Ranking the Top QBs Texas Defense Will Face in 2015
The Texas defense has a shiny new toy in freshman linebacker Malik Jefferson. The former No. 1 player in the state of Texas, according to 247Sports, figures to play a major role in the Longhorns defense in 2015. In all, the Longhorns could have several young players take the field on defense.
While that means the future is promising for that side of the ball, it also means there could be some growing pains out of the gate. Specifically, which quarterbacks will be the toughest for Texas' new-look defense to control? We attempt to find some answers in the following slides.
Quarterbacks still in heated or otherwise wide-open quarterback battles are given less consideration. Rankings were based on past production (so experience is a valuable metric), ability and accolades.
Possible Additions
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Since the following quarterback battles are still ongoing, we'll reserve rank. But don't be discouraged, as there's a lot of potential in the names below.
Davis Webb/Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
Webb doesn't have any starting experience against the Longhorns in two seasons, but he's shown flashes of being one of the better pure passers in the Big 12.
Mahomes is a great young talent who played well in the final three games of the season. However, he posted just 109 yards passing against the Horns last year. (Texas had the No. 1 pass defense in the Big 12.)
Trevor Knight/Baker Mayfield/Cody Thomas, Oklahoma
Texas could see one of two players again—Knight or Mayfield. Knight was so-so in a win over the Longhorns in 2014, and Mayfield, while throwing for 237 yards against UT in 2013 for Texas Tech, completed about 55 percent of his passes with a pick. Thomas played seven games, starting the last three regular-season games.
7. Malik Zaire, Notre Dame
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Right now, Malik Zaire is known far more as a rushing threat than a passing one. In two games last year, including one start, Zaire went 9-of-20 against USC and threw for 96 yards against LSU in the Music City Bowl.
Unless Zaire can prove he's more two-dimensional, he'll be at or toward the bottom of this list. The Irish certainly aren't lacking playmakers at wide receiver. In fact, it's probably one of the most talented, deepest positions anywhere on the team. If Notre Dame's passing game can't get going, it probably won't be because of them.
However, Zaire did rack up 96 rushing yards in the bowl win against the Tigers, averaging 4.36 yards per carry (LSU gave up roughly that during the year). Defending a mobile quarterback such as Zaire can be tough, which counts for something. We'd just like to see him grow as a passer. Texas will get the first crack at him when the Horns open the season in South Bend.
6. Skyler Howard, West Virginia
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Skyler Howard has just two starts on his resume at West Virginia, but the former JUCO player can be one of the Big 12's better dual-threat quarterbacks.
Finishing out the 2014 season for Clint Trickett, Howard posted 829 yards and eight touchdowns to zero interceptions in three games. He hasn't always been the most accurate quarterback, but his decision-making has generally been sound. His biggest advantage is that he provides the Mountaineers offense with a running threat it never had with Trickett or Geno Smith.
Howard won't outrun defenders for an 80-yard touchdown, but he can use his feet to extend plays or get much-needed first downs. That can be difficult to defend, especially for young players that Texas will have a lot of this year.
5. Sam Richardson, Iowa State
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Iowa State's Sam B. Richardson certainly has the opportunity to be special. At Big 12 media days, Cyclones coach Paul Rhoads went ahead and called Richardson "one of the best" quarterbacks in the Big 12. Coachspeak? Sure, but it's not necessarily unwarranted.
"It's the first year in seven years at the helm that we've had a veteran quarterback like Sam ready to lead us into the season," Rhoads said.
That experience can't be overlooked. Richardson has 21 starts to his name, but the consistency hasn't always been there—though, to be fair, neither has the running game.
Additionally, the Cyclones were without their best receiver in 2014, Quenton Bundrage, who is back this year and finally healthy. With Bundrage and Allen Lazard, Iowa State has one of the better one-two receiver combos in the Big 12. Now, it's up to Richardson to get them the ball.
4. Seth Russell, Baylor
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Seth Russell's place on this list has a lot to do with his experience thus far.
The redshirt junior is a veteran player in head coach Art Briles' offense, which is a plus. He emerged from the spring atop the quarterback depth chart and, barring some massive upset, will start in Week 1. That's another plus. In the limited action, he's generally performed well. That's yet another plus.
However, that limited playing time is just that: limited.
For all anyone knows, Russell picks right up where Bryce Petty left off and throws for more than 3,800 yards. Briles certainly knows how to pick quarterbacks, and there's a track record of plug-and-play at that position. However, we haven't seen Russell in much else besides mop-up duty and against weaker competition.
In two seasons as a backup, here are Russell's numbers in nonconference play, which has been notably weak, versus Big 12 play:
- Nonconference: 48-of-73 passing, 10 TDs, 2 INTs
- Conference: 26-of-55, 1 TD, 2 INTs
This doesn't mean Russell will have a poor season, but we're not quite sure what to make of him just yet.
3. Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
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Similar to guys such as Skyler Howard and Malik Zaire, Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph is lacking experience. However, what we've seen from Rudolph so far is promising. Though Rudolph will split some time with J.W. Walsh this year, he is considered the primary quarterback for the Cowboys offense.
For just a true sophomore, that says a lot about what head coach Mike Gundy, a quarterback's coach, thinks of Rudolph. Rudolph has a cannon for an arm and can stretch the field in a way that hasn't been possible recently. Though Gundy wasn't able to preserve Rudolph's redshirt last year, Rudolph proved quickly he has bright days ahead. In three starts, Rudolph went 2-1, throwing for 853 yards, six touchdowns and four picks.
"Now I wish I had another year with him," Gundy said during Big 12 media days.
It's been a few years since Oklahoma State has had a steady quarterback. Provided he can stay healthy, Rudolph looks like the new face of the Pokes offense.
2. Jared Goff, Cal
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Though Rudolph isn't that far behind and is on the up-and-up, you're not going to find a better pure passer on this list than Cal quarterback Jared Goff.
Yes, Goff plays in a pass-friendly offense on a team that has often been playing from behind, but his passing numbers improved dramatically from his freshman to sophomore season. In 2013, he averaged 6.6 yards per attempt and had 18 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. In '14, those same numbers morphed into 7.8 yards per attempt, 35 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Head coach Sonny Dykes, who knows a thing or two about quarterback development, said this spring that Goff is transforming into an "elite-level" quarterback, according to Jeff Faraudo of Bear Talk.
Additionally, Goff has already been receiving 2016 NFL hype.
1. Trevone Boykin, TCU
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Seems obvious, yes? TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin might not only be the best quarterback Texas faces this year; he might be the best quarterback anyone faces in college football in 2015.
Boykin is coming off a year in which he tallied roughly 355 total yards per game. That was good for fourth nationally. Against the Horns in '14, Boykin had a solid day with 233 yards passing, another 50 yards rushing and three total touchdowns to one pick.
Boykin was named the media's preseason pick for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and first-team quarterback. He's also an early favorite for Heisman and major postseason award consideration. It's going to take an injury or an amazing regression for Boykin not to be considered one of the best quarterbacks in the country.
He's everything a college dual-threat QB should be: a good passer who also happens to be an electrifying athlete capable of making highlight-reel plays with his legs too.
Good luck to the Horns. Good luck to everyone.
Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. All stats courtesy of cfbstats.com.
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