College Football's Top 25 Quarterbacks for 2011
When looking over the quarterbacks for the upcoming college football season, there’s undeniably one name that sticks out.
That name is Andrew Luck.
Luck, who shocked many when he announced he would return to Stanford, is going to be college football’s it player this year.
Magazine covers, TV shows, websites—he’s the face you’re going to see everywhere.
That doesn’t mean though that there aren’t plenty of other talented signal callers out there, who are ready to show off their skills.
Let’s have a look at some of the top college quarterbacks for the 2011 season.
Who Missed the Cut?
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1. Zach Collaros, Cincinnati
2. John Brantley, Florida
3. Corey Robinson, Troy
4. G.J. Kinne, Tulsa
5. Stephen Garcia, South Carolina
6. Kyle Padron, Southern Methodist
7. Ryan Katz, Oregon State
8. Brock Osweiler, Arizona State
9. Chris Relf, Mississippi State
10. Jordan Wynn, Utah
11. Austin Davis, Southern Miss
12. Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois
25. Dominique Davis, East Carolina
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Dominique Davis turned out to be one of the rare transfer success stories last season.
After a short stint at Boston College back in 2008, Davis found his true home at East Carolina and he finally played like he was comfortable, letting his natural gifts show.
Davis threw for nearly 4,000 yards and 37 touchdowns in the Pirates’ pass-heavy offense and became one of the stars of Conference USA.
The 6’3’’ senior should have another standout season throwing to talented receivers like Lance Lewis and Michael Bowman.
24. Tyler Bray, Tennessee
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Well that Matt Simms experiment sure didn’t last long, did it?
After starting the year 2-6, it quickly became apparent that Simms, the son of former Giant QB Phil Simms, wasn’t the answer the Volunteers were looking for, so they turned to freshman Tyler Bray.
It was a decision that completely changed the team’s fortunes. Once Bray officially became the starter in early November, he paced Tennessee to a 4-0 record to end the season, saving their bowl hopes.
If he can mature a bit, the 6’6’’ sophomore has a chance to be one of top quarterbacks in the SEC this season.
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23. E.J. Manuel, Florida State
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After a building block type season in 2010, Florida State now looks to be one of the true favorites to capture the ACC title this year.
The Seminoles return a lot of key pieces in coach Jimbo Fisher’s second year, but the most important component to success will be the play of junior quarterback E.J. Manuel.
Manuel is one of the most naturally gifted quarterbacks in the country and has looked intriguing in relief appearances for Christian Ponder over the past two years, but it still remains to be seen how well he’ll handle being the full time starter.
Judging from his play in bowl wins over South Carolina and West Virginia, Manuel could be one of the breakout stars of college football in 2011.
22. Bryant Moniz, Hawai'i
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Brytan Moniz may not necessarily be the most gifted quarterback in the country, and he probably doesn’t have much of an NFL future in his sights, but one thing you just can’t argue with is his production.
Moniz led the country with over 5,000 passing yards and 39 touchdown strikes in 2010.
Yes, he most certainly benefited from Hawaii’s pass-heavy offensive scheme, but still, those numbers are pretty impressive.
There’s no doubt that Moniz will miss highly productive receivers Greg Salas and Kealoha Pilares, who combined for 207 catches last season, but the 6’0’’ senior should have another quality campaign in 2011.
21. Ryan Lindley, San Diego State
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The Mountain West Conference will have a vastly different landscape in 2011. Conference powerhouse TCU has to reload after losing a lot of valuable parts, BYU has opted to go the independent rout and Boise State is now set to join the fun as their replacement.
With so much change and turnover, could this be the year that San Diego State finally breaks through and captures the conference crown?
Although former coach Brady Hoke has moved on to Michigan, the Aztecs return one of the most potent backfield tandems in the country in QB Ryan Lindley and RB Ronnie Hillman.
Lindley, a 6’4’’ senior who is considered a legitimate NFL prospect, threw for over 3,800 yards and 28 TDs in 2010.
20. Tyler Wilson, Arkansas
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Tyler Wilson may not have the huge arm or the imposing size of former Razorbacks QB Ryan Mallett, but when it comes to intangibles, Wilson might just be the better all around leader.
Although Wilson may not be able to match Mallett’s statistics from a season ago, he’s the type of player who looks like he could move an offense down the field with precision and poise.
The 6’3’’ 215 lb. junior will be heaving passes to one of the best receiving trios in the country led by Greg Childs and he’ll have one of the most dangerous running backs in the SEC, Knile Davis, lining up behind him, which will help occupy the attention of defenses.
19. Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois
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Nathan Scheelhaase has a chance to turn into one of the Big Ten’s real offensive gems this season.
Illinois will probably look to open up the offense a little bit more now that the ultra-athletic 6’3’’ sophomore has a year of experience under his belt.
Even though departed RB Mikel Leshoure did most of the heavy lifting for the offense in 2010, Scheelhaase still managed to throw for over 1,800 yards and 17 touchdowns.
He also proved that he could be a threat running the ball as well, accounting for over 850 yards on the ground.
18. Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
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If you’re wondering how Texas A&M was able to turn around their season last year, look no further than QB Ryan Tannehill.
Midway through the year, Tannehill switched from wide receiver to step in for a struggling Jerrod Johnson, and he turned out to be just the infusion the Aggies needed.
Tannehill threw for over 1,600 yards and 13 TDs, guiding A&M to victory in their final five games of the regular season.
If the 6’4’’ senior can match his output from 2010, Texas A&M could challenge Oklahoma for a Big 12 title.
17. Danny O’Brien, Maryland
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After the exodus of both head coach Ralph Friedgen and offensive coordinator James Franklin, there was a big fear that QB Danny O’Brien would be the next to leave Maryland. But after thinking things through, O’Brien realized that staying put was his best option.
O’Brien enjoyed a marvelous freshman campaign for the Terrapins in 2010, throwing for over 2,400 yards and 22 TDs.
The 6'3'' sophomore will have to deal with the loss of his top target Torrey Smith, who hauled in 67 catches for over 1,000 yards last season. But he should be able to handle it and continue to make strides in 2011.
16. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State
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Getting blown out by Alabama 49-7 on New Year’s Day probably wasn’t the way the Spartans wanted to end their season last year. But the team can look back and be proud of all they accomplished in 2010.
Michigan State finished the regular season 11-1, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the they once again reached the double digit win plateau this year.
One player who could take a huge leap toward stardom in 2011 is QB Kirk Cousins.
Cousins, now a senior, has two years starting experience already and he's thrown for over 5,500 yards and 39 TDs during that time frame.
15. Taylor Martinez, Nebraska
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Going into the 2010 season, you could have made the case that quarterback was the biggest question mark on the entire Nebraska team. No one was quite sure what Taylor Martinez would bring to the table.
The young freshman quickly converted Nebraska fans to his side by running through opponents on his way to carrying the Cornhuskers to a 9-1 record. However, the bloom fell off the rose in a late season loss to Texas A&M when cameras caught coach Bo Pelini screaming at his young QB on the sidelines.
There’s no question that Martinez has the ability to have Nebraska in the chase for a Big Ten championship this year, but he first must demonstrate he’s grown as a leader.
14. Dan Persa, Northwestern
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If you lined up all the quarterbacks on this list for a WWE style Battle Royal match, Dan Persa would probably be one of your last picks to win. The 6’1’’ senior can in no way be considered physically imposing, but I have a feeling that somehow Persa would probably be one of the last men standing in such a fight.
Persa just has that gritty, get things done nature about him and that’s definitely rubbed off on his teammates.
Persa was having a dream season in 2010, leading Northwestern to a 7-3 record, before an Achilles injury cut his year short, and effectively ended the team’s run as they lost the last three games of the season.
13. Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
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The big uncertainty for the Oklahoma State offense going into the 2011 season revolves around the departure of former coordinator Dana Holgorsen.
Under Holgorsen’s watch, the Cowboys were an offensive juggernaut last season averaging 520 yards per game.
The play of QB Brandon Weeden, who threw for over 4,200 yards and 34 TDs, was one of the main reasons the offense was so potent.
Weeden has receiver Justin Blackmon, one of the breakout stars of the 2010 season, back for one more go-round, so don’t expect his numbers to drop off all that much.
12. Nick Foles, Arizona
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I was one of the few Arizona bandwagon jumpers who expected Nick Foles to have a breakout season in 2010. Although Foles did show glimpses of his tremendous potential at times, he failed to take his game to the next level as the Wildcats fell apart down the stretch, losing their last five games of the season.
Now a senior, Foles has one more year to prove that he really can be a top flight quarterback at the collegiate level.
Foles will be helped by the return of Arizona's top receiver, Juron Criner, who hauled in 83 passes for over 1,200 yards in 2010.
11. Jake Heaps, BYU
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BYU has decided to dip its feet in the independent waters of college football, and the team is now banking on young hotshot QB Jake Heaps to lead them to national relevancy over the next few years.
Heaps, one of the most highly rated recruits to ever sign with the Cougars, improved by leaps and bounds as his freshman season wore on, finishing the year with over 2,300 yards and 15 TDs.
BYU has two statement games at Ole Miss and at Texas to start off the 2011 season. If Heaps can lead the team to victory in both those contests he’ll start gaining some real legitimate recognition.
10. Darron Thomas, Oregon
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I guess Jeremiah Masoli wasn’t as important to Oregon’s success as some made him out to be.
A few analysts made it seem like Masoli’s departure from Eugene would spell doom for the loaded Ducks squad, but as we found out, that was certainly not the case.
The offense became even more powerful with Darron Thomas running the show, as the Ducks outpaced their opponents on their way to a perfect regular season and a berth in the national title game.
With Thomas and RB LaMichael James, a 2010 Heisman finalist, both returning, Oregon should once again be lethal on offense.
9. Aaron Murray, Georgia
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You can’t exactly say that the SEC is overflowing with elite quarterbacks this year, because that’s far from the case. But one signal caller who could stick out among the relatively mediocre crop is Georgia’s Aaron Murray.
Murray took his growing pains like a man in his first season as a starter, as the Bulldogs struggled through a 6-7 campaign in 2010.
Although the 6’1’’ sophomore will definitely miss all-star receiver A.J. Green this year, Murray will have the benefit of key skill position players like TE Orson Charles, WR Tavarres King and RB Washaun Ealey to help him out, as well as one of the conference’s top offensive lines to keep him safe.
8. Matt Barkley, USC
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I’ll say it now, watch out for USC this year.
The Trojans are in an unfamiliar position, entering this season out of the spotlight, but this team has the weapons to do some real damage in the new look Pac-12.
The captain of the ship will once again be junior QB Matt Barkley, who threw for over 2,700 yards and 26 TDs in 2010.
This could be Barkley’s final year in Los Angeles before he heads off to the NFL, so you better believe he’ll be looking to have a sensational season to go out on.
7. Denard Robinson, Michigan
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Few players in college football history had the type of five game stretch that Denard Robinson enjoyed at the beginning of last season.
Robinson, who totaled nearly 2,000 yards of offense in Michigan’s first five games, was the talk of college football, an early Heisman front runner and the sport's September superstar. Then, it all seemingly fell apart in a hurry.
The Wolverines struggled down the stretch, losing six of their last eight games and Robinson struggled to regain his early season form.
It should be interesting to see how the 6’0’’ 195 lb. junior fits outside of Rich Rodriguez’s dual threat friendly spread offense.
6. Geno Smith, West Virginia
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Geno Smith looks like one of the most intriguing quarterbacks to watch this season, just from the standpoint of how big of an effect Dana Holgorsen will have on not only Smith but the entire West Virginia offense.
Smith is the type of strong-armed slinger who should flourish in Holgorsen’s system.
The 6’3’’ junior was solid yet unspectacular in his first season as a starter, throwing for over 2,700 yards and 24 TDs.
With playmaking receivers like Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Ivan McCartney and JD Woods all in the fold, Smith could have a monster year in 2011.
5. Robert Griffin III, Baylor
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Finally, there’s a reason for Baylor football fans to get excited.
Robert Griffin III is exactly that reason.
Last year, Griffin III returned from a knee injury that cut his sophomore season short and carried the Bears to their first bowl appearance in over 15 years.
The dual threat star totaled over 4,000 yards of offense and scored 30 touchdowns.
Griffin III has shown a vast improvement as a passer from the time he arrived in Waco and it may now be time for him to ascend to that next level and become a national star.
4. Kellen Moore, Boise State
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Oh Kyle Brotzman, you just had to go and ruin the fun didn’t you?
Boise State was on track for another magical year in 2010 before one ill-fated field goal sailed wide right on a chilly night in the Reno desert.
Something tells me though that one blemish shouldn’t hurt Kellen Moore’s career winning percentage too much. The senior still has a 38-2 career record as a starter.
So what will Moore do for a final curtain call?
Time will only tell, but I have a feeling that the greatest show on blue turf isn’t about to slow down any time soon.
3. Landry Jones, Oklahoma
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I hope somebody got Landry Jones some ice after last season because his arm must have been really tired.
Jones led the country with 617 pass attempts last season. By the way, he also happened to lead the Sooners to a 12-2 record and a win in the Fiesta Bowl.
His performance in 2010 helped put him on the college football map and now Jones is likely going to be on the short list for Heisman favorites going into this season.
The Sooners will probably start the year off ranked No. 1 in the nation, and if Jones can keep up the pace he set last year, they have a good chance to stay there until January.
2. Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
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Admittedly, it’s hard to justify putting Terrelle Pryor this high considering he’s going to miss the first five games of the season due to suspension. But I’m going to give credit where credit’s due. And yes, I’ll deal with the backlash just because it seems any time you show Pryor some love, the many haters inevitably pop up.
Why do they pop up?
I’m still not sure.
It's a bit odd that people refuse to embrace a terrific specimen like Pryor and enjoy all that he brings to the table, but I guess he’s just one of those athletes who rubs people the wrong way.
Even so, you would think a 23-3 record and consecutive BCS bowl game MVPs over the last two years would buy the kid a little respect.
It won’t. Pryor will be portrayed as a villain going into the season once again, but something tells me he’ll embrace it just like he has the past two years.
1. Andrew Luck, Stanford
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What's left to say?
This is the guy.
Andrew Luck is the face of college football for 2011.
Heisman favorite, No. 1 pick favorite; he's the poster boy.
So how well will he deal with all the pressure?
We'll find out.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
