Big 12 QB rankings according to Athlon

[TheFakeNewsMan]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/athlonsports.com/college-football/big-12-quarterback-rankings-2019?amp

The Big 12 Conference has seen its share of talented quarterbacks in recent years, and the 2019 season features a couple of All-America candidates in Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts and Texas' Sam Ehlinger. The Sooners have produced back-to-back Heisman winners at the quarterback position, but Ehlinger gets a slight edge as Athlon's No. 1 quarterback in the conference. Iowa State's Brock Purdy, Texas Tech's Alan Bowman and Baylor's Charlie Brewer are three rising stars to watch in 2019.

Ranking the quarterbacks by conference or nationally is no easy task. To help compile the rankings, there was some projection involved for 2019. This was not a ranking of quarterbacks only based on accomplishments so far or pro potential. All factors - pure talent, supporting cast, having a clear hold on the No. 1 position, previous production, 2019 projection and scheme changes (just to name a few) - were considered and projected to rank the quarterbacks in the Big 12 for 2019.

RANKING THE BIG 12'S QUARTERBACKS FOR 2019
10. Thomas MacVittie, Kansas

Kansas is the second stop at a Power 5 school in MacVittie’s career. The Ohio native started his career at Pitt but only played in three games on special teams as a redshirt freshman in 2017. He transferred to Mesa Community College for the 2018 campaign and passed for 1,064 yards and 16 touchdowns. MacVittie ranked as the No. 3 JUCO quarterback by the 247Sports Composite in the 2019 signing class and is the frontrunner to start for the Jayhawks this fall.

9. Alex Delton, TCU

Injuries forced TCU to start three quarterbacks in 2018, and coach Gary Patterson’s team enters the summer without a clear-cut starter. Delton – a graduate transfer from Kansas State – arrived in Fort Worth this spring after spending four years with the Wildcats. During his stint in Manhattan, Delton threw for 171 yards and five touchdowns and rushed for 868 yards and 11 scores over 20 appearances. Ohio State transfer Matthew Baldwin joined the mix this spring but needs a waiver to play in 2019. If healthy, redshirt freshman Justin Rogers could be the right answer under center. Delton, Baldwin and Rogers will also face competition from incoming freshman Max Duggan and junior Max Collins.

8. Austin Kendall, West Virginia

Will Grier’s departure leaves a significant void under center for new coach Neal Brown. However, the Mountaineers did receive some good news at this position prior to spring practice. Kendall decided to transfer from Oklahoma and landed in Morgantown with an opportunity to start in 2019. The North Carolina native ranked as a four-star prospect in the 2016 signing class and played in eight contests during his career with the Sooners. In Kendall’s limited snaps, he completed 28 of 39 throws for 265 yards and three touchdowns. Miami transfer Jack Allison started the Camping World Bowl against Syracuse last season and is also in the mix for the starting nod.

7. Skylar Thompson, Kansas State

New coach Chris Klieman’s offense should be a good fit with Thompson’s skill set. And with the Wildcats dealing with the departure of running back Alex Barnes to the NFL, Klieman and coordinator Courtney Messingham certainly need a big season out of the junior. The Missouri native played in 11 contests in 2018, completing 58.7 percent of his throws for 1,391 yards and nine touchdowns to four picks. Thompson also added 373 yards and five scores on the ground last fall. The junior has made 14 starts over the last two seasons and has accumulated 2,080 passing yards in that span.

6. Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State

Quarterback play is usually a strength in Stillwater, so even though Taylor Cornelius is gone after tossing 3,978 yards and 32 touchdowns, it’s hard to envision Oklahoma State’s offense slipping too far on the stat sheet. Sanders is competing with freshman Brendan Costello and Hawaii transfer Dru Brown for the starting nod this offseason. The Texas native ranked as a four-star prospect in the 2018 signing class and used a redshirt year last fall. Sanders threw for 8,747 yards in his high school career but also rushed for over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons (2016-17).

5. Alan Bowman, Texas Tech

The quarterback position is usually one that causes a lot of angst for any new coaching staff, but that’s not the case for Matt Wells. The former Utah State coach arrives in Lubbock with Bowman - one of the Big 12’s rising stars - entrenched as the team's starter. Injuries limited the Texas native to just eight games in his freshman campaign, but he still finished the year with 2,638 yards and 17 touchdowns to seven picks. Bowman torched Houston for 605 yards and five touchdowns in a 63-49 win for Texas Tech and passed for 408 against Iowa State. Due to only playing in eight contests, Bowman did not qualify for the Big 12 statistical leaders. However, his 69.4 completion percentage was higher than Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray (69.0) and Will Grier (67.0).

4. Charlie Brewer, Baylor

Brewer showed plenty of promise as a freshman, as he paced the Bears’ offense with 1,562 yards and 11 passing touchdowns in 2017. As expected, Brewer was better as a sophomore last season and should be primed for a push for All-Big 12 honors in 2019. The Texas native started 12 contests and connected on 61.5 percent of his throws for 3,019 yards and 19 touchdowns. Brewer tossed only nine picks over 390 attempts and ended the year with back-to-back 300-yard efforts versus Texas Tech and Vanderbilt. The Brewer-to-Denzel Mims connection should be a potent one for coach Matt Rhule in 2019.

3. Brock Purdy, Iowa State

After a breakout performance against Oklahoma State (318 yards and 4 TDs), Purdy assumed the starting job and never relinquished it the rest of the way. The Arizona native went 6-2 over his eight starts and finished the 2018 season with 2,250 yards and 16 touchdowns. Purdy tossed only seven picks over 220 attempts and added 308 yards and five scores on the ground. Additionally, his 66.4 completion percentage ranked third among qualified quarterbacks in the Big 12 last fall. Purdy won’t have No. 1 receiver Hakeem Butler to throw to in 2019, but he’s primed to take another step forward in his development.

2. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma

With Tua Tagovailoa entrenched as the starter in Tuscaloosa, Hurts decided to transfer for his final year of eligibility. The Texas native landed in a perfect situation, as he will inherit the controls of Oklahoma’s high-powered attack – an offense that has produced back-to-back Heisman winners. Hurts played in 42 games at Alabama and completed 445 of 707 passes for 5,626 yards and 48 scores to just 12 picks. He also added 1,976 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground. Hurts’ mobility and penchant for making plays with his legs is no secret. However, he also showed marked improvement as a passer from 2017 to ’18. Under the tutelage of coordinator Dan Enos, Hurts connected on 73 percent of his throws (up from 60 in 2017) and looked more comfortable with his reads and overall comfort level within the pocket. With an offseason to work under Lincoln Riley, look for Hurts to only get better in that department, combining with his rushing ability to have a huge senior year in Norman.

1. Sam Ehlinger, Texas

The Longhorns return only seven starters from last year’s 10-win team, so coach Tom Herman and his staff have some retooling to do on both sides of the ball. However, having an All-Big 12 quarterback like Ehlinger certainly eases a lot of concerns. As a freshman in 2017, Ehlinger made six starts (and nine overall appearances), completing 158 passes for 1,915 yards and 11 touchdowns to seven picks. He also added 385 yards and two scores on the ground that year. Ehlinger continued his development into one of the top quarterbacks in the nation last fall. He started all 14 games for the Longhorns, recording 482 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground and passing for 3,292 yards and 25 scores. Ehlinger has tossed just 12 picks over 700 career attempts. His 41 overall touchdowns in 2018 ranked as the second-most in a single season in school history. If Ehlinger stays healthy, Texas will once again make a run at the Big 12 title.

 

[WVUALLEN]

Not shocking that Big 12 is bias towards OU and Texasless.

At same time I am shocked that WVU QB is not #10.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

Only QB I might rank higher is the K State QB.

But that is dependent on how smart he is.
His new coaches have put two consecutive QBs in the NFL and Thompson has a big league arm.

Thompson vs Delton was what ultimately got Bill Snyder pushed out

 

[WVUALLEN]

I am surprised Kendall is not 10th because he showed me nothing in the spring. I am surprised Jalen Hurts is not lower. With either Purdy or Brewer 2nd.

10. Austin Kendall, West Virginia
9. Thomas MacVittie, Kansas
8. Alex Delton, TCU
7. Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State
6. Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
5. Alan Bowman, Texas Tech
4. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
3. Brock Purdy, Iowa State
2. Charlie Brewer, Baylor
1. Sam Ehlinger, Texas

In my opinion any of those top 4 could be #1

 

[TownesVanZandt]

Spring practices are more important than spring games

Everything is on television.
So everything can be scouted. One of the only problems with televising spring games.

With this the play calling is vanilla. Sometimes the defense is not. Just matters on how the coaches want the game to play.

 

[RichardCranium1]

Need the offensive line to become an unit and some players on defense to take a step up.
If not it looks like 4-8 or 5-7 if WVU has to rely on Austin Kendall.

 

[WVUALLEN]

6-6 or 7-5.

 

[RichardCranium1]

That will all depend on how much pressure is taken off of Kendall. Playing defense and running the ball. If WVU has to give Kendall the ball and say go score a TD on 50% of drives we could be in trouble. Not saying Kendall sucks but saying he is not that guy.

6-6 or 7-5 is reasonable if we play defense and can push people off the ball

 

[VaultHunter]

Not shocking that Big 12 is bias towards OU and Texasless.

At same time I am shocked that WVU QB is not #10.

What was Oklahoma and Texas record last year?

What was WVU?

What do all 3 have coming back?

 

[RichardCranium1]

If Kendall was the starting QB at Oklahoma I am sure he would be ranked much higher

 

[WVUALLEN]

What was Oklahoma and Texas record last year?

What was WVU?

What do all 3 have coming back?

Doesn't matter what's coming back it's will they win with what they got. Texas with their mighty 4 and 5 star players couldn't beat WVU at their own house.

Perhaps you should read my very own rating instead of being an ass hat as you usually are.

I am surprised Kendall is not 10th because he showed me nothing in the spring. I am surprised Jalen Hurts is not lower. With either Purdy or Brewer 2nd.

10. Austin Kendall, West Virginia
9. Thomas MacVittie, Kansas
8. Alex Delton, TCU
7. Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State
6. Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
5. Alan Bowman, Texas Tech
4. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
3. Brock Purdy, Iowa State
2. Charlie Brewer, Baylor
1. Sam Ehlinger, Texas

In my opinion any of those top 4 could be #1

 

[TownesVanZandt]

The majority of the talent for Texas last year were freshmen. This year they will be sophomore, RS Freshmen and Freshmen.
This is why the anti-Texas narrative has kicked into high gear this off-season. Some don't want them getting three consecutive Top 5 classes. In 2020 those players will make up the majority of the roster with a senior QB.

Was a great victory for WV. That senior class for WV was one of their better ones. They need to hit on another one similar to that in consecutive years.

If you read the article you see why Kendall is at #8.
There is a bias towards some schools because they include players around the QB to determine the rankings among other factors.

 

[52again]

Scary when WVU's QB is ranked 8th out of a very average set of QB's

 

[WVUALLEN]

The majority of the talent for Texas last year were freshmen. This year they will be sophomore, RS Freshmen and Freshmen.

This is why the anti-Texas narrative has kicked into high gear this off-season. Some don't want them getting three consecutive Top 5 classes. In 2020 those players will make up the majority of the roster with a senior QB.

It's obvious you are either a fake Texas fan or you don't know anytthing about Texas starters from last year.

I read the article and think he should be 10th.

Is WVU supposed to scared of the big bad wolf? I don't think so.

One season doesn't dictate whether a traditional blue blood is, in fact, back. Herman overachieved in 2018.

The Longhorns have so much to replace, including more than 15 starters from last year's team. Texas ranks 121st in returning production. It's a little soon to expect Texas to compete for those goals every single season.

Texas is down three key starters from a year ago, on the offensive line. Now that other key players are gone, can Texas rebuild in a critical spot? Offensive lines take awhile to develop and having a rebuilt group creates some cause for concern. Coach Herb Hand has done a good job so far in Austin. This year will test just how good of a job he can do.

Ehlinger is a perfect fit for Herman's offense. He's a bruising runner and, in many cases, the best option in the ground attack. That needs to change for a couple of reasons. Just because Ehlinger can get the tough yards doesn't mean he needs to every time. The Longhorns don't have the safety net behind Ehlinger that they had before. Ingram is the answer in the backfield. After averaging five yards per carry as a freshman, Ingram should be a 1,000-yard running back.

As if replacing key starters along the offensive line wasn't enough, Texas has questions to answer in the trenches on the other side of the ball. Chris Nelson, Charles Omenihu and Breckyn Hager are all gone. If you want to extend the pass rushing to beyond the defensive line, Gary Johnson is another impact player who's moved on. There's some serious potential with the returning pieces. DE Roach and NT Wilbon. Other than the offensive line, you could argue that the new-look D-line is the most important group that needs to come together of the offseason. Without a stout defensive front that can rush the passer, many secondaries will get burned in the Big 12.

There's a ton of talent and length at cornerback, which is a good thing in the pass-happy Big 12. There's just not a lot of experience. Kris Boyd and Davante Davis had their shortcomings, but they were the most proven options on the outside. The cornerback/nickel spots aren't completely devoid of playing experience, but this will be the first time they are counted on as full-time starters. Texas' pass defense had its ups and downs a season ago and replacing well-known names with new ones against a conference full of standout wide receivers is a challenge.

Scheduling plays a role in the tone of a season. The strength of schedule doesn't equal how good a team is, but good/bad breaks are factors you have to take into consideration. Overall, Texas has a promising slate. The Longhorns don't leave Austin until October and have one tricky stretch from Oct. 26 to Nov. 23 when they play three road games in four weeks.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

That SI article doesn't tell the full story.

Everyone is worried about starters. Starters aren't as important as snap counts at some positions.
Only player on the DL that will be tough to replace is Omenihu. Nelson was 1A with Wilbon as 1B at NT. Wilbon has received 10% of the snaps in 2017 and 35% in 2018.
Wilbon has already been passed up in the depth chart by Coburn. Coburn was the #1 NT by the Sugar Bowl.
They still have Taquon Graham who will be a starter at DE but will play NT on passing downs. Texas can rotate some of their DEs into the NT position. Like Roach and Graham.




On the OL.
Texas has the #1 OL in Big 12
Shackelford Preseason All Big 12. #3 Senior OL according to Gil Brandt.
Cosmi
Preseason All Big 12. Freshman All American in 2018
Parker Braun
2 time all ACC LG
Derek Kerstetter.
Has 15 starts and played in 24 games.
The questions really are at RG/RT
Kerstetter who has started might not be a starter as Okafor and Angilau could hold down those spots.


The only position people at Texas are worried about is LB.
They need 2 LBs to step up and there are questions there.
They suffered a huge blow when their star freshman DeGabriel Floyd went out for the year.

 

[WVUALLEN]

ESPN says the same.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

Returning Production is important if you don't have players to step into that role.

Bill Connelly for the most part is usually incorrect.
He was pushing Miss State as a Top 10 team last year.

Snap counts are more important than starters.
Some schools rotate 8-10 DL a game. Starters don't stay on the field the entire game.

Same at WR and RB.

The issue for West Virginia is that they are loosing production that cannot be replaced.
Plus you have an entire new coaching staff.

 

[MichiganHerd]

Since TVZ knows everything about everything, you WVU fans should plan to do other things this fall. Doomsday for WVU football according to TVZ/KC.

 

[WVUALLEN]

TVZ doesn't know jack or Jill for that matter.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

I did tell you last year that it was going to be a rebuild if you wanted to change coaches.

Especially on Defense. Don't know where West Virginia finishes this year.
Hopefully for you they can tread water until they get their players in the right spots.

 

[WVUALLEN]

Texas 4th. Can you handle that?

 

[TownesVanZandt]

I think in certain situations you can see Texas drop to 7-5 or 8-4.

Not out of the realm of possibilities.
They are an easy team to project
I think West Virginia is the most difficult team to project. They can be anywhere from 4-8 to 8-4.

The reason why Texas is an easy team to project is because of their defense.
Elite safety play usually means an elite defense. Behind all good defenses are great safties. Used to be MLB but the game has changed.
Texas could easily have both of the All Big 12 safties in 2019. They have one returning and injuries kept Brandon Jones off that list. At the highest projection both could end up All Americans at least with Jones an Honorable Mention.

WV on the other hand. No one knows for sure what Vic Koenning will do. He doesn't have all the pieces to play his defense.

Truthfully I think he should go to a hybrid position less defense or put a hybrid S at B Backer/Bandit.

Watch LSU they take Chiasson off the field and put Delpit in that role.

Texas did last year with BJ Foster and they will with Demarvion Overshown this year.

Clemson is the best at it. They make safties into linebackers.
Isaiah Simmons.

 

[WVUALLEN]

WVU is the most difficult team to project even if they are abundantly talented or not.

 

[TownesVanZandt]

3 other new coaches in the Big 12.
Square Pegs in Round Holes. Neal Brown cannot do what he wants on offense or defense. The question becomes how does he adjust.
Treading water until help comes.

Questions at QB.


Plus WV is playing two other teams in OOC that can go either way.

Missouri has some talent but it is not bowl eligible
NC State has a new QB.

WV can go 3-0 or 1-2 in OOC
Certain schools you can say for sure their OOC record. WV could have a 2 game swing.

 

[WVUALLEN]

[pfftt]