Drew Brees and the 15 Greatest Quarterbacks in Big Ten History

Drew Brees has become one of the NFL's best quarterbacks playing today. And when his career is over, he might very well find his way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. 

The former Boilermaker had a great career at Purdue in Joe Tiller's offense. But was he the best quarterback to ever play in the Big Ten?

Considering how rich the history of the conference is, it's surprising how few truly great quarterbacks played in the Big Ten. 

We've chosen the conference's 15 best quarterbacks of all time based on how they played in college, not the NFL. Otherwise, we'd have to put Tom Brady at the top. 

Honorable Mention: Randy Duncan, Iowa

Years: 1956-58

The college game was so different back in the 1950s, so it's hard to compare a quarterback like Randy Duncan with even the most mediocre passer in today's game. 

So Duncan, who completed 101 of 172 attempts during the 1958 Hawkeyes (share of the) National Championship season, probably wouldn't have fared well in Kinnick Stadium next fall against Purdue or Indiana...or even against Tennessee Tech. Then again, maybe he would have.

Still, in three seasons at the helm, Duncan led Iowa to a 15-2-2 record, two Rose Bowl wins and two outright Big Ten titles. As you'll see throughout this list, these quarterbacks earn our praise mostly for winning records, conference titles and bowls more so than stats. 

No. 15: Jeff Smoker, Michigan State

David Maxwell/Getty Images

COLUMBUS, OH - NOVEMBER 8: Quarterback Jeff Smoker #9 of the Michigan State University Spartans scrambles with the ball against the Ohio State University Buckeyes during the game at Ohio Stadium on November 8, 2003 in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio State defeated

Years: 2000-03

Smoker owns all of the Spartans' career records: attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns. 

Now, Michigan State wasn't very good with Smoker at the helm. They finished near the bottom of the Big Ten in the standings and lost their two bowl appearances. 

But he was not surrounded by much talent on either side of the ball and his scrambling abilities were exciting to watch.

No. 14: Michael Robinson, Penn State

Doug Benc/Getty Images

MIAMI GARDENS, FL - JANUARY 3: Quarterback Michael Robinson# 12 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks to hand off the ball during the 72nd Fed Ex Orange Bowl against the Florida State Seminoles at Dolphins Stadium on January 3, 2005 in Miami Gardens, Flo

Years: 2003-05

Penn State's quarterback tradition is pretty rich, but since they didn't join the Big Ten until 1993, no one before that can qualify for this list.

Still, Robinson's 2005 was one of the best seasons a Nittany Lions quarterback has ever had. That year, he threw 17 touchdowns and for over 2,300 yards. Plus, he ran for 806 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

More importantly, Penn State lost just one game that season (thanks to a last second touchdown by Michigan) and defeated Florida State in the Orange Bowl. 

The team's captain finished fifth in the Heisman race that season. 

No. 13: John Navarre, Michigan

Danny Moloshok/Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterrback John Navarre #16 of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates on the field during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes during the 100th meeting of the two teams November 22, 2003 at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mi

Years: 2000-03

The quarterback tradition at Michigan is pretty rich in recent years: Tom Brady, Elvis Grbac, Chad Henne.

But since the running game dominated the Wolverines' offensive approach up until the mid 1980s, there weren't that many prolific passers in the days of and before Bo Schembechler. 

Still, don't sell Navarre's accomplishments in 2002 and 2003 short. As a junior, he led the team to a 10-3 record, a win in the Citrus Bowl over Florida and had 21 touchdowns against just seven picks. 

The next year, he bested that mark with 24 touchdowns and school records for completions, attempts and passing yards while putting the Wolverines back in the Rose Bowl. 

No. 12: Brett Basanez, Northwestern

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

EVANSTON, IL - OCTOBER 29: Quarterback Brett Basanez #14 of the Northwestern Wildcats looks to pass during the game against the Michigan Wolverines on October 29, 2005 at Ryan Field at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Michigan defeated North

Years: 2002-05

Northwestern isn't the NFL factory that most of its fellow Big Ten schools are. But that doesn't mean they haven't produced some fine players. 

And Basanez was one of them.

The school passing records are impressive—he owns virtually every one for career, single season and game performances. When he left Northwestern, he held the conference record for most passing yards. 

But that's not as impressive as one award on his resume. Basanez won the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year award in 2005. Considering there were players like Troy Smith, Ted Ginn, Santonio Holmes, Michael Hart and Drew Stanton around, that's a big achievement. 

No. 11: Brian Griese, Michigan

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

1 Jan 1997: Quarterback Brian Griese of the Michigan Wolverines prepares to pass the ball during the Outback Bowl game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Tampa Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Alabama won the game 17-14. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Squire /Alls

Years: 1995-97

Griese's career stats aren't that impressive. And even in his lone season as the Wolverine's starter, he didn't put up eye-popping stats: only 2,293 yards and 17 touchdowns.

But Griese was the Rose Bowl MVP in 1998, tossing three touchdowns in a 21-16 win over Washington State.

Thanks to that performance, Griese remains the only quarterback to lead Michigan to a (share of the) National Championship in over six decades. 

No. 10: Brad Banks, Iowa

Danny Moloshok/Getty Images

ANN ARBOR, MI - OCTOBER 26: Quarterback Brad Banks #7 of the Iowa Hawkeyes passes the ball during the NCAA football game against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on October 26, 2002 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Banks passed for a total of 222 yard

Years: 2001-02

Despite just two seasons in Iowa City, Banks carved out a tremendous legacy there.

In 2002, the Hawkeyes won a share of the Big Ten, only losing one regular season game, a narrow defeat at the hands of rival Iowa State. 

They finished the season 11-1 and earned a berth in the Orange Bowl. 

Banks was the team's premier skill player, throwing for over 2,600 yards, 26 touchdowns and just five interceptions. 

He finished second in that year's Heisman race to Carson Palmer (who he also lost to in the Orange Bowl), but edged out Palmer for the Davey O'Brien Award. 

No. 9: Jeff George, Illinois

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

2 Dec 1990: Quarterback Jeff George of the Indianapolis Colts looks to pass the ball during a game against the Phoenix Cardinals at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Cardinals won the game, 20-17. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport

Years: 1988-89

Although his career in the NFL didn't pan out quite the way it should have as a No. 1 overall pick (in 1990, to the Indianpolis Colts), George did lead the Illini to one of their greatest seasons ever. 

In 1989, George's late game heroics against USC and Michigan State (along with huge wins over Ohio State and Iowa) gave Illinois a bid in the Citrus Bowl, where they defeated Virginia to earn the school's second ever season with double-digit wins. 

George threw three touchdowns in the team's 31-21 victory over the 10-2 Cavaliers, capping off a great season with 22 TDs and over 2,700 yards. 

No. 8: Bob Griese, Purdue

Years: 1964-66

Three decades before his son would win a National Championship in Ann Arbor, Bob Griese was one of the premier quarterbacks in college football.

At a time when the passing game wasn't nearly as evolved and widely used as it is today, Griese twice earned All-American honors and was the runner-up to Steve Spurrier in the 1966 Heisman voting.

His greatest achievement at Purdue, however, was leading the Boilermakers to two touchdowns (he also kicked both extra points) in the team's stunning 1967 Rose Bowl win over the USC Trojans. 

No. 7: Chuck Long, Iowa

Years: 1982-85

Had it not been for Bo Jackson's remarkable 1985 season, Long would have been the first (and only) Iowa Hawkeye to win the Heisman....and the first Big Ten quarterback to do so. 

Still, Long had a remarkable career in Iowa City. By the middle of his freshman season, the Norman, Oklahoma native was starting for coach Hayden Fry and ultimately won the Peach Bowl's Offensive Player of the Game award for a win over Tennessee.

Over the next three seasons, he posted a 27-9-1 record and three more bowl appearances, including a Rose Bowl bid in 1985, when the Hawkeyes won the Big Ten outright for the first time in over 30 years.  

No. 6: Kerry Collins, Penn State

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

10 Sep 1994: Quarterback Kerry Collins of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks to pass the ball during a game against the USC Trojans at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. Penn State won the game 38-14. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Alls

Years: 1991-94

Although Collins really only had one full season as the Nittany Lions starting quarterback (he missed a few games in 1993), he made that one season count.

The numbers weren't overwhelming in 1994, just 21 touchdowns and 2,679 yards...well, maybe in a Joe Paterno offense they were overwhelming.

But what was most important was another stat that Collins posted: 12 starts, 12 victories. 

While Colorado's Rashan Salaam won the Heisman that year, Collins won all the quarterback trophies (Davey O'Brien, Sammy Baugh), as well as the Maxwell Award.

Penn State defeated Oregon in the Rose Bowl and just barely missed out a third National Championship in 13 seasons. 

No. 5: Art Schlichter, Ohio State

Years: 1978-81

Forget about the problems (gambling) that plagued his NFL career for a moment. Schlichter was one of the most talented players to ever come through Columbus, which naturally means he was one of the most talented players to ever come through the Big Ten.

He was a four year starter for the Buckeyes, was in the Heisman race each of his last three years and was the Big Ten's MVP in 1981, the year in which he had a 458 yard passing day against Florida State. 

Just as good a runner as he was a thrower, Schlichter led the Buckeyes to a 29-7 record in his final three seasons and berths in the Rose, Fiesta and Liberty Bowls before becoming the fourth overall pick in the 1982 NFL Draft. 

No. 4: Antwaan Randle-El, Indiana

Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

6 Oct 2001: Quarterback Antwaan Randle El #11 of the Indiana Hoosiers gets ready to throw during the game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. The Hoosiers defeated the Badgers 63-32.Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stoc

Years: 1998-2001

Today Randle-El is best known as a Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver...and aside from Bob Griese, he's the only man on this list to throw a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

But over a decade ago in Bloomington, Randle-El was one of the the most electrifying players in the nation. At the end of his four seasons, he became the first player to ever throw 40 touchdown passes and rush for 40 touchdowns. 

Now there are certainly better pure passers on this list, a Jeff George or a Kerry Collins, for example. But considering how much of the Hooisers' offense Randle-El was (he accumulated over 10,000 yards in four seasons), he was one of the conference's greatest players in recent years. 

How else do you explain a member of the 5-6 Indiana Hooisers winning the Big Ten MVP award?

No. 3: Jim Harbaugh, Michigan

Rick Stewart/Getty Images

1 Jan 1987: Jim Harbaugh of Michigan during their 22-15 loss to Arizona State at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport

Years: 1983-86

No wonder Jim Harbaugh didn't want to leave Stanford to return to Ann Arbor—it would have been very difficult to one-up the legacy he put together during the mid-1980s.

Like most Big Ten quarterbacks before him, Harbaugh never threw for boatloads of touchdowns or yards. 

But he was arguably the greatest winning quarterback in Michigan history. In his two seasons as the starter, the Wolverines went 19-2-1 during the regular season, only losing to top-ranked Iowa 12-10 in 1985 and Minnesota by a field goal in 1986. 

Those two Michigan teams went on to play in the Fiesta Bowl (which they won over seventh-ranked Nebraska, 27-23) and the Rose Bowl (which they lost to seventh-ranked Arizona State, 22-15).

And a 2-0 record against Ohio State should not be overlooked either. 

No. 2: Drew Brees, Purdue

Elsa/Getty Images

28 Oct 2000: Purdue quarterback Drew Brees #15 looks to pass against Ohio State at Ross-Ade Stadium in Lafayette, Indiana. Purdue beat Ohio State 31-27. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Elsa/ALLSPORT

Years: 1997-2000

With all he achieved at Purdue (and later in the NFL), it's hard to understand how Brees slipped to the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft—after all, his height  (six feet even) was the same as Michael Vick's, the man taken first overall in that year's draft. 

Brees was a two time Heisman finalist, shattered just about all of Bob Griese's passing records during his stay in West Lafayette and in 2001 led the Boilermakers to their first Rose Bowl appearance since Griese guided them to that 14-13 victory over USC in 1967.

Considering how ultra-competitive the Big Ten was back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Brees' run at Purdue during that stretch was phenomenal. 

No. 1: Troy Smith, Ohio State

Chris Trotman/Getty Images

NEW YORK - DECEMBER 09: Quarterback Troy Smith of Ohio State University wins the Heisman Trophy on December 9, 2006 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Years: 2003-06

For all the great quarterbacks to come through the Big Ten, only one has ever won the Heisman Trophy. (We're not going to count Les Horvath, the 1944 winner from Ohio State, since he threw the ball only 31 times that season).

And say what you will about Smith's Heisman Trophy victory (he benefited from NFL talent at almost every position on both sides of the ball and he was pretty horrible in the team's BCS Championship Game loss to Florida that year), but he had a tremendous career in Columbus.

He beat Michigan three times as a starter, threw 54 touchdowns and only 13 interceptions during his career and posted a 25-4 record with a win in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl.