Boise State Football: The 10 Best Quarterbacks in School History

The history of Boise State Bronco football spans four divisions, nearly 80 years and a continual advance to the pinnacle of the sport. In that time many players have led the Boise State offense. Some have done it with finesse and precision, while others chose grit and brute force.

No matter the style, Boise State quarterbacks have made their mark on the college football landscape. Some are well-known like Jared Zabransky and some are very well-known like Kellen Moore.

Still, there is another group that may not be as well-known or well-remembered. They were excellent quarterbacks who may not be household names, but they are forever a part of the incredible rise of Boise State football.

Let's look at the top 10 quarterbacks in Bronco history.

10. Taylor Tharp

It is only appropriate to put a guy who wore the No. 10 at No. 10. Taylor Tharp only got one year as a starter, but he made the most of it and he makes this list for a couple of reasons. 

First, he spent three years as a backup quarterback behind Jared Zabransky. He didn't complain and he simply put the team ahead of himself. He is a true example of what it means to be a Bronco.

Second, when he finally did get his chance, he took Boise State to a 10-3 record and an appearance in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.

9. Tony Hilde

Most true Bronco fans remember Tony Hilde. He is still a name printed in the Boise State record books.

Hilde had a great arm and could run when needed. He had more than 10,000 yards of total offense in his career and was responsible for 70 touchdowns, and he is probably best known for his leading the Broncos in that amazing 1994 season when BSU won the Big Sky Championship and went 10-1 in the regular season.

It was also the same year that the Broncos won three playoff games but fell short in the I-AA National Championship game to Youngstown State, 28-14.

8. Hal Zimmerman

Hal Zimmerman was the Broncos quarterback from 1965-1968. He is best known for leading the 1966 team to an amazing 249 points that season and an ICAC Championship.

This was, of course, when Boise State was still a junior college.

Zimmerman has the distinction of being the player who threw the last touchdown pass in a junior college game for the Broncos. However, he also has the honor of being the first player to throw a touchdown pass for BSU as a four-year school.

7. Eric Guthrie

Eric Guthrie played for the Broncos from 1968-1971. He is still listed in the Bronco record books.

He is still ranked in the top 10 for pass attempts, career yards, pass attempts in a single game, touchdowns in a single game, career touchdowns, career 200-yard passing games and the longest pass from scrimmage for a touchdown.

However, he not only makes the record books as a quarterback as he was also the team's punter and field goal kicker.

He is still No. 3 for average yards per punt at 49.8 and tied for first with the most field goals in a game.

He was a very talented and all-around player for the Broncos, and for that he makes this list at No. 7.

6. Joe Aliotti

Joe Aliotti was the Broncos' quarterback in 1979 and 1980. He was an extremely accurate passer with the ability to move.

He is probably best known for being the quarterback that led the Broncos to an incredible season in 1980 when they pulled off an incredible late rally to beat Eastern Kentucky for the I-AA National Championship.

In that game Aliotti threw for more than 350 yards and led the Broncos down the field on that game-winning drive.

5. Bart Hendricks

Bart Hendricks is another quarterback that is still well represented in the Bronco record books. He is still rated in the top five of total offense with just more than 10,000 yards and passing yards with just more than 9,000.

He completed an incredible 650 passes as a Bronco, and 78 of those were for touchdowns. If you watched Hendricks play you know he gave it his all every game. He was exciting to watch and always gave fans their money's worth.

While at the helm of the BSU offense Hendricks helped to lead the Broncos to two Big West titles and an amazing win over Louisville in the Humanitarian Bowl, 34-31. This was the first time the Broncos had ever won a Division I-A bowl game.

4. Ryan Dinwiddie

Ryan Dinwiddie will always be known as one of the most accurate passers in college football. The guy had a knack for laser-like throws that made you shake your head in disbelief.

In his career Dinwiddie threw for 9,819 yards on 992 attempts with 622 completions. Along with that incredible number he also had 82 touchdowns passing and 18 more touchdowns with his feet.

He still owns the single-season record for passing yards, passing attempts and passing efficiency. In the 2003 season he threw 446 times for 4,356 yards. That same year he also set the record for most passes in a game when he threw 60 times against La Tech and completed 40 of them.

In his career he threw for 300 yards in 14 games, and added four 400-yard games to boot.

He was named to the All-WAC team in 2003 and 2004, but he is probably most remembered for the shocking upset of the then-No. 7 Fresno State Bulldogs in Fresno. It was that game that propelled Boise State football into the national spotlight. 

3. Jared Zabransky

Most people remember Jared Zabransky as the quarterback that led the Broncos to that incredible win over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. However, most BSU fans remember him for nearly giving them heart attacks and the reason those same fans have much less hair today.

He was a great quarterback but was known for doing things that made all of Bronco Nation scream a collective "No!"

If you remember the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, you know it was Zabransky's interception late that put the Sooners up by a touchdown. However, it was Zabransky's pass on a hook-and-lateral play that tied up the game.

That sums up the career of Zabransky: up and down.

However, he did throw for more than 8,200 yards for his career and ran for nearly 1,000 more. He is still thought of as one of the best quarterbacks in Bronco history, and he will always be remembered fondly for that Fiesta Bowl. 

2. Jim McMillan

Jim McMillan is one of the most beloved Broncos of all time. So much so that his No. 12 jersey is the only one in BSU history to be retired. That may change with Kellen Moore now leaving school, but as it stands now, it is his honor alone.

McMillan was a backup who shared time with Ron Autele in 1972 but then led the BSU offense in the 1973 and 1974 seasons.

In that time he racked up more than 5,500 yards and 58 touchdowns. He is still in the top five in many record categories, and his 33 touchdowns in the 1974 season is still remembered as one of the best in school history.

McMillan was named a first-team All-American in 1974 and was then drafted by the Detroit Lions.

1. Kellen Moore

No real shocker at who makes the No. 1 on this list.

Kellen Moore is one of the greatest college quarterbacks to ever play the game. His 50 wins as a starter is something that may never be matched—unless, of course, the now-named FBS decides to create a playoff system. However, don't hold your breath.

In any case, Moore was incredible as a starter for Bronco Nation. It was four years of excitement and fun.

Moore was a two-time All-American and named Quarterback of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Columbus in 2010 and 2011. In fact, it renamed the award after him.

He was a finalist for the Heisman in 2010 as well and the WAC Offensive Player of the Year in both 2009 and 2010.

Kellen led the Broncos to a Fiesta Bowl win over TCU following the 2009 season and subsequent victories in the Las Vegas Bowl in 2010 over Utah and 2011 over Arizona State.

In his career Moore threw for 14,667 yards and 142 touchdowns with only 28 interceptions. This included the 2011 season, when he threw for 3,800 yards and an incredible 43 scores.

Kellen Moore will be much missed in Bronco Land. He is the greatest quarterback in school history.