Is Pat White a Top Five All-Time College QB?
In the conversation of best college quarterbacks of all-time, you normally hear the same names over and over. Tebow, Leinart, Leaf, Manning, Manziel, Brennan, Griffin III, etc. etc. But there is a guy who is normally forgotten about, a guy who is the only college quarterback to finish 4-0 in bowl games and was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks of all time. That guy was Pat White. Despite not winning a national championship, people forget how electric White was during his time at West Virginia. But is he worthy of being named a top-five quarterback of all time?
Below are my top five quarterbacks in college football history.
1. Tim Tebow
Two-time national champ, 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, and an amazing speech that promised he would do whatever it took to win, Tim Tebow is one of the best winners in sports history. He would help Florida win the BCS National Championship in both 2006 as the part-time quarterback with splitting time with Chris Leak and then again in 2008 as Florida would beat an extremely talented Oklahoma team. Tebow finished with 9,285 passing yards, 88 touchdowns, and just sixteen interceptions while also rushing for 2,947 rushing yards and 57 touchdowns. Tebow, Cam Newton, and Lamar Jackson are the only quarterbacks in college football history to throw for at least thirty touchdowns and rush for twenty touchdowns in one season.
2. Cam Newton
After not getting the snaps at Florida, Cam Newton transferred to a JUCO before eventually ending up at Auburn where he would go on to have one of the best seasons for a quarterback in college football history. Newton would go on to lead the Tigers to the 2011 BCS National Championship and win the Heisman trophy. He finished the 2010 season with throwing for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns while rushing for 1,473 yards and twenty touchdowns. If Newton had more time at Auburn there is no doubt he would have surpassed Tebow's numbers.
3. Vince Young
In just three seasons at Texas, Vine Young was able to put up special numbers and lead the Longhorns to the 2005 BCS National Championship in arguably the greatest college football game ever played. Young finished his time in Austin throwing for 6,040 yards and 44 touchdowns while rushing for 3,127 yards and 37 touchdowns. If Young had come back for his senior season there is no doubt he would have broken all the Big 12 records for a quarterback.
4. Colt Brennan
Colt Brennan's career at Hawaii was one of the best in sports history. Since Hawaii doesn't get many televised games during the normal watching hours, not many fans knew about the numbers he was putting up. Before Joe Burrow passed his record this past season, Brennan threw for 58 touchdown passes and 5,549 yards during his junior year alone. He would go on to finish his collegiate career with 14,193 passing yards and 131 touchdowns. He also ran for fifteen touchdowns during his three seasons starting. In 2008, Brennan led Hawaii to a 12-0 record and a spot in the Sugar Bowl where they would lose to Georgia 41-10. If Brennan would have won bigger games against stronger opponents he could have gone down as the best college quarterback to ever play.
5. Pat White
From true freshman to four-year starter, Pat White is the greatest quarterback in West Virginia football history. If being the only quarterback in college football history to finish 4-0 in bowl games wasn't enough to impress you, he finished his career by throwing for 6,049 yards and 56 touchdowns while rushing for 4,480 yards and 47 touchdowns. White is the best rusher on this list but due to the system, he played in he wasn't asked to throw as much as the others. That reason, along with not winning a championship, is why he can't be any higher on the list.
Do you agree with the list? Would you have swapped anyone else on the list with someone else? Do you think White is a top-five quarterback of all-time? Let us know in the comment section below and interact with us on social media.
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