Big 12 Football: Kansas State's Collin Klein Deserves More Recognition as Top QB

As the 2012 college football season draws near (although it still feels so far away, doesn't it?), two quarterbacks immediately emerged at the top of the Big 12.

Those two quarterbacks are Oklahoma's Landry Jones and West Virginia's Geno Smith. However, many have argued both here on Your Best 11 and on ESPN.com that there is one more quarterback who deserves recognition—Kansas State's Collin Klein.

After ESPN.com Big 12 blogger David Ubben recognized this outcry for the Wildcats quarterback, he posted a new poll for the best Big 12 quarterback. It's fitting as Klein does deserve to be in the running.

While not a stellar passer (his completion percentage is only 57 percent), Klein is still very effective. The quarterback put together one of the best seasons in Kansas State history in 2011.

His running game is what stood out, as he rushed for 1,141 yards and 27 touchdowns. Those numbers added up, allowing Klein to set a Big 12 record for rushing scores. He also led the conference in points scored with 162, all information per the Big 12.

To compare Klein to Jones and Smith is difficult, as it is similar to comparing apples and oranges. Klein is a rushing quarterback, where as Jones and Smith are passers. It is unfair to peg Klein stat-for-stat to the other two quarterbacks, but that does not mean he deserves any less attention.

Big 12 fans have obviously made it clear that he is worth paying attention to. Klein is a quarterback who reminds me of the days when Big 12 football was all about the run. Before passing became king, Klein takes us back to a different style of play.

While the 6'5", 225-pound senior may not end up on the Heisman nominee list for 2012, Klein should still be proud of the obvious impact he has made. That alone deserves every ounce of recognition.