College Football's Top 50 Quarterbacks

With the college football season now upon us, fans can breathe a collective sigh of relief. Instead of counting down the days until football starts again, fans can start to worry over every phase of the game.

Now that football is back, most of the attention of the top teams in the nation will be placed on their quarterbacks as they try to navigate their teams to victory.

Here is a look at the top 50 quarterbacks coming into the 2011 season.

No. 50: Jordan Jefferson

Jordan Jefferson would have likely come up higher on this list if not for his off-the-field issues.

Jefferson is an extremely mobile quarterback who can make a team pay by running, and much like Denard Robinson of Michigan, if he is able to improve in the passing game he will be a serious threat.

No. 49: Jacory Harris

Another quarterback with off the field issues is Jacory Harris. Although his off-the-field issues are the bigger problem, Harris also struggles with being inconsistent.

If and when Harris gets back on the field, it will be interesting to see if he can bring some stability to the Canes offense.

No. 48: John Brantley

Florida fans had better hope that John Brantley is one of the better players on the team by the end of the 2011 season. After being spoiled with three straight years of Tim Tebow, Brantley has struggled as a starter and will have one last shot in his senior year.

Last year, Brantley threw for nine touchdowns but also 10 interceptions and just broke 2,000 yards passing. He will have to be better for Florida to succeed in the SEC and for him to move up the quarterback ladder.

No. 47: James Vandenberg

James Vandenberg is the new starter for Iowa this year and will be able to lean on some experience he has had over the past two seasons, especially in 2009.

With a receiver like Marvin McNutt, Vandenberg should be able to put up some good numbers and keep Iowa competitive in the Big 10.

No. 46: MarQueis Gray

MarQueis Gray is a true athlete as he has spent time at both receiver and quarterback, and is certainly a threat to take off with the ball at anytime.

With his first full season at quarterback about to start, it will be interesting to see how the Gophers will use him throughout the year.

No. 45: Ryan Katz

In 2010, Ryan Katz passed for 2,401 yards and 17 touchdowns but failed to get the Beavers to a bowl game. Katz also spent most of the season without his top target, James Rodgers.

This season, Katz should be more comfortable in the system and will continue to be a solid pocket passer.

No. 44: Jordan Wynn

The nation will learn a lot about Utah and Jordan Wynn in 2011. The Utah Utes enter the Pac-12 and will see a dramatic change in the level of competition.

Last year Wynn threw for 2,334 yards and 17 touchdowns. If he performs well in the team's new conference, Wynn will be able to prove his worth.

No. 43: Ryan Nassib

In a bounce-back year for Syracuse, quarterback Ryan Nassib led them back to a bowl game and helped them lock up a victory over Kansas State in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Nassib threw for 2,334 yards and 19 touchdowns in 2010, which was also his first full season as starter.

No. 42: Nathan Scheelhaase

Nathan Scheelhaase stepped in as a freshman last year and was steady through most of the year. Scheelhaase threw for 1,825 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2010.

In 2011, Illinois will be looking for development out of Scheelhaase (entering his second year) and hoping that translates to more wins.

No. 41: Zac Dysert

While he did not play in the final four games of the 2010 season, Zac Dysert lead Miami of Ohio to a 6-4 record.

Through 10 games, Dysert threw for 2,406 and 13 touchdowns but will have to cut down on his turnovers, as he threw for 12 in 2010.

No. 40: B.J. Daniels

Another dual-threat quarterback on the list is South Florida's B.J. Daniels. Daniels has the Bulls in a position this year where many people are talking about them competing from the Big East title.

Last year, Daniels threw for 1,685 yards and 11 touchdowns and if he can stay healthy, will better those numbers midway through the season.

No. 39: Alex Carder

In his first year as a starter, Alex Carder had an impressive year in the MAC, throwing for 30 touchdowns and over 3,300 yards.

The most encouraging news for Bronco fans is the fact that as the year went on, Carder become more consistent with his play and led the team to three straight victories to end the year.

No. 38: Sean Renfree

I know that seeing a Duke Blue Devil quarterback on this list goes against what your brain may tell you, but on a better team, Sean Renfree would still receive some looks.

Last year, Renfree threw for 3,131 yards and 14 touchdowns and would be doing even better if the talent around him was stronger.

No. 37: Jeffery Godfrey

Coming into 2010, UCF was going to start freshman quarterback Jeffery Godfrey, and not many predicted what came next.

Once the season had completed, Godfrey had led UCF to a 11-3 record, including a Liberty Bowl victory over Georgia.

In his first season as a starter, Godfrey tossed 13 touchdowns and threw for 2,159 yards.

No. 36: Logan Thomas

Logan Thomas is taking over at Virginia Tech this year and will be vital to their success in 2011. Thomas had very limited opportunities in 2010 and is still a bit of a wildcard for the Hokies.

If Thomas can manage the offense, Virginia Tech should find themselves in the ACC title game.

No. 35: Garrett Gilbert

2010 is a season that all Texas fans want to forget and certainly Garrett Gilbert wants to put it behind him as well.

As he comes into his second year as starter, Gilbert is coming off of a season where he threw for 2,744 yards and 10 touchdowns.

With a year under his belt, Gilbert should do a lot better in the Longhorns offense in 2011.

No. 34: A.J. McCarron

If you are named the starting quarterback at Alabama you definitely have some talent. A.J. McCarron is stepping in this year and while it may take some time to get settled in, McCarron is not short on talent.

In relief duty, McCarron threw for 389 yards and three touchdowns last year.

No. 33: Jeff Tuel

As the 2010 season went on, objective fans would have to admit that it appeared that Washington State was starting to turn things around. A large part of the improvement was the play of quarterback Jeff Tuel.

If Tuel is able to continue to grow and understand the offense even better, he will help lead the Cougars to another step forward.

No. 32: Chandler Harnish

Chandler Harnish is a case of a player who has shown improvement year after year. From 2008, Harnish has improved on yards, touchdowns and also cut down on the interceptions every year.

After a 11-3 season in 2010, Harnish hopes that trend continues through 2011.

No. 31: Dayne Crist

Dayne Crist has been named the starter in South Bend and will be leading the Irish into their game against South Florida.

Last season, Crist threw for 2,033 yards and 15 touchdowns. Should he last the entire season, Crist will easily surpass those numbers.

No. 30: Dominique Davis

Dominique Davis had a great 2010 and returns for his senior season. In 2010, Davis threw for 3,967 yards and 37 touchdowns, throwing for five touchdowns in three games last year.

With another year under his belt, Davis should eclipse the 4,000 yard mark and throw 40 touchdowns, stats that would be a welcome sight for ECU fans.

No. 29: Corey Robinson

Troy was hoping that in 2010, Corey Robinson could step in this offense despite being in his freshman season. Their choice was confirmed after Robinson threw for 3,700 yards and 28 touchdowns.

While Robinson did throw 15 interceptions, he will have time in the offseason to get comfortable with his receivers, and the offense will be priceless.

No. 28: Tyler Bray

Tyler Bray came in last year and helped save the Tennessee Vols season.

This year, Bray enters the season as the starter and hopes are high for this quarterback. He ended last year with 1,849 yards passing and 18 touchdowns and will look to grow that in 2011.

No. 27: Ryan Aplin

Accounting for 32 total touchdowns in his sophomore season, Ryan Aplin provided the Arkansas State with some balance.

The Red Wolves went 4-8 in 2010, and if Aplin can give them a similar effort this year, they could challenge for a bowl bid.

No. 26: Stephen Garcia

While Stephen Garcia can be a bit inconsistent at times, he still threw for 3,059 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2010.

In 2011, Garcia will have Alshon Jeffery as a go-to target and will also have the benefit of defenses needing to account for Marcus Lattimore in the backfield.

No. 25: Kyle Padron

With Kyle Padron under center, SMU was able to go 7-6 during the regular season and earn a birth in the Armed Forces Bowl.

During the 2010, Padron made major strides towards improving. He threw for 3,828 yards and got the Mustangs into the end zone 31 times.

No. 24: E.J. Manuel

With Christian Ponder now in the NFL, EJ Manuel is stepping in as the man at Florida State.

Manuel is a dynamic dual-threat quarterback who has kept expectations high for the Seminoles.

It will not take long for fans to see what he can do since the Seminoles take on Oklahoma early in the season.

No. 23: Dan Persa

The fate of the Northwestern season will be on the shoulders of their quarterback Dan Persa.

Persa is a leader and does a great job helping the Wildcats stay in games. Last year Persa threw for 2,581 yards and 15 touchdowns.

No. 22: Ryan Tannehill

Ryan Tannehill is a unique player on this list in the sense that he actually played wide receiver and then finished the year at quarterback.

For the first six games on 2010, Tannehill put up decent numbers at receiver but then made his first start against Texas Tech.

Tannehill finished the year at 5-1 as a starter and will be interesting to watch in 2011.

No. 21: Danny O'Brien

Danny O'Brien had an incredible first year with Maryland, throwing for 2,438 yards and 22 touchdowns.

In 2011, O'Brien is back as the starter and with more experience to lean on. Based on how things went in his first season, expect big things from him in 2011.

No. 20: G.J. Kinne

After realizing he may not see the field at Texas, G.J. Kinne transferred to Tulsa and has not looked back since.

From 2009 to 2010, Kinne improved on his passing yardage and touchdowns while not going up in interceptions.

No. 19: Bryant Moniz

The Hawaii offense has seen many quarterbacks come and go and put up huge numbers. Bryant Moniz is no exception, coming off a tremendous 2010.

In 2010, Moniz threw for 39 touchdowns and also eclipsed the 5,000 yards mark for passing yards. Look for his stats to be even more impressive in 2011.

No. 18: Tyler Wilson

No Ryan Mallett and no Knile Davis means that the offensive load falls right onto Tyler Wilson's shoulders.

Wilson will be in his first year as starter in 2011 but has already shown that he can put up some impressive numbers through the air.

If he continues to improve with the more time he is given, Wilson could be one of the nations best.

No. 17: Ryan Lindley

Ryan Lindley helped lead San Diego State to a great 2010, throwing for 3,830 yards and 28 touchdowns.

Despite losing Brady Hoke as their head coach, Lindley will be coming into his final season and should be able to put up his best yards to this point.

No. 16: Kirk Cousins

Last year, Kirk Cousins helped lead Michigan State to a share of the Big 10 title. This year, Cousins and the Spartans are back and have the talent to make another run at the conferences first championship game.

In 2010, Cousins threw for 2,825 yard and 20 touchdowns and should be able to top that in 2011.

No. 15: Nick Foles

Nick Foles decided to return for his senior season at Arizona and the Wildcats are thankful that he did.

Last season, Foles threw for 3,191 yards and 20 touchdowns. This season, Foles will still have Juron Criner to throw the ball up to and should be able to put up some impressive numbers.

No. 14: Aaron Murray

With the departure of dynamic receiver A.J. Green, Aaron Murray's role will become even more important in 2011.

Murray had a solid 2010, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 24 touchdowns, but Georgia will need him to continue to take steps forward for them to have a successful 2011.

No. 13: Zach Collaros

Back for his senior season is Cincinnati quarterback Zach Collaros. Collaros had a good first season as a starter, throwing for just under 3,000 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Coming into his senior season, Callaros will look to cut down on the interceptions and continue to improve on his accuracy as he leads Cincinnati through the Big East schedule.

No. 12: Denard Robinson

Early on in 2010, Denard Robinson was quickly becoming a Heisman favorite due to the electric plays he was making with his legs.

When Michigan entered conference play, teams quickly figured out they needed to make him beat them with his arm, which did not happen too often.

If Robinson can improve in the passing game in 2011, he could be a top 10 quarterback in the nation.

No. 11: Geno Smith

Geno Smith will be entering his junior season at West Virginia in 2011 and will be coming off of an impressive season in 2010. Smith threw for 24 touchdowns and over 2,500 yards passing.

Smith has a good arm and is mobile enough when he needs to be. If Smith can give them a repeat performance in 2011, it will be a good start for West Virginia.

No. 10: Taylor Martinez

Last year, Taylor Martinez got off to a quick start and was already being mentioned on people's Heisman lists.

In 2011, Martinez and Nebraska move to the Big 10 and if he is able to stay healthy and perform at the same level, he will find himself in the Heisman talk again.

No. 9: Russell Wilson

After making the move to Wisconsin, Russell Wilson has made the Badgers an instant contender for the national championship.

With his ability to make plays with his arm and legs, Wilson is a dual-threat quarterback that will make life difficult on Big 10 defenses.

No. 8: Robert Griffin

Robert Griffin had a terrific comeback year in 2010 after losing the majority of his 2009 season to injury. He was named to the second team All-Big 12 squad and has Baylor fans hopefully for a successful 2011.

Between his athletic ability and experience, Griffin will be the key to Baylor's success.

No. 7: Brandon Weeden

Anytime you have the opportunity to throw the ball to a receiver like Justin Blackmon, you know you are in store for a great season.

Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden is in that position and will be looking to get the ball in Blackmon's hands all year long.

No. 6: Darron Thomas

While all of the attention and focus may be on LaMichael James, Darron Thomas stepped in last year and during his first year as starter he went 12-0 and led the Ducks to the national championship game.

In 2011, Thomas should have much more control over this offense and will surpass the 2,881 yard and 30 touchdowns he threw last year.

No. 5: Case Keenum

Case Keenum was ready for a great 2010 season, only to have it cut short in the third game of the year with a torn ACL. Luckily for Keenum, the NCAA granted him a sixth year for 2011, and he will be back to lead the Cougar offense.

Keenum has a tremendous arm, and in 2008 and 2009, he threw for 44 touchdowns in each season. If he can stay healthy, Keenum could throw nearly 50.

No. 4: Matt Barkley

Going into his third season as starter, USC fans have to be encouraged from the growth and rise in play they saw from Matt Barkley last year.

Barkley was able to go from 15 to 26 touchdowns and saw his interceptions drop from 14 to 12.

If Barkley can continue to develop, he can help lead USC back to challenging for the conference title.

No. 3: Kellen Moore

Coming into the 2011 season, Boise State will be led by quarterback Kellen Moore. Moore will have the Broncos aiming for a shot at the national title, and Moore himself will be a candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

Despite the fact that Moore has not gone up against elite talent week-in and week-out, he has saved his best games for his biggest opponents and has proven he can make all the throws.

No. 2: Landry Jones

In 2010, Landry Jones threw for 38 touchdowns and 4,718 yards.

Coming into this season, Jones is at the control of the No. 1 team in the nation and has weapons all around him to help him compete for the Heisman Trophy.

No. 1: Andrew Luck

Coming into 2011, Andrew Luck is viewed by many as the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy. Luck has the ability to make all of the throws and is a tough physical runner that can make you pay with his legs.

After passing up on the NFL and being the top pick in the draft, Luck is going to be the clear leader on Stanford and will put up some huge numbers.