How Alabama's Jake Coker Stacks Up Against Other College Football Playoff QBs

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — It was a Sunday afternoon and Jake Coker was running late. Without time to change he showed up in the University of Alabama locker room still wearing his camouflage hunting gear, boots and all. 

For his teammates, seeing someone dressed like that was nothing new as every year there are Crimson Tide players who are known for spending some of their downtime either in a tree stand or at a nearby lake. It’s just been a while since anyone’s seen it with a quarterback.

“He’s quiet,” senior linebacker Reggie Ragland said about Coker. “He comes in, he jokes around every now and then, but for the most part he’s quiet and focused. When he’s not doing his job he’s a good ol’ country boy.” 

When you look at the four quarterbacks who will be leading their teams in the upcoming playoffs, they’re about as different as can be, both on the field and off.

Clemson’s Deshaun Watson was a Heisman Trophy finalist and captured the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s then-top quarterback. Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield might end up as college football’s passing champion, which is decided by passing efficiency. The third is about as veteran as they come.

Connor Cook, whom Coker will face in the Cotton Bowl (Dec. 31, 7 p.m. CT, ESPN), has won more games than any quarterback in Michigan State history. He’s 34-4 as a starter and is second among Football Bowl Subdivision active quarterbacks in wins (34), one behind Stanford's Kevin Hogan (35).

He also won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

Name	Team	Year	C-A-I	Yards	TDs	Rating
Baker Mayfield	Oklahoma	Jr.	243-354-5	3,389	35	178.9
Deshaun Watson	Clemson	So.	287-413-11	3,512	30	159.6
Connor Cook	Michigan State	Sr.	210-369-5	2,921	24	142.2
Jake Coker	Alabama	Sr.	222-338-8	2,489	17	139.4

Coker? He wasn’t even Alabama’s bona fide quarterback until the fourth week of the season. The coaching staff didn’t start him against Ole Miss, thinking that Cooper Bateman in the read-option might give the Rebels problems.

“Yeah, I wasn’t happy, but that’s part of it,” Coker said. “I wasn’t about to be a distraction to other guys or in any way try to take the attention off Ole Miss. That was the last thing I wanted to do. So I made sure I was still supportive every way I could.”

Coker came off the bench and led an impressive comeback. Granted, he had two interceptions on deep attempts, and after having five turnovers Alabama lost 43-37, but the Crimson Tide’s quarterback competition was finally over.

“The guy competed and played and ran the ball and made some great throws,” head coach Nick Saban said. “I think he won the team over with the way he competed in the game. I think that was probably the most significant thing that happened for Jake, and I think rather than worrying about what he was supposed to do and trying to be perfect, he just went out and played for the first time.

Shanna Lockwood-USA TODAY Sports

“I think he gained a lot of confidence. I think we gained a lot of confidence. I think the players gained a lot of confidence. Since that time, there's been no doubt who the leader of the offensive team is. 

Combined with a player’s-only meeting, Alabama was a different team during the subsequent 10 games and plowed through the rest of its schedule en route to the SEC Championship.

Junior running back Derrick Henry won the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and the Doak Walker Award. Senior center Ryan Kelly captured the Rimington Trophy, and the offensive line claimed the first Joe Moore Award.

Coker didn’t even get all-conference consideration but very quietly did land one major honor that was very telling about his progress: The Crimson Tide players voted him a permanent team captain along with All-Americans Henry, Kelly and Ragland.

“That’s one of the things that means more to me than any award out there, any honor you could possibly get,” Coker said. “I’m honored to be on this team with these guys. It’s unbelievable to be surrounded by guys like this.”

When Coker was at St. Paul's Episcopal School in Mobile, Alabama, the same high school AJ McCarron had attended, he wasn’t seriously recruited by Alabama in 2011. He didn’t arrive until after earning his degree in 2014 and then lost out to Blake Sims for the starting job.

Sims had been at Alabama since 2010, although he did line up at other positions during his first two seasons. Coker arrived in May and had just a couple of months to learn a whole new system.

Opponent	C-A-I	Yards	TDs	Sacks	Rating
Wisconsin	15-21-0	213	1	2	172.34
Middle Tenn.	15-26-1	214	1	0	131.83
Ole Miss	21-45-2	201	3	1	97.30
ULM	17-31-0	158	3	2	123.14
Georgia	11-16-0	190	1	0	189.12
Arkansas	24-33-2	262	2	2	147.30
Texas A&M	19-25-0	138	0	1	122.37
Tennessee	21-27-1	247	0	5	147.21
LSU	18-24-0	184	0	3	139.40
Miss. State	15-25-1	144	1	0	113.58
Char. Southern	11-13-0	155	2	0	235.54
Auburn	17-26-0	179	1	0	135.91
Florida	18-26-0	204	2	2	160.52
Totals	222-338-8	2,489	17	18	139.40

When he finally did land the job, though, Coker gave as much as anyone else, as evidenced by some of the runs he made against Texas A&M, like when he took on a linebacker and then a safety.

“There were a couple of times where he did great things with his feet that kept us in the game, and the excitement that he brought really kind of energized everybody up and pushed us through a tough game because they were a tough team on the road, and it really tested a lot of guys, and Jake kind of took that step as a leader,” said Kelly, who had to leave the A&M game with a concussion.

“I think that's why, at the end of the season, the entire team casted a vote that he'd be the permanent captain."

It also has to be noted that Coker was one of nine new starters on the offense this season, including all of the wide receivers. Sophomore Robert Foster, who many thought would have a breakout season, was lost due to a shoulder injury, and junior Chris Black never got going due to an ankle issue.

Two of Alabama’s three top receivers ended up being fifth-year transfer Richard Mullaney and true freshman Calvin Ridley, who needs 107 yards in the postseason to tie Amari Cooper’s first-year total of 1,000 yards in 2012.

“It’s kind of crazy the way everything’s worked out,” Coker said.

So yes, he’s the least flashy and most unheralded of the four playoff quarterbacks. Coker may not run like Watson (887 rushing yards), pass as often as Mayfield or possess Cook’s experience, but his season and accomplishments should not be overlooked by anyone, nor his ability to fit in with this team. 

After all, Coker’s never lost as a starting quarterback at Alabama.

“He's played lights out since [Ole Miss], and that's why he's our quarterback," Kelly said.

Quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Christopher Walsh is a lead SEC college football writer. Follow Christopher on Twitter @WritingWalsh.