NationStates Jolt Archive

All right, I saw another thread talking about the best ever RB in pro football...I'm not a huge fan of pro sports, and I'm an even lesser fan of comparing players across different eras of football...

So, in the past five years (since the 2000 fall season), what college quarterback was the best athlete, where is he know, and why do you think he was so great? What college records does he hold and what kind of stats did he put up?

(And, like my other threads, I'll put up my opinion after a little while.)

Byron Leftwich. Great numbers despite playing on a MAC team. Broke his leg in a bowl game (GMAC?) and refused to come out. He's now a successful NFL QB with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

(oooh, the QB I had in mind plays for the Jaguars as well...)

Matt Leinart. Two National Championships in three years.

As far as Byron Leftwich goes...

MVP of the 2001 GMAC bowl, which after 2 overtimes, Marshall beat East Carolina 64-61

MVP of the 2002 GMAC bowl, in which Marshall beat Louisville 38-15

Matt Leinart. Two National Championships in three years.
I would agree with that...except that USC is full of all-star players and while Leinart is an excellent Quarterback, I think that there are quite a few other players that could've filled his shoes (not necessarily from USC, but college quarterbacks from across the nation) and USC still would've won those National Championships...

I would agree with that...except that USC is full of all-star players and while Leinart is an excellent Quarterback, I think that there are quite a few other players that could've filled his shoes (not necessarily from USC, but college quarterbacks from across the nation) and USC still would've won those National Championships...

He's still the man that led them to two championships. Stats and individual accomplishments are not important in football. Winning is.

He's still the man that led them to two championships. Stats and individual accomplishments are not important in football. Winning is.
Right...but the point is, there are other players that play for teams that don't get as good as results, but yet will be higher on drafters' lists because they make the team instead of the vice-versa. Did USC win two national championships because Leinart was their quarterback, or did Leinart win two national championships because he played for USC? I lean slightly more toward the latter. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he is terrible, but I do think that he's not exactly a game-breaker. In a little while, I'll throw out my nomination for most athletic college QB over the past 5 years and maybe that'll help you better see what I'm talking about...an instance of a player making the team...

By the way, when you nominate someone, please put the team they played for at the very least...(for people in the future)

Chris Rix - FSU, he counts as current because Sexton has lyme disease and the replacement might be replaced.

Chris Rix - FSU, he counts as current because Sexton has lyme disease and the replacement might be replaced.
Got any stories or explanations as to why he is the best of the past 5 years? I don't know much about him, and nothing extremely major comes up about him with a quick google search except that he's FSU's first 4-year starter in the Bowden era...

By the way...Rix also didn't get drafted...

All right...here's my pick...

Matt Jones, Arkansas

6-6, 242 lbs.

40-time: 4.37

Three-year starter at Arkansas, played in the two games that are tied for the longest games in NCAA history (seven OT win over Mississippi...with Eli Manning... in 2002, seven OT win over Kentucky in 2004), overall, Matt Jones is 5-1 in overtime games.

Never missed a game due to an injury...which may not seem like a big deal...but it is...

Led the Razorbacks in rushing...with a 7.5 yards per play average, holds the SEC all-time record for rushing yards by a quarterback...

Pretty much isn't effected at all by pressure...

And was drafted at the bottom of the first round by the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2005, and will most likely be playing...wide reciever...which he can play. He played it in high school, and was one of the most impressive wide recievers at the Senior Bowl...

Not to mention, he also holds the Arkansas school record for points per game...on the basketball court.

He's not the greatest passer (due mostly to a 2003 shoulder injury/surgery), but he is definitely one of the absolutely most atheletic players to come out of college in the past 5 years...and truly did make or break games for Arkansas...if he wasn't performing well, Arkansas lost. Period. But at the same time, he could quite easily score an 80 yard rushing touchdown on teams like Texas...


One other thing...last season, he was the only returning starter to the offense...and with that in mind, 5-6 isn't too terrible.

Eric Crouch.

I'll be disagreed with, but hell.

Eric Crouch.

I'll be disagreed with, but hell.
Could you offer something besides just his name? Like...what team he played for...and why you think he's so great?

Could you offer something besides just his name? Like...what team he played for...and why you think he's so great?

If you don't know who he played for, or what he did, or what he won, then you need to go back and check your football medication.

Let's see, I google, and come up with Eric Crouch, who played his last season for Nebraska in 2001 and won the Heisman?

Now, beyond simply looking at his stats, I can't tell much about the guy...and I definitely can't see why you nominated him...

So why don't we make this a discussion and you explain your nomination...or we can just make this a boring thread that just goes no where and not discuss anything...

And by the way, how does winning the Heisman making him the most athletic QB over the past 5 years? In 5 years, the Heisman is awarded 5 times. In 5 years, the National championship is won 5 times. Etc.

Let's see, I google, and come up with Eric Crouch, who played his last season for Nebraska in 2001 and won the Heisman?

Now, beyond simply looking at his stats, I can't tell much about the guy...and I definitely can't see why you nominated him...

So why don't we make this a discussion and you explain your nomination...or we can just make this a boring thread that just goes no where and not discuss anything...

He was probably the best leader in college football history. A lot of people were pissed that he won the heisman, simply because of his stats. You my friend, would have been one of those bigoted peoples.

He was the best option quarterback I've ever seen, he did some amazing shit in the pocket. Tough as nails. He wasn't one of these pussy ass "Linebackers are coming, so I better slide to save my ass." Nope. He lowered his shoulder and took the hit. Hell of a man.

He was probably the best leader in college football history. A lot of people were pissed that he won the heisman, simply because of his stats. You my friend, would have been one of those bigoted peoples.
How can you say I would be one of those "bigoted peoples," when all you know of me is that I'd prefer explanations behind nominations?

He was the best option quarterback I've ever seen, he did some amazing shit in the pocket. Tough as nails. He wasn't one of these pussy ass "Linebackers are coming, so I better slide to save my ass." Nope. He lowered his shoulder and took the hit. Hell of a man.
Heh...Matt Jones (the guy I think wins most athletic QB for past 5 years) was one of those "Uh oh, the offensive line still sucks...okay...just one guy coming, I can break this tackle..."
And if two guys were coming and were going to hit him at the same time, he'd scramble for an average of 5 yards...that's just his scramble average...he had an 11 yard average on runs where the plan for him was to run/option...

Not to mention, pretty much every other player on the teams he played with over the years were not exactly all-star players...

And the fact that he did it all while also playing for the basketball team, and remained very cool, calm, and collected at all times on the football field...including in 2002 when his team was down 6 at LSU (that place is fucking loud and obnoxious) and there was like 30 seconds to go and he's sitting on the bench humming to himself as LSU is punting the ball away...and Coach Nutt walks up to him and says "A little urgency Matt, game's on the line here." To which Jones responds, "no problem coach, I got this," and walks on to the field and beats LSU 21-20...

In the past five years? Easy.

Ben Roethlisberger.

In the past five years? Easy.

Ben Roethlisberger.
Why don't people get this? Please post some stuff about him and why you think he is a good candidate so that it does not have to be google...and also there are lots of things that people that know a lot about the quarterback can say that are hard to find on google (stories, etc).