Nix at Oregon and veteran Utah starter Cam Rising. Colorado transfer Shedeur Sanders and Washington State's Cam Ward are notable, too. The conference is absolutely loaded.
Williams is nevertheless a straightforward choice, given his excellence in his first year at USC. He threw for 4,537 yards at 9.1 per attempt and paced the country with 42 touchdown passes to just five interceptions, scampering for 382 yards and 10 more scores.
As the Trojans chase Pac-12 and national titles, Williams has a shot to become the second-ever two-time Heisman winner.
SEC: LSU Tigers
9 of 10
Consistency is a question for Jayden Daniels, who threw for less than seven yards per attempt—a purely average full-season number—in seven of LSU's 14 games last season.
However, that didn't stop the Tigers from winning the SEC West. And his mobility is a major reason for it.
Daniels picked up 885 rushing yards, the most by any quarterback in the country, and scored 11 touchdowns. He hit 80-plus yards in six contests, including the wins against Ole Miss and Alabama that sparked and sealed LSU's surprise run to a division crown.
Plus, while he didn't obliterate teams through the air, he had 17 touchdowns to only three turnovers.
LSU has legitimate championship upside with Daniels at the helm.
Sun Belt: Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
10 of 10
Coastal Carolina will look different in 2023. Former coach Jamey Chadwell ran a spread option offense, but his replacement, Tim Beck, has traditionally used a more conventional attack. Expectations are reasonably tough to form because the offense's identity may change.
Grayson McCall should be just fine, though.
The three-time Sun Belt Player of the Year is one of the most efficient passers in college football history. He's posted three straight seasons of 2,400-plus yards with no worse than 9.1 per throw or 24 touchdowns and a total—a total!—of eight picks in 788 attempts.
His three top receivers—Sam Pinckney, Jared Brown and Tyson Mobley—are all back, too.
McCall hasn't run as often during the last two seasons, but he's tallied 1,065 career yards and 17 scores on the ground.
Without hesitation, he is the jewel of the Sun Belt. And the wildest part is he still has another year of eligibility, too.
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