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We looked at running backs and receivers. Now on to quarterbacks.
Quarterbacks that averaged at least 20 passes per game in any season from 2003 to 2012 were included in this group. This narrows down the list to 903 seasons for us to analyze. I'll list the top 25 in each of the four QB rating categories, then the top 100 QB rating seasons in the past decade.
Before we dive in, though, I thought it would be interesting to see how these numbers change as players mature in their college careers. Here is every stat we'll look at today by classification over the past decade:
Class | Count | Comp% | Y/Att | TD/Att | INT/Att | Rating |
FR | 82 | 59.2% | 7.0 | 4.8% | 3.2% | 127.7 |
SO | 222 | 60.1% | 7.2 | 5.1% | 2.9% | 131.9 |
JR | 298 | 60.6% | 7.4 | 5.2% | 2.8% | 134.4 |
SR | 301 | 61.5% | 7.5 | 5.6% | 2.7% | 137.4 |
As you can see, the stats improve in every single category as QBs get older. Obviously there is some bias at work here, as poor QBs get weeded out over time. Still, it's interesting to see how significant the changes are over the years.
First up, let's look at completion percentage. These 25 passers had the highest percentages over the past ten years of college football. NCAA average among this group of 903 seasons: 60.7%
Rk | Year | QB, Team | Comp % |
1 | 2008 | Colt McCoy, Texas | 76.7% |
2 | 2011 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 74.3% |
3 | 2004 | Stefan Lefors, Louisville | 73.5% |
4 | 2010 | Dan Persa, Northwestern | 73.5% |
5 | 2011 | Dan Persa, Northwestern | 73.4% |
6 | 2010 | Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin | 72.9% |
7 | 2008 | Chase Daniel, Missouri | 72.9% |
8 | 2011 | Russell Wilson, Wisconsin | 72.8% |
9 | 2006 | Colt Brennan, Hawaii | 72.6% |
10 | 2012 | David Fales, San Jose St. | 72.5% |
11 | 2007 | Riley Skinner, Wake Forest | 72.4% |
12 | 2011 | Robert Griffin III, Baylor | 72.4% |
13 | 2011 | Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma St. | 72.3% |
14 | 2003 | Philip Rivers, North Carolina St. | 72.0% |
15 | 2007 | Graham Harrell, Texas Tech | 71.8% |
16 | 2011 | Andrew Luck, Stanford | 71.3% |
17 | 2010 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 71.3% |
18 | 2012 | Geno Smith, West Virginia | 71.2% |
19 | 2003 | Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo | 71.2% |
20 | 2011 | Case Keenum, Houston | 71.0% |
21 | 2010 | Greg McElroy, Alabama | 70.9% |
22 | 2010 | Andrew Luck, Stanford | 70.7% |
23 | 2009 | Colt McCoy, Texas | 70.6% |
24 | 2008 | Graham Harrell, Texas Tech | 70.6% |
25 | 2005 | Phil Horvath, Northern Ill. | 70.6% |
Next up, the top 25 QBs over the past decade in yards/attempt. NCAA average: 7.4.
Rk | Year | QB, Team | Yds/Att |
1 | 2011 | Robert Griffin III, Baylor | 10.68 |
2 | 2011 | Russell Wilson, Wisconsin | 10.28 |
3 | 2010 | Cam Newton, Auburn | 10.19 |
4 | 2008 | David Johnson, Tulsa | 10.15 |
5 | 2004 | Stefan Lefors, Louisville | 10.10 |
6 | 2012 | Aaron Murray, Georgia | 10.09 |
7 | 2010 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 10.04 |
8 | 2004 | Jason Campbell, Auburn | 10.00 |
9 | 2005 | Rudy Carpenter, Arizona St. | 9.97 |
10 | 2006 | Colt Brennan, Hawaii | 9.93 |
11 | 2008 | Sam Bradford, Oklahoma | 9.77 |
12 | 2003 | Ryan Dinwiddie, Boise St. | 9.77 |
13 | 2008 | Zac Robinson, Oklahoma St. | 9.76 |
14 | 2006 | Brian Brohm, Louisville | 9.74 |
15 | 2005 | Troy Smith, Ohio St. | 9.63 |
16 | 2003 | Bradlee Van Pelt, Colorado St. | 9.58 |
17 | 2005 | Brian Brohm, Louisville | 9.58 |
18 | 2010 | Greg McElroy, Alabama | 9.54 |
19 | 2010 | Ryan Mallett, Arkansas | 9.41 |
20 | 2007 | Tim Tebow, Florida | 9.39 |
21 | 2005 | Vince Young, Texas | 9.34 |
22 | 2012 | A.J. McCarron, Alabama | 9.34 |
23 | 2011 | Case Keenum, Houston | 9.34 |
24 | 2006 | John Beck, Brigham Young | 9.32 |
25 | 2009 | Nathan Enderle, Idaho | 9.31 |
Here are the top 25 QB seasons over the last decade in terms of TD% (TD / Attempt). NCAA average: 5.3%.
Rk | Year | QB, Team | TD/Att |
1 | 2008 | David Johnson, Tulsa | 11.5% |
2 | 2010 | Cam Newton, Auburn | 10.7% |
3 | 2011 | Russell Wilson, Wisconsin | 10.7% |
4 | 2007 | Sam Bradford, Oklahoma | 10.6% |
5 | 2006 | Colt Brennan, Hawaii | 10.4% |
6 | 2008 | Sam Bradford, Oklahoma | 10.4% |
7 | 2004 | Alex Smith, Utah | 10.1% |
8 | 2008 | Tim Tebow, Florida | 10.1% |
9 | 2011 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 9.8% |
10 | 2011 | Darron Thomas, Oregon | 9.7% |
11 | 2006 | Troy Smith, Ohio St. | 9.6% |
12 | 2006 | Justin Willis, Southern Methodist | 9.6% |
13 | 2012 | A.J. McCarron, Alabama | 9.6% |
14 | 2012 | Marcus Mariota, Oregon | 9.5% |
15 | 2003 | Matt Leinart, Southern California | 9.5% |
16 | 2012 | Aaron Murray, Georgia | 9.3% |
17 | 2012 | Matt Barkley, Southern California | 9.3% |
18 | 2008 | Mark Sanchez, Southern California | 9.3% |
19 | 2011 | Robert Griffin III, Baylor | 9.2% |
20 | 2011 | Andrew Luck, Stanford | 9.2% |
21 | 2007 | Tim Tebow, Florida | 9.1% |
22 | 2010 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 9.1% |
23 | 2006 | Colt McCoy, Texas | 9.1% |
24 | 2011 | Keith Price, Washington | 9.1% |
25 | 2004 | Lester Ricard, Tulane | 9.1% |
Last category in QB rating: INT% (INT / Attempt). NCAA Average: 2.8%.
Rk | Year | QB, Team | INT/Att |
1 | 2008 | Russell Wilson, North Carolina St. | 0.4% |
2 | 2006 | Stephen McGee, Texas A&M | 0.6% |
3 | 2009 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 0.7% |
4 | 2012 | Jake Medlock, FIU | 0.8% |
5 | 2012 | Tino Sunseri, Pittsburgh | 0.8% |
6 | 2011 | Case Keenum, Houston | 0.8% |
7 | 2004 | Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green | 0.9% |
8 | 2005 | Rudy Carpenter, Arizona St. | 0.9% |
9 | 2008 | Levi Brown, Troy | 0.9% |
10 | 2006 | Kevin Kolb, Houston | 0.9% |
11 | 2009 | Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame | 0.9% |
12 | 2007 | Drew Weatherford, Florida St. | 0.9% |
13 | 2012 | A.J. McCarron, Alabama | 1.0% |
14 | 2012 | Colby Cameron, Louisiana Tech | 1.0% |
15 | 2012 | Ryan Aplin, Arkansas St. | 1.0% |
16 | 2012 | Tyler Tettleton, Ohio | 1.1% |
17 | 2009 | Diondre Borel, Utah St. | 1.1% |
18 | 2012 | Jacob Karam, Memphis | 1.1% |
19 | 2012 | Matt McGloin, Penn St. | 1.1% |
20 | 2008 | Robert Griffin, Baylor | 1.1% |
21 | 2003 | Alex Smith, Utah | 1.1% |
22 | 2003 | Scott Rislov, San Jose St. | 1.1% |
23 | 2012 | Geno Smith, West Virginia | 1.2% |
24 | 2004 | Reggie McNeal, Texas A&M | 1.2% |
25 | 2004 | Stefan Lefors, Louisville | 1.2% |
And now for the big list: the top 100 QB seasons over the past decade in terms of QB rating. NCAA average: 134.3.
School representation:
- 6: Boise State (Ryan Dinwiddle, Jared Zabransky, Kellen Moore x4) and USC (Matt Leinart x3, Mark Sanchez, Matt Barkley x2)
- 4: Hawaii, Louisville, Oklahoma, Houston
- 3: Texas, Florida, Oregon, Ohio State
- 2: 17 schools
- 4: Kellen Moore, Boise St.
- 3: Tim Tebow, Florida; Colt Brennan, Hawaii; Case Keenum, Houston; Matt Leinart, USC
- 2: 11 quarterbacks
Rk | Year | QB, Team | QB Rating |
1 | 2011 | Russell Wilson, Wisconsin | 191.8 |
2 | 2011 | Robert Griffin III, Baylor | 189.5 |
3 | 2006 | Colt Brennan, Hawaii | 186.0 |
4 | 2010 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 182.6 |
5 | 2010 | Cam Newton, Auburn | 182.0 |
6 | 2004 | Stefan Lefors, Louisville | 181.7 |
7 | 2008 | Sam Bradford, Oklahoma | 180.8 |
8 | 2008 | David Johnson, Tulsa | 178.7 |
9 | 2007 | Sam Bradford, Oklahoma | 176.5 |
10 | 2004 | Alex Smith, Utah | 176.5 |
11 | 2012 | A.J. McCarron, Alabama | 175.3 |
12 | 2011 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 175.2 |
13 | 2005 | Rudy Carpenter, Arizona St. | 175.0 |
14 | 2012 | Aaron Murray, Georgia | 174.8 |
15 | 2011 | Case Keenum, Houston | 174.0 |
16 | 2008 | Colt McCoy, Texas | 173.8 |
17 | 2004 | Jason Campbell, Auburn | 172.9 |
18 | 2007 | Tim Tebow, Florida | 172.5 |
19 | 2008 | Tim Tebow, Florida | 172.4 |
20 | 2012 | David Fales, San Jose St. | 170.8 |
21 | 2003 | Philip Rivers, North Carolina St. | 170.5 |
22 | 2010 | Andrew Luck, Stanford | 170.2 |
23 | 2011 | Andrew Luck, Stanford | 169.7 |
24 | 2006 | John Beck, Brigham Young | 169.1 |
25 | 2010 | Greg McElroy, Alabama | 169.0 |
26 | 2004 | Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green | 167.2 |
27 | 2006 | JaMarcus Russell, LSU | 167.0 |
28 | 2008 | Zac Robinson, Oklahoma St. | 166.8 |
29 | 2005 | Brian Brohm, Louisville | 166.7 |
30 | 2010 | Andy Dalton, TCU | 166.5 |
31 | 2010 | Scott Tolzien, Wisconsin | 165.9 |
32 | 2003 | Ben Roethlisberger, Miami (Ohio) | 165.8 |
33 | 2012 | Tajh Boyd, Clemson | 165.6 |
34 | 2008 | Mark Sanchez, Southern California | 164.6 |
35 | 2003 | Matt Leinart, Southern California | 164.5 |
36 | 2009 | Tim Tebow, Florida | 164.2 |
37 | 2005 | Vince Young, Texas | 163.9 |
38 | 2008 | Chase Clement, Rice | 163.9 |
39 | 2012 | Geno Smith, West Virginia | 163.9 |
40 | 2003 | Ryan Dinwiddie, Boise St. | 163.7 |
41 | 2010 | Ryan Mallett, Arkansas | 163.6 |
42 | 2006 | Tyler Palko, Pittsburgh | 163.2 |
43 | 2012 | Marcus Mariota, Oregon | 163.2 |
44 | 2006 | Kevin Kolb, Houston | 162.7 |
45 | 2005 | Troy Smith, Ohio St. | 162.7 |
46 | 2006 | Jared Zabransky, Boise St. | 162.6 |
47 | 2004 | Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo | 162.6 |
48 | 2011 | Keith Price, Washington | 161.9 |
49 | 2006 | Troy Smith, Ohio St. | 161.9 |
50 | 2006 | Colt McCoy, Texas | 161.8 |
51 | 2009 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 161.7 |
52 | 2005 | Drew Olson, UCLA | 161.6 |
53 | 2003 | Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo | 161.5 |
54 | 2009 | Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame | 161.4 |
55 | 2011 | Matt Barkley, Southern California | 161.2 |
56 | 2007 | Dennis Dixon, Oregon | 161.2 |
57 | 2012 | Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville | 160.5 |
58 | 2009 | Max Hall, BYU | 160.1 |
59 | 2008 | Graham Harrell, Texas Tech | 160.0 |
60 | 2008 | Case Keenum, Houston | 159.9 |
61 | 2012 | Taylor Kelly, Arizona St. | 159.9 |
62 | 2007 | Paul Smith, Tulsa | 159.8 |
63 | 2007 | Colt Brennan, Hawaii | 159.8 |
64 | 2011 | Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma St. | 159.8 |
65 | 2005 | Phil Horvath, Northern Ill. | 159.4 |
66 | 2008 | Chase Daniel, Missouri | 159.4 |
67 | 2011 | Bryn Renner, North Carolina | 159.4 |
68 | 2004 | Jason White, Oklahoma | 159.4 |
69 | 2010 | Bryant Moniz, Hawaii | 159.1 |
70 | 2006 | Brian Brohm, Louisville | 159.1 |
71 | 2010 | Dan Persa, Northwestern | 159.0 |
72 | 2011 | Darron Thomas, Oregon | 158.7 |
73 | 2006 | Justin Willis, Southern Methodist | 158.4 |
74 | 2005 | Brady Quinn, Notre Dame | 158.4 |
75 | 2003 | Jason White, Oklahoma | 158.1 |
76 | 2012 | Connor Shaw, South Carolina | 158.1 |
77 | 2011 | Casey Pachall, TCU | 158.0 |
78 | 2010 | Terrelle Pryor, Ohio St. | 157.9 |
79 | 2010 | Chandler Harnish, Northern Ill. | 157.8 |
80 | 2005 | Matt Leinart, Southern California | 157.7 |
81 | 2012 | Brett Smith, Wyoming | 157.7 |
82 | 2010 | Richard Stanzi, Iowa | 157.6 |
83 | 2012 | Matt Barkley, Southern California | 157.6 |
84 | 2012 | Nick Florence, Baylor | 157.5 |
85 | 2003 | Rod Rutherford, Pittsburgh | 157.4 |
86 | 2007 | Graham Harrell, Texas Tech | 157.3 |
87 | 2009 | Nathan Enderle, Idaho | 157.3 |
88 | 2008 | Max Hall, BYU | 157.2 |
89 | 2008 | Kellen Moore, Boise St. | 157.1 |
90 | 2008 | Nate Davis, Ball St. | 157.0 |
91 | 2004 | Matt Leinart, Southern California | 156.5 |
92 | 2012 | E.J. Manuel, Florida St. | 156.1 |
93 | 2012 | Derek Carr, Fresno St. | 155.9 |
94 | 2005 | Colt Brennan, Hawaii | 155.5 |
95 | 2012 | Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M | 155.3 |
96 | 2006 | Adam Tafralis, San Jose St. | 155.1 |
97 | 2006 | Chase Holbrook, New Mexico St. | 155.1 |
98 | 2010 | Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech | 154.8 |
99 | 2009 | Case Keenum, Houston | 154.8 |
100 | 2011 | Dan Persa, Northwestern | 154.8 |
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