College Football’s Largest QB Changes of the Ideal 10 Years

College Football’s Largest QB Changes of the Ideal 10 Years

Morgan MoriartyFeatured Columnist IOctober 22, 2021

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    Quarterbacks are generally college soccer’s glorious stars. They are in most cases highly recruited and are expected to enact extensive issues at the colleges they play for. 

    But in most cases they compose now no longer pan out. That prompts head coaches to fabricate changes at the blueprint. Whether or now no longer it’s utilizing other quarterbacks on the roster or landing a switch QB, there are a range of how coaches can efficiently manufacture a alternate. 

    Most currently, at Oklahoma, the Sooners win been in a blueprint to hunt out success with mild backup quarterback Caleb Williams. The resplendent freshman used to be at the help of Spencer Rattler but came in for the QB for the period of the Crimson River Rivalry in opposition to Texas. The Sooners won 55-48, and Williams threw for 212 yards and two touchdowns while speeding for one more 88 yards and a internet. Because the starter in Week 7 in opposition to TCU, he threw for 295 yards and four touchdowns. 

    Other times, coaches win to fabricate a alternate because of an misery to their starting up quarterback, and they also hit gold with the backup. Let’s whisk thru one of the essential most say quarterback changes of the final decade in college soccer.

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    We will kick issues off with thought to be one of many more unforgettable quarterback changes at Alabama.

    It started for the period of the 2018 CFP National Championship Game featuring No. 4 Alabama and No. 3 Georgia. The Tide went to the locker room at halftime down 13-0. Initiating quarterback Jalen Hurts went correct 3-of-8 passing for 21 yards and rushed for 47 yards in the half of.

    Desiring a spark on offense, Alabama head coach Slash Saban opted to change quarterbacks and offers the nod to backup resplendent freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa came into Alabama as the No. 1-ranked twin-threat quarterback in the 2017 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ composite. It used to be an enticing stride, provided that Hurts used to be 25-2 as a starter main up to this title game, but Saban’s resolution in the end paid off. 

    Tagovailoa led the Tide’s gradual first-half of offense to four scoring drives. One among his most principal possessions used to be an eight-play, 66-yard landing power late in the fourth quarter to tie the game up at 20 and force time previous rules.

    In OT, Alabama’s protection held Georgia to a self-discipline goal on the Dawgs’ first possession. On Alabama’s ensuing power, the Tide faced a 2nd-and-26 after Tagovailoa used to be sacked. But extremely, Tagovailoa stumbled on DeVonta Smith for a 41-yard landing stride to retract the Tide’s 17th nationwide championship, and the resplendent freshman quarterback used to be an in a single day hero in Tuscaloosa.

    Even though there had been rumors that Hurts would switch from Alabama after the title game, he remained with the Tide for the 2018 season. Tagovailoa, unsurprisingly, used to be named Alabama’s starter that season.

    But it wouldn’t be the final we would gaze of Hurts. Within the SEC Championship Game in opposition to Georgia later that season, Tagovailoa went down with a leg misery with 11 minutes left in the game. Alabama used to be trailing 28-21 to the Dawgs, and Hurts came in for the Tide’s injured starting up QB.

    Hurts conducted hero this time, going 7-of-9 for 82 yards and speeding for 28 yards. He stumbled on Jerry Jeudy for a 10-yard landing stride to tie it up at 28 and then had the game-a success landing whisk with 1: 04 left. 

    Tagovailoa in the end led the Tide to a nationwide title game look in opposition to Clemson for the period of the 2018 season, and he performed with a 22-2 fable as a starter at Alabama.

    His 2019 season used to be slice fast because of a season-ending misery he suffered in November, but his influence at Alabama used to be essential. He threw for 7,442 yards and 87 touchdowns with correct 11 interceptions. His TD passes are a college fable at Alabama. His two occupation losses had been in opposition to groups ranked in the Prime Two, as well. 

    Hurts transferred to Oklahoma, where he led the Sooners to a CFP semifinal berth in 2019. If Saban hadn’t made the alternate to Tagovailoa, the Tide could no longer win won the nationwide championship in 2017.  

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    Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm made the most of his opportunity when he came in for injured starter Jacob Eason early in the 2017 season. Eason, a 5-vital particular person QB prospect and the No. 2 expert-style QB prospect from the category of 2016, per 247Sports’ composite, used to be named the starter as a sophomore earlier than the 2017 season. But in Week 1 in opposition to Appalachian Mutter, Eason exited the game early with a knee misery. 

    In stepped Fromm, the No. 3 expert-style QB prospect from the category of 2017. Fromm used to be verbally committed to Alabama earlier than signing with Georgia’s No. 3-ranked recruiting class of 2017. The QB now no longer only conducted well for the Dawgs, but he furthermore thrived.

    He led Georgia to an 11-1 long-established-season fable, highlighted by an principal boulevard retract over No. 11 Notre Dame in Week 2. The Dawgs defeated Auburn in the SEC Championship Game, which gave them the No. 3 space in the CFP to face Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl semifinal.

    That game used to be a thriller, with Georgia defeating Oklahoma 54-48 in double time previous rules. Fromm threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the victory. Even though Eason used to be healthy ample to return as the starter for the period of the season, Fromm had already solidified himself as QB No. 1. 

    “Of us manufacture an even bigger deal out of it than it’s miles,” Clean stated of his QB blueprint for the period of the 2017 season. “Eason used to be out. And while Eason used to be out, we practiced Fromm. He got developed. He got higher. He worked hard. He did some perfect issues. He’s gotten higher with each and each game. He takes part in well like minded now.”

    Georgia fell to Alabama in the aforementioned nationwide title game, but Fromm’s season off the bench used to be noteworthy. He threw for 2,615 yards and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

    Eason transferred to Washington after the season, and Fromm led the Dawgs to 11 wins in 2018 and 12 wins in 2019.

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    Fields arrived at Georgia as a resplendent freshman in 2018. The 5-vital particular person QB prospect used to be the No. 1-ranked twin-threat prospect in the 2018 recruiting class, according to 247Sports’ composite. Quiet, Georgia head coach Kirby Clean opted to stride with Fromm over Fields as the Dawgs’ starting up quarterback in 2018.  

    Fields performed his resplendent freshman season having conducted correct 81 total snaps on the season. Unsurprisingly, he opted to switch in January 2019 to Ohio Mutter. He used to be granted a waiver by the NCAA to play straight away for the Buckeyes, in blueprint of having to sit down out a season. 

    At Ohio Mutter, Fields made Clean’s resolution to start Fromm over him gaze even more head-scratching.

    The Buckeyes went undefeated with Fields as their starting up quarterback in 2019. OSU lost to Clemson in the CFP Fiesta Bowl semifinal, but Fields performed the three hundred and sixty five days throwing for 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns with correct three interceptions. That used to be perfect for the say landing-to-interception ratio in the nation. He impart a single-season college fable with a passer efficiency score of 181.4, as well. He rushed for one more 484 yards and 10 touchdowns and performed third in Heisman Trophy vote casting.

    He didn’t put up somewhat as impressive numbers in 2020, since OSU conducted correct eight video games. Quiet, he threw for 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns with correct six interceptions. He led the Buckeyes to help-to-help CFP appearances for the main time in college historical previous, beating Clemson 49-28 in the Sugar Bowl semifinal.

    OSU fell to Alabama in the nationwide championship, but Fields performed his OSU occupation with a 20-2 fable as a starter. His 63 occupation passing touchdowns depraved 2d in Ohio Mutter college historical previous, too. 

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    John Bazemore/Associated Press

    Joe Burrow started his occupation at Ohio Mutter, spending the 2015, ’16 and ’17 seasons there. He didn’t gaze principal taking part in time over his three years, then all all over again. The Buckeyes’ QB room used to be quite crowded, featuring the likes of J.T. Barrett, Cardale Jones and Braxton Miller for the period of those three years. 

    So Burrow opted to switch to LSU for his junior season, and he won the starting up job in 2018. In his first season working the Tigers offense, he threw for 2,894 yards and 16 touchdowns with correct five interceptions. LSU performed 10-3 on the three hundred and sixty five days, beating UCF in the Fiesta Bowl to cap off the season. 

    But the total stars aligned for Burrow and the LSU Tigers for the period of his magical senior season in 2019. Within the offseason, head coach Ed Orgeron employed Joe Brady from the Current Orleans Saints as LSU’s passing game coordinator. Brady, alongside OC Steve Ensminger, transformed the Tigers offense valid into a juggernaut with Burrow working the narrate. LSU performed the season with a ultimate 15-0 fable and won the nationwide title with a 42-25 retract over Clemson. 

    Burrow’s senior season used to be spectacular. The QB performed with 5,671 passing yards, including 60 touchdowns and correct six interceptions. He rushed for five touchdowns, as well.

    He modified into the main player in SEC historical previous to throw for five,000 yards and 50 TDs in a season. His 60 passing touchdowns and 65 total ratings had been NCAA data, and his 76.3 completion share ranked 2d in NCAA historical previous, as well.

    Virtually all of his statistics had been SEC single-season data, too. He won the Heisman Trophy in 2019, turning into the 2d LSU player to retract the award. 

    Had Burrow now no longer transferred to LSU, the Tigers doubtless don’t win won a nationwide title in 2019. 

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    Former Florida QB Kyle Trask needed to attend somewhat some time earlier than turning into the Gators’ starting up signal-caller. He took a redshirt in 2016 and uncared for the 2017 season because of misery. In 2018 he appeared in four video games, including a resounding outing in opposition to Missouri. But he suffered a season-ending foot misery following the Mizzou game that killed his momentum. 

    He at final got his shot in 2019, attributable to an misery to Feleipe Franks. Franks suffered a season-ending leg misery in the fourth quarter in opposition to Kentucky. Trask came off the bench and led the Gators to a 29-21 victory. That Kentucky game used to be the starting up of an well-known Florida occupation for Trask.

    As Florida’s starter, he led the Gators to an 8-2 fable that season. Florida performed 11-2 on the season, capped off with an Orange Bowl victory over Virginia. Trask threw for 2,941 yards and 25 touchdowns with correct seven interceptions. 

    “Yeah I mediate it lots, because it’s an principal 2d for my occupation,” Trask stated of the 2019 Kentucky game. “Being a backup for all that time, it roughly is ready on that 2d where you internet your opportunity, and that roughly used to be where I got my probability to in actual fact internet some meaningful reps and enact one thing perfect for my crew.

    “So yeah, I enact mediate it lots. Simply roughly enjoy my resplendent beginnings in phrases of as soon as I at final got in the self-discipline for video games.”

    Franks, unsurprisingly, announced he could be transferring to Arkansas in January 2020. 

    But Trask’s success didn’t quit for the period of his 2019 season. His 2020 senior season used to be higher, main Florida to a 8-4 fable as the starter. Trask threw for 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns with correct eight interceptions. He led the nation in each and each total (46) and passing touchdowns (43) and performed the season as a Heisman finalist. He came shut to knocking off No. 1 Alabama in the SEC Championship Game this season, as well, throwing for 408 yards and three touchdowns in the 52-46 loss. The QB impart a single-season college fable with five 400-yard passing video games.

    Trask performed with a 16-6 fable as Florida’s starting up quarterback and introduced help success to the blueprint in Gainesville that had been lacking since Tim Tebow’s departure in 2009.  

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    One among the more unforgettable quarterback changes for Clemson came in 2018. The Tigers had senior quarterback Kelly Bryant and resplendent freshman Trevor Lawrence on the roster. Bryant, who sat at the help of Deshaun Watson for two seasons, had a moderately winning junior season. He threw for 2,802 yards and 13 touchdowns with eight interceptions while main the Tigers to a 12-2 fable. Clemson fell to Alabama 24-6 in the Sugar Bowl semifinal. 

    In 2018, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney opted to stick with Bryant as the Tigers’ starting up quarterback, however the two shared snaps. It used to be quite gorgeous, provided that Lawrence used to be the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation, per 247Sports’ composite.

    In a Week 4 game on the boulevard in opposition to Georgia Tech, Bryant struggled as Clemson punted in its first two drives. That triggered Swinney to construct Lawrence in the game, and he threw for four touchdowns in the Tigers’ 49-21 victory. Swinney made up our minds to stick with Lawrence for the relaxation of the season. That is more from the Tigers head coach from an ESPN tale on Lawrence overtaking Bryant that three hundred and sixty five days:

     “It had develop to be evident to each person on group,” Swinney stated. “[Lawrence] passed him — in grade and in production. I knew I needed to enact what used to be glorious for our crew, and Trevor deserved the chance to start.”

    The subsequent day, Bryant used to be summoned to Swinney’s place of work. The coach delivered the facts.

    Bryant talked thru his alternate suggestions with his coach. There used to be a peculiar rule in blueprint that allowed avid gamers to seem in up to four video games and retain a redshirt, that approach he could sit down out the relaxation of the season and play in numerous locations in 2019.

    Bryant transferred to Missouri for his closing season in 2019, where he threw for 2,215 yards and 15 touchdowns. 

    The resolution to stride with Lawrence paid off, to tell the least. The Tigers performed 2018 a ultimate 15-0, capped off with a 44-16 nationwide title retract over No. 1 Alabama. Lawrence threw for 3,280 yards and 30 touchdowns with correct four interceptions on the three hundred and sixty five days. He impart college freshman data in passing yards, passing touchdowns and wins as a starting up quarterback, as well.

    Lawrence went on to e book Clemson to a 34-2 fable as a starter and three CFP appearances. He performed his Clemson occupation having thrown for 10,098 yards and 90 touchdowns with correct 17 interceptions. 

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    Ohio Mutter’s quarterback blueprint for the period of the 2014 season used to be chaotic, to tell the least. Two-time Gargantuan Ten Offensive Player of the three hundred and sixty five days Braxton Miller used to be impart to return as the Buckeyes’ starter, but he suffered a season-ending shoulder misery earlier than the season started.

    Miller’s backup, redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett, conducted well as the starter for the period of the season. Real thru Ohio Mutter’s long-established season, Barrett threw for 2,834 yards and 34 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He rushed for one more 938 yards and 11 touchdowns, too. Despite shedding to Virginia Tech in Week 2, the Buckeyes had a clear route to retract the Gargantuan Ten and internet a CFP berth. 

    But in Ohio Mutter’s long-established-season finale in opposition to Michigan, Barrett left the game with a leg misery early in the fourth quarter. In for Barrett came his backup Cardale Jones, a 3-vital particular person prospect, per 247Sports’ composite. Ohio Mutter defeated Michigan 42-28, but Jones had a extensive task in front of him. 

    First came the Gargantuan Ten Championship Game in opposition to Wisconsin, and Jones rose to the occasion. He threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns, and the Buckeyes blew out Wisconsin 59-0.

    Within the CFP semifinal in opposition to Alabama, Jones threw for 243 yards and a landing for the period of OSU’s 42-35 victory.

    Within the nationwide title game in opposition to Oregon, the Buckeyes won 42-20. Jones had 242 passing yards, one landing and one interception, and he furthermore recorded 38 speeding yards and a landing. It used to be a storybook ending to a quarterback blueprint that could win without mumble ruined the Buckeyes’ season in the starting up of the three hundred and sixty five days. 

    “Late August, around camp, all people counted us out when our Heisman Trophy quarterback [Miller] went down, and then when the main College Football Playoff rankings came out, we used to be enjoy No. 16 or 17,” Jones stated after the game. “Long tale fast, we weren’t speculated to be right here.” 

    In 2015, Jones started OSU’s first seven video games of the season but used to be benched for Barrett midseason. He declared for the NFL draft after the Buckeyes’ 2015 season. 

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