2011 CFN Preview - Unit Rankings, QBs

CFN 2011 Preview Unit Rankings from top to bottom - Quarterbacks

Preview 2011 - Unit Rankings

Quarterbacks

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2011 CFN Preseason Rankings  
1 to 5 | 6 to 10 | 11 to 20 | 21 to 30 | 31 to 40 | 41 to 50
51 to 60 | 61 to 70 | 71 to 80 | 81 to 90 | 91 to 100 | 101 to 110 | 111 to 120

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CFN 2011 Unit Rankings
- Offenses | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Receivers | Offensive Lines
- Defenses | Defensive Lines | Linebackers | Secondaries  | Special Teams  
- Preview 2011 | 2010 Unit Rankings

Note: This is based on talent, returning starters, and skill. It’s not necessarily based on what the final total offense statistics will be.

1. Stanford
Andrew Luck has been the engineer of the two highest scoring offenses in school history. As long as he’s upright, there’s no reason to believe he can’t make it three. His return in 2011 is a gift for a program already adjusting to the departure of Jim Harbaugh to the NFL. Pay attention to the race for the backup job. If it doesn’t become relevant this season, it should be a year from now. Of last year’s 379 passing attempts, only seven weren’t flicked by No. 12, which could become an issue if he’s forced to miss any time.

2. Houston
The starter, Case Keenum, is a sixth-year Cougar on the brink of rewriting the record books and the backups are a savvy senior with JUCO experience and a sophomore who threw 24 touchdown passes in 2010. All eyes will be on Keenum as he continues to cement his place in FBS history, but Cotton Turner and David Piland have the talent and ability to bomb away if and when needed.

3. Boise State
The stats won’t be as good without the top receivers to throw to, but it’s not like the cupboard is totally bare. Kellen Moore will continue to spread the ball around, he’ll continue to be deadly accurate, and he’ll continue to be foot-on-the-throat nasty in key situations as the steady leader of the high-octane attack. As much as Moore will be celebrated and highlighted, the storyline could be the backup situation as everyone wonders who’ll be next.

4. Michigan
Is Denard Robinson going to ready to make the adjustments needed to make the attack work like it’s supposed to? He still needs plenty of time after an occasionally rough offseason. Is Devin Gardner ready to step in and consistently shine if needed? The jury is still out. Losing a safety valve in Tate Forcier hurts, considering he might have been the best overall fit for the Al Borges attack, but Robinson and Gardner are good enough to make the position a plus. They just need to be able to do what they do best.

5. Oklahoma
Landry Jones is going to be on the Heisman short list as the season goes on as the leader of a national title-level team, and he’s going to be talked about as a possible top ten overall pick. Can he throw for over 4,500 yards again? Maybe not without a Big 12 title game to add more yards to the mix, but he’ll be one of the nation’s leaders in yards per game. As long as the backups get a little more time, the situation is terrific.

6. Oregon
Unlike this time last year, when the Ducks were still adjusting to life without Jeremiah Masoli, quarterback ssituation is far more stable. In place of a controversy and a protracted battle to start is stability and one of the game’s prodigies behind center. The program has also had a couple of years to recruit Chip Kelly’s kind of athlete at the position, which means a brighter future and no more mismatches of skills versus system requirements. Darron Thomas was brilliant as the starter, and it was only his first year on the job. He’ll continue to get more comfortable, though improving his timing with the young receivers and his communication with the rebuilt offensive line will be at the top of the summer to-do list.

7. Hawaii
It’s Hawaii. The passing attack is going to blow up. Bryant Moniz is a near-lock for WAC Player of the Year honors if he has a 2011 like his 2010, and Shane Austin is good enough to step in and shine if needed. Finding an option for 2012 would be nice, but the offense is Moniz’s to fly.

8. Baylor
It’s not a stretch to call this the best quarterback situation in the history of Baylor football. Not only does the backfield have one of the nation’s best all-around talents, but the reserves are all back for a passing game that finished third in the Big 12 in passing efficiency and 19th in the nation in passing. Nick Florence is fine and Bryce Petty is a good one, but make no mistake about it; if Robert Griffin isn’t the best player in the Big 12, Baylor isn’t making a big move. The quarterback situation is fantastic and Griffin is far enough away from the knee injury to start taking off and doing far more with his legs as well as improving his decision-making.

9. Wisconsin
Scott Tolzien wasn’t Cam Newton-flash, and he didn’t put up huge numbers, but he helped the Badgers finish fourth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in passing efficiency. Ultra-steady, he seemed to make every key pass – up until the ill-fated two point conversion attempt in the Rose Bowl – finishing the season with 2,459 yards and 16 touchdowns and six scores. This offseason, the quarterback situation was a problem with injuries, inconsistency, and a slew of mistakes, but now all of that might change with one major signing. Getting Russell Wilson means everything to the Badgers. Now, Wisconsin can win through the air as well as on the ground, but it’ll be vital to get Jon Budmayr and the backups more work so they can be ready to roll next year. Wilson is a once-in-a-lifetime, luck-of-the-draw get, and he should show why right away.

10. Arizona
Not only does Arizona welcome back a possible first round pick in next April’s NFL Draft in Nick Foles, but the top three spots on the depth chart will be occupied by seniors. That said, the Wildcats will be looking for better production out of the position after not quite hitting on as many money plays through the air as they’d hoped. Matt Scott did it successfully last October, and Bryson Beirne has more poise and system knowledge than your average third-stringer.

COULD EASILY BE IN TOP TEN

Arkansas	SEC
East Carolina	C-USA
Florida	SEC
Georgia	SEC
Michigan State	Big Ten
Mississippi State	SEC
Missouri	Big 12
Nebraska	Big Ten
Northern Illinois	MAC
Northwestern	Big Ten
Notre Dame	ind
Oklahoma State	Big 12
South Carolina	SEC
Tennessee	SEC
Texas A&M	Big 12
Tulsa	C-USA
USC	Pac-12
Utah	Pac-12
Western Michigan	MAC

SOLID, WILL BE A POSITIVE

Air Force	M-West
Arizona State	Pac-12
BYU	Ind
Cincinnati	Big East
Florida State	ACC
Illinois	Big Ten
Maryland	ACC
Miami Univ.	MAC
NC State	ACC
Nevada	WAC
Oregon State	Pac-12
San Diego State	M-West
Southern Miss	C-USA
Texas	Big 12
Washington State	Pac-12
West Virginia	Big East

AVERAGE

Alabama	SECW
Army	Ind
Auburn	SEC
Central Michigan	MAC
Clemson	ACC
Fresno State	WAC
Georgia Tech	ACC
Idaho	WAC
Iowa	Big Ten
LSU	SEC
Miami	ACC
Minnesota	Big Ten
Navy	ind
Ohio State	Big Ten
Ole Miss	SEC
Penn State	Big Ten
SMU	C-USA
South Florida	Big East
Syracuse	Big East
TCU	M-West
Texas Tech	Big 12
Troy	Sun Belt
UCF	C-USA
Virginia Tech	ACC

NEEDS WORK

Bowling Green	MAC
Boston College	ACC
Indiana	Big Ten
Iowa State	Big 12
Kansas	Big 12
Louisville	Big East
Rutgers	Big East
UAB	C-USA
UCLA	Pac-12
UL Monroe	Sun Belt
Virginia	ACC
Wake Forest	ACC
Arkansas State	Sun Belt
California	Pac-12
Colorado	Pac-12
Colorado State	M-West
Duke	ACC
Kansas State	Big 12
Kentucky	SEC
North Carolina	ACC
Pitt	Big East
Purdue	Big Ten
Toledo	MAC
Vanderbilt	SEC
Washington	Pac-12

A PROBLEM

Akron	MAC
Ball State	MAC
Kent State	MAC
North Texas	Sun Belt
Ohio	MAC
Temple	MAC
UNLV	M-West
Connecticut	Big East
FIU	Sun Belt
Florida Atlantic	Sun Belt
Louisiana Tech	WAC
Middle Tennessee	Sun Belt
New Mexico	M-West
Rice	C-USA
Tulane	C-USA
UL Lafayette	Sun Belt

THE BOTTOM TEN

Buffalo	MAC
Eastern Michigan	MAC
Marshall	C-USA
Memphis	C-USA
New Mexico State	WAC
San Jose State	WAC
Utah State	WAC
UTEP	C-USA
Western Kentucky	Sun Belt
Wyoming	M-West

CFN 2011 Unit Rankings
- Offenses | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Receivers | Offensive Lines
- Defenses | Defensive Lines | Linebackers | Secondaries  | Special Teams  
- Preview 2011 | 2010 Unit Rankings