Power Ranking The Big Ten's QBs Going Into Week 4
The Quarterback is the most visible and important role on the team. The QB touches the ball [nearly] every single play and are responsible for controlling the offense. Not to mention the many decisions they have to make in just seconds - the hand off, the pass, whatever needs to happen, it all starts at the QB.
And while most players can be rotated in and out to keep them fresh, the QB is on the field the entire time - only leaving due to injury or when the game's outcome is no longer in doubt.
That being said - the Big Ten sure has some exciting players at QB. From media sensation Denard Robinson to Heisman-candidate Terrelle Pryor and everyone in between. The QBs this season are arguably some of the best the Big Ten has seen.
And without further adieu, I have ranked the Big Ten's QBs and their 2010 performances so far.
#11: Robert Marve, Purdue
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Robert Marve (knee) is expected to return as the Boilermakers take on the Toledo Rockets this Saturday. Marve has gone 66 for 96 (68.8% completion) and 502 yards. This seems good enough on the surface, perhaps not worthy of 11th in the Big Ten, but Marve has thrown an INT in each game he's played. He managed to throw 2 INTs in his first game against Notre Dame. This is even more striking if you hear that he's only managed to throw 3 TDs. 3TDs to 4 INTs is not a great way to start the season, but luckily there's room to improve as the season progresses.
If Marve can stop throwing the INTs and connect with his receivers some more, he can definitely move up in the rankings. The loss of star receiver Keith Smith for the season will undoubtedly make this just slightly more challenging.
#10: Robert Bolden, Penn State
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What to expect from a true freshman?
Apparently the Nittany Lions didn't really know either as this was the first year JoePa has put out a true freshman QB out to start.
And while not doing the worst he could do, he certainly hasn't impressed. He started off strong against Youngstown State going 20 of 29 for 239 yards, 2 TDs, and an INT; but it appears the pressure got to him when then-No. 18 Penn State caved at No. 1 Alabama. Bolden had a statistically bad game, going 13 of 29 for only 144 yards and 2 INTs. He couldn't connect with his receivers for a TD.
As Penn State returned to their cupcake schedule, Bolden had a slightly underwhelming performance against a team he probably should have dominated. He connected to make it into the end zone once, but still managed 2 INTs.
Such is the freshman way.
He could be special down the road, but for now, he hasn't made it into the upper echelon of the Big Ten.
#9: Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois
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Coming off of a 3 INT 1 TD game to start the season vs. Missouri, Nathan Scheelhaase of Illinois had a sort of coming-out party against Southern Illinois, going 14 of 18 for 2 TDs and no INTs. This included a nice 54 yard TD toss to AJ Jenkins.
Then there was Northern Illinois, where Scheelhaase went 8 for 16 for just 70 yards no TDs and no INTs. These passing stats definitely don't jump off the page, but Nathan tried to make up for it with his legs - rushing 16 times for 115 yards.
Such inconsistencies are to be expected as a redshirt freshman, and with #2 Ohio State looming on the schedule, he's going to have to grow up quick if the Illini have any hope to compete with the dominant Buckeyes.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
#8: Adam Weber, Minnesota
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Admittedly, it was a dead-heat between Cousins and Weber for the #7 spot, and the main reason Adam Weber got it was that his decision making is slightly better than that of Cousins. Even though the Golden Gophers are off to a not-so-hot start, Weber put up very respectable numbers. He threw for 200+ yards in their past 2 games against South Dakota and USC.
He was perfect in terms of turnovers through the first 2 weeks, but tossed 2 INTs to the USC defense. A slightly disturbing trend in his total yards is that they have gone down every year. He's a senior now, and ESPN projects him to finish with 2528 yards, which would mean 4 straight years in a row in which he passed for fewer yards than the previous. Normally players get better as they progress through school, but that might not be Weber's case.
#7: Kirk Cousins, Michigan State
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He's a good player, but he makes poor decisions.
Instead of throwing the ball away, he took a sack right before State set up for their fake field goal that would end up propelling the Spartans over the Irish 34-31. Perhaps what is more an issue is that it happened a couple other times during the game as well.
Cousins gave the Spartans a mental-mistake penalty as he crossed the line of scrimmage and then dropped back to pass (illegal forward pass).
But despite a few poor decisions and irrational penalties, he has brought some respectable passing stats, going 22 of 33 for 245 yards, 2TDs, and an INT this past weekend against Notre Dame.
What may be the most important part is that the Spartans are 3-0 now, and that's what Kirk Cousins cares about. They have tough games against #11 Wisconsin at home and #21 Michigan on the road coming up (after patsy Northern Colorado). If Cousins wants more respect, he'll certainly have the opportunity to get it in the next 3 weeks.
#6: Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin
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Yes, I know Wisconsin is ranked #11, but this writer feels that its more about the team around him than it is signal-caller Scott Tolzien.
Tolzien tossed his best game against Arizona State, which ended by the slimmest of margins at 20-19. He went 19 for 25 for 246 yards and a TD. Perhaps he is an unsung hero, but at this point he has neither impressed nor unimpressed.
Tolzien quietly runs a rather low-key Wisconsin team that sits at a perfect 3-0, with Tolzien getting the chance to pad his numbers a bit against Austin Peay.
#5: Ricky Stanzi, Iowa
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Sure, Arizona might have just stomped all over Iowa's title hopes, but the Hawkeyes still boast one of the better QBs in the conference. He was good last year, but interceptions were a nagging problem for him. By this time last year, Stanzi had thrown 3 INTs, but he's only had 1 so far... That in and of itself is a great victory.
Stanzi has passed for 200+ yards in all 3 games, but unfortunately has been sacked 9 times. Stanzi has Ball State up next before the Hawkeyes prepare to take on 4 ranked opponents in a row (#23 Penn State, @#21 Michigan, #11 Wisconsin, and #25 Michigan State).
Yikes!
#4: Ben Chappell, Indiana
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Who just threw for 366 yards?
Ben Chappell did.
Fine! You're right, he did do it against a team that is currently on a 23 game losing streak (Western Kentucky), but the numbers are still pretty eye-popping.
He was also impressive in Indiana's 51-17 rout of Towson, going 16 of 23 for 182 yards and a couple TDs.
Oh, did I mention? No INTs. He's held the football perfectly, and he may just be the key for Indiana to make a bowl game this year.
#3: Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
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Perhaps he deserves better, perhaps not - but outside of Ohio State's phenomenal game over Oregon, Pryor has been a decent QB, but not a great QB.
Yes, I realize he did just complete a school record 16 straight passes, which deserves accolades, but it came against Ohio. I think a better spectacle was the Ohio Bobcat taking down Brutus, which, aside from being insanely out of line, was comical. The clip even made MSNBC, but I digress.
Pryor looked to be the best during Ohio State's opening game against Marshall, with Pryor going 17 of 25 for 247 yards and 3 TDs, no INTs.
But then the next game, he dropped to 12 of 27 for 233 yards and a TD. By no means bad, and it was against a top 25 foe. He added 113 yards on the ground to continue his string of good games.
Pryor is surrounded by stars and leads definitely one of the best (if not the best) teams in the nation.
#2: Dan Persa, Northwestern
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Look out for Dan Persa!
This man has impressed so far in 2010.
He's turnover-free and has managed a 192 cumulative pass rating. In week 1 he was 19 of 21 (90.5%!!) for 222 yards, tossing 3 TDs and adding 82 yards on the ground. In week 2, he went 19 of 23 for 240 yards, and followed that up with a 24 of 32 for 307 yards and a TD.
In other words, he's a machine. Precision throwing, and good mechanics, he's got the talent to lead Northwestern to a very good season.
Perhaps Northwestern hasn't been tested against great defenses, but the numbers he's putting up some QBs could only hope to put up against FCS opponents.
Keep it up, Cats.
#1: Denard Robinson, Michigan
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Call me a homer, or biased, if you want. But if you do, I will ask you to point to a single player who has had the kind of production that Denard Robinson has given the Wolverines. Robinson now owns the 1st, 2nd, and 8th best performances all-time of any Michigan QB, and that's pretty fantastic.
His passing is like night and day from last year, with a completion rate hovering around 70%, Denard looks more comfortable with the long ball after facing the Massachusetts Minutemen. But it is not his passing that is getting the most attention, it is his rushing. Denard leads the nation in rushing - and as a QB nonetheless, and there are some great backs in this country right now.
1230 yards of total offense thus far, including a 502 yard game against Notre Dame in which Robinson accounted for 94% of the total offense.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
