Current Backup QBs College Football Fanbases Can't Wait to See Start
You know how the old saying goes: The most popular player on the team is the backup quarterback.
Of course, if the backup were better than the starter, he'd be playing.
That doesn't stop fans from wanting to see what the next guy can do, however. That's the inspiration behind this, the current backups that college football fanbases can't wait to see as starters.
The only real requirement here is that there has to be an established No. 1 quarterback in front of them. For instance, UCLA freshman Josh Rosen and Alabama's David Cornwell are technically still in the battle to win the starting job. Thus, they're not backups yet. Also, quarterbacks on this list can be incoming freshmen who haven't yet arrived on campus.
Jerrod Heard, Texas
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Yes, Jerrod Heard is the No. 2 quarterback exiting spring practice at Texas. "Ty [Swoopes] is still the No. 1 guy at this moment," head coach Charlie Strong said, per ESPN.com's Max Olson, after the Texas spring game last month.
This could change in preseason practice, of course. There's an open competition at the quarterback spot, and Longhorns coaches have insisted that both players have grown this spring.
However, after Swoopes' up-and-down sophomore campaign—Texas ranked last in the Big 12 in passing offense, and Swoopes had one of the worst passer ratings in the conference—fans are probably ready for a change under center. This will be especially true if Swoopes struggles in the season opener against Notre Dame.
None of this means Heard is ready to be the No. 1 guy, but fans will want to see him on the field regardless.
Keller Chryst, Stanford
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Fifth-year senior Kevin Hogan is Stanford's starting quarterback for 2015. This was known long ago when head coach David Shaw said the job would be Hogan's should he decide to skip the NFL draft and come back for another season.
The backup job behind Hogan is what's up for grabs. Ryan Burns and Keller Chryst have been battling throughout spring and will continue to compete throughout preseason camp. Burns was a reserve backup a year ago, attempting (and completing) one pass for 13 yards.
Chryst, whose uncle Paul Chryst is the head coach at Wisconsin, is considered the potential future of the team. A former 4-star prospect who was one of the top pro-style quarterbacks coming out of high school, Chryst redshirted his freshman year in 2014. If he can win the No. 2 job in 2015, that would indicate he's in line to start in 2016.
Zack Darlington, Nebraska
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Tommy Armstrong may be the starting quarterback for Nebraska in 2015, but Huskers fans really got excited about backup Zack Darlington during the spring game.
Against mostly fellow backups, Darlington completed 7 of 11 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. By far, he generated the most buzz of any of the signal-callers.
"I think Zack, it's been so long since he's been able to play in a game, I think as the game progressed, he got more comfortable," said head coach Mike Riley, via Josh Harvey of Big Red Report. "By the time he threw his touchdown pass, I thought he was seeing things real well, playing confidently, and he has a nice quick release and he's a good athlete. I think those are his main attributes."
Darlington is competing with A.J. Bush for the No. 2 job. Per Paul Myerberg of USA Today, each has the chance to be a future star. However, Darlington had the best performance in front of a packed house for the spring game.
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Kyler Murray, Texas A&M
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Texas A&M incoming freshman quarterback Kyler Murray isn't even on campus yet (he's set to move in June 2, according to David McNabb of WFAA.com). So, yes, he's No. 2—at best—behind sophomore Kyle Allen.
That said, there may not be a quarterback from the 2015 class with more hype than Murray. A 5-star member of the '15 class, Murray is a Texas high school legend. He led Allen High School to a 43-0 record and three consecutive state titles. He also has Aggie bloodlines thanks to his father, Kevin.
Will Murray win the starting job in three months' time? That's an awful lot to ask of anyone, but there is no denying his athletic gifts. Despite being listed at 5'10" and 180 pounds, Murray has excellent arm strength and can spin it with the best of them.
It'll be interesting to see how A&M's coaching staff plans to use Murray as a freshman, if they use him at all. Still, fans are anxious to see what he can bring.
Jarrett Stidham, Baylor
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Baylor quarterback Seth Russell left no doubt during spring practices that he is the successor to Bryce Petty. Russell is the clear No. 1 according to the Bears' post-spring depth chart.
However, early enrollee Jarrett Stidham enters with a lot of promise. The former Texas Tech commit is listed as the co-No. 2 with Chris Johnson. Considering Johnson is the more veteran player, it bodes well that Stidham is already pushing him. As Jake Trotter of ESPN.com opined, Stidham "has a real chance to leapfrog Johnson for the No. 2 job."
Stidham is every bit of 6'3" and has tremendous athleticism to complement his presence as a passer. He may not win the starting job this year, but Bears fans should be excited about his potential down the road.
Drew Lock, Missouri
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Maty Mauk is Missouri's starting quarterback despite the fact that his 2014 campaign was an inconsistent one. Where incoming freshman Drew Lock fits in the pecking order is the more compelling storyline to watch.
One of the top pro-style quarterbacks in the 2015 class, Lock is unsure yet whether he'll redshirt his freshman year or not. What is known is that, immediately, he'll come in and compete. That way, coaches can get a better understanding of where he is development-wise.
"He's going to come in and compete," head coach Gary Pinkel said of Lock, via Tod Palmer of the Kansas City Star. "I want everybody, even him, to come in and do whatever he can. That's what we want him to do. That's what everybody does."
However, with Eddie Printz, Corbin Berkstresser and Marvin Zanders already on the roster, Lock could easily redshirt and compete for the starting job in 2016.
Max Browne, USC
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USC could be trending back toward the days under Pete Carroll when it could execute the "next man up" mantra at quarterback.
Cody Kessler could have declared for the NFL this year but instead opted to return for another season and a possible playoff run. Certainly, he's expected to have an All-Pac-12 type of year.
However, backup Max Browne provided hope among Trojans fans that everything will be fine in 2016 and beyond. The redshirt sophomore had a big spring game last month, throwing for 251 yards and two touchdowns.
"This was Max Browne's game," head coach Steve Sarkisian said, via Heather Dinich of ESPN.com. "We had to get that experience with him today."
Browne is a former 5-star prospect who was recruited by Alabama offensive coordinator and former Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin. The fascinating storyline for 2016, should all the pieces fall into place, is that Browne could face off against Kiffin when USC and Alabama play in Week 1 in Arlington, Texas.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
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