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Jon Joseph

Ranking the Pac-12's Schools by Excellence at the Quarterback Position

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A few takes on the below list. It's clear by a number of omissions that the author needs an old-fashioned visit behind the woodshed!

 

Oregon State - How can Heisman winner Terry Baker not be on the list of great Beavers QBs?  Not only did Baker win the Heisman but in the same athletic season in played in the Final 4 of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. The only college athlete to accomplish this feat. One that may never be broken.

 

Washington - Warren Moon is mentioned but not mentioned is the significant impact he had on the QB position across the nation. Moon was not the first African-American QB to play college football but he was the most impactful. Both in being the 1st Black QB to be named All-American and drawing national attention when UW upset a favored Michigan team in the Rose Bowl, making an entire nation take notice. Today, fortunately, QBs of color no longer have to play in Canada before being allowed to show their bona fides in the NFL. 

 

No mention of a Huard and Sonny Sixkiller are big misses. Sixkiller may have the greatest QB name of all time. Although Elvis Grbac might disagree. 

 

UCLA - The author notes that Kris Kristofferson played QB for USC but fails to note that Mark Harmon who went on to play Jethro Gibbs in the hit TV series NCIS, played QB for UCLA. Mark's UCLA team defeated #1 Nebraska in 1972 in a huge upset. Mark's Dad, Tom Herman, was an All-American at Michigan.

 

Washington State - Drew Bledsoe is rightly mentioned here but what isn't mentioned is that Bledsoe was 'Wally Pipp-ed' (look it up youngsters!) by 6th-round draft pick Tom Brady. 

 

Colorado - Personal note. My daughter Hillary, a junior at CU at the time, and I were in the Big House when Kordell Stewart threw one of the more memorable Hail Mary's in College football history.

 

Oregon - Where is The Dutchman! The failure to mention Norm Van Brocklin, born in Parade, South Dakota in 1926, is a huge omission.  Van Brocklin served in the Navy from 1943 to 1945 before matriculating at Oregon in 1946. In his two seasons as the starting QB Oregon went 16-5 in the Pacific Coast Conference with Norm being named to the All-American team in 1948. (I was a robust 1-year-old!) A 4th-round draft pick by the Rams, there were questions regarding whether Van Brocklin should be draft eligible after only 2 seasons of college ball, Norm went on to have a great NFL career playing for the Rams and the Eagles. 

 

Enough with the history lesson; class dismissed!

 

DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM

The Pac-12 has a long history of elite quarterback play. Which school can claim the title of ‘QB University’ out west over the past...

 

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Looks like in a year that Oregon will be the default No. 1!  

 

As for your observations Jon....

Nailed them!

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Mr. FishDuck

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Gawd you're old Jon! 

 

But your memory recalled some great QB's and some fun facts associated with them.

 

Thanks Dad, just in time for Father's Day (and Grandfather-to-be Day in your case).

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On 6/15/2023 at 9:32 AM, Jon Joseph said:

A few takes on the below list. It's clear by a number of omissions that the author needs an old-fashioned visit behind the woodshed!

 

Oregon State - How can Heisman winner Terry Baker not be on the list of great Beavers QBs?  Not only did Baker win the Heisman but in the same athletic season in played in the Final 4 of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. The only college athlete to accomplish this feat. One that may never be broken.

 

Washington - Warren Moon is mentioned but not mentioned is the significant impact he had on the QB position across the nation. Moon was not the first African-American QB to play college football but he was the most impactful. Both in being the 1st Black QB to be named All-American and drawing national attention when UW upset a favored Michigan team in the Rose Bowl, making an entire nation take notice. Today, fortunately, QBs of color no longer have to play in Canada before being allowed to show their bona fides in the NFL. 

 

No mention of a Huard and Sonny Sixkiller are big misses. Sixkiller may have the greatest QB name of all time. Although Elvis Grbac might disagree. 

 

UCLA - The author notes that Kris Kristofferson played QB for USC but fails to note that Mark Harmon who went on to play Jethro Gibbs in the hit TV series NCIS, played QB for UCLA. Mark's UCLA team defeated #1 Nebraska in 1972 in a huge upset. Mark's Dad, Tom Herman, was an All-American at Michigan.

 

Washington State - Drew Bledsoe is rightly mentioned here but what isn't mentioned is that Bledsoe was 'Wally Pipp-ed' (look it up youngsters!) by 6th-round draft pick Tom Brady. 

 

Colorado - Personal note. My daughter Hillary, a junior at CU at the time, and I were in the Big House when Kordell Stewart threw one of the more memorable Hail Mary's in College football history.

 

Oregon - Where is The Dutchman! The failure to mention Norm Van Brocklin, born in Parade, South Dakota in 1926, is a huge omission.  Van Brocklin served in the Navy from 1943 to 1945 before matriculating at Oregon in 1946. In his two seasons as the starting QB Oregon went 16-5 in the Pacific Coast Conference with Norm being named to the All-American team in 1948. (I was a robust 1-year-old!) A 4th-round draft pick by the Rams, there were questions regarding whether Van Brocklin should be draft eligible after only 2 seasons of college ball, Norm went on to have a great NFL career playing for the Rams and the Eagles. 

 

Enough with the history lesson; class dismissed!

 

DUCKSWIRE.USATODAY.COM

The Pac-12 has a long history of elite quarterback play. Which school can claim the title of ‘QB University’ out west over the past...

 

Sixkiller, an Oregon kid from Ashland, wanted to go to Oregon or OSU, but neither school offered him. Understandable for the Ducks to pass ….. they had a guy named Dan Fouts under center.

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 I guess Danny White, won first 3 fiesta bowls and 2 super bowls plus a Super Bowl mvp, at Arizona State oh and Mark Malone we’re not worth mentioning. This is why I take with a grain of salt what sports writers have to say. I do read them however for a good laugh now and then.

 

 Saw Danny play against Oregon State at Civic Stadium along with Ben Malone, Woody Green, and Roy Jefferson back in the day. I believe Woody, a Portland kid, was the leading rusher in the nation that year and rushed for over 1300 yards 3 times at ASU. Easily the best offense I’ve seen from a college football team. I believe ASU was in the WAC at that time. Can’t remember the score but it was a butt kicken.  
 

 Anyway how do you leave Danny White out.

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Perhaps some of the omissions weren't considered because the qbs in question preceded their respective schools admission to the PAC12?

Sixkiller and Van Brocklin definitely would have been earlier, PAC8 members, but Danny White was not.

 

Acknowledging their accomplishments would still have been cool.

 

Those guys were definitely special to the fb legacies and traditions of their teams.

 

Sixkiller shoulda beena Duck or Beav... That's like going having a Mariota in your neighborhood,  and not even stopping by to shake his hand.

 

Program defining, for the right team.

 

Edited by woundedknees
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