Ranking The Big 10 By Position (Quarterbacks)

All this week Husker Corner.com will be breaking down each position in the Big 10 Conference. Today we start with everyone’s favorite topic, quarterbacks. We will be ranking each position from 12 to 1. Twelve being the player who is projected to start at that position who needs to improve most, and one being the most proven player, and the best over all at his position.

12.  Dusty Kiel, Indiana: We put the Hoosiers signal caller at the back of the pack because, well he hasn’t even really won the job yet. He and fellow sophomore  Edward Wright-Barker battled it out this Spring and no clear cut starter was named. On top of that, Indiana is breaking a first year head coach in Kevin Wilson.  In limited action last season Kiel completed just four passes on 19 attempts, with two interceptions. With the new head coach being the former offensive coordinator of  Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford and current Heisman hopeful Landry Jones, Kiel could learn a lot from a guru like Wilson who spent the last five years calling the plays for the Oklahoma Sooners.

11. MarQueis Gray, Minnesota: Gray takes over as the full-time starter for the Golden Gophers, after spending  2010  as duel option on offense. Splitting time between receiver and quarterback. Last season Gray only completed 2 of 8 passes, but he rushed for 110 yards, and a touchdown. He averaged 4.8 yards a carry. With a new offensive scheme put in place, and  new head coach in former Northern Illinois head coach Jerry Kill, Gray will have a lot to learn, and even more to work on. Kill is 127-73 as a head coach and could be the right man to turn a struggling team around.

10.  Robert Marve, Purdue: Marve is a former Miami Hurricane transfer. He started the first 3 games last season before being sidelined with an injury. In his three appearances, Marve completed 66 of 96 passes with 2 touchdowns, but threw an interception in each game, four total. Marve is not the for sure starter next season. He will have the man who helped fill in for him last season, Rob Henry nipping at his heels for the starting job.

9.  Braxton Miller, Ohio State: This will be the hottest topic of fall camp for the Buckeyes. Who will be the starter? Will it be senior to be Joe Bauserman, or incoming freshman, dual-threat quarterback Braxton Miller. With the departure of Heisman candidate Terrelle Pryor from the team this summer, the starting position is wide open. Bauserman is 6-foot-1 230 lbs, and is your prototypical pro-style quarterback.  Miller is  6-foot-3, 210 lb Ohio native that has a lot of people excited about the future at the quarterback position. Bauserman may get the start against Akron on Sept. 3 for the Buckeyes, but don’t be surprised if Miller is taking snaps against Michigan come Nov. 26.

8. James Vanderberg, Iowa: With Ricky Stanzi gone to the NFL the Hawkeyes turn to junior James Vanderberg. Vanderberg only threw 8 passes in 2010, but started the final two games of the season. They are going to need more productivity out of the 6-foot-3 210 lb Keokuk, Iowa native if they want to contend Legends Division.

7.  Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois: The Fighting Illini have no depth behind sophomore Nathan Scheelhasse, but this 6-foot-3, 195 lb Kansas City, Missouri native has everything you can ask for in a big time quarterback. Last season he completed 58. 7 percent of his passes for 1,825 yards and 17 touchdowns. He wasn’t afraid to get the job done with his feet either. He rushed for 868 yards on 185 attempts, and 5 rushing touchdowns. If Illinois can keep this kid on his feet, he could have All-Big 10 potential.

6. Rob Bolden, Penn. State: There is an old saying among coaches, “If you have two quarterbacks, you have no quarterback.” Last season Robert Bolden became the first true freshman quarterback to start for Penn State legendary coach, Joe Paterno, and the first true freshman to start for the Nittany Lions since 1910. Bolden started the first seven games, then a week 8 concussion against Minnesota sidelined him. Junior Matt McGloin started every game for the rest of the season.

McGloin finished 2010 completing 54.9% of his passes, with 14 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Those numbers don’t look bad until you note that 5 of those interceptions came in the final game of the season in the Outback Bowl against Florida.  A game in which Penn State lost by a score of 37-24.  Rumors of Bolden transferring, have been flying around for months. For now he is staying in Happy Valley, and I think he will be the starter come Sept. 3 against Indiana State.

5. Taylor Martinez, Nebraska:  When you compare Nebraska redshirt sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez stats from the first half of his freshman campaign and the 2nd half you would swear it were two different people. Through the first seven games Martinez was 69 of  111 through the air for  1,046 yards, and8 touchdowns. The last 7 games Martinez completed  50 of  85 passes  for 585 yards, and just one touchdown, but had 4 interceptions.

The difference was a bummed ankle and a bad case of turf toe.  Through the first seven games Martinez rushed for 870 yards. The last seven only 95 yards, including a -32 yard performance against Oklahoma in the Big XII Championship Game.

Martinez also struggled in the Nebraska Spring Game, where redshirt freshman Brion Carnes flourished. Carnes is the cousin of Nebraska legend Tommie Frazier. It should be interesting to see these two athletically gifted young quarterbacks battle it out in fall camp.

4. Denard Robinson, Michigan: A lot people conisder Robinson to be the top quarterback in the Big 10. I am not buying what he is selling. He a lot like Martinez dominated weaker competition, but did it in amazing fashion. Robinson finished the season with 2,570 yards passing and 1,702 yards rushing. Those numbers look amazing on paper. It just seemed like at times Robinson was swimming in his own head and didn’t make the best throws or decisions.

You have to wonder if in Brady Hokes new offense in Ann Arbor, if  6-foot-4, 203 lb Devin Gardner isn’t a better fit for Hokes pro-style offense.

3. Dan Persa, Northwestern: Dan Persa finished with the highest completion rating in the FBS last season completing 73.5 percent of his passes. The 6-foot-1, 210 lb senior to be was also listed as the coaches pick for the first team All-Big 10 quarterback selection at the end of last season. It will be interesting to see if Persa can capture the magic from last season in 2011. If he can, plan on him being a first round pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

2. Russel Wilson, Wisconsin: Former NC State quarterback Russel Wilson announced Monday that he would be transferring to Wisconsin. Wilson will not have to sit out the 2011 season because he graduated from NC State with one year of eligibility left. This transfer puts Wisconsin in the drivers seat in the Leaders Division in the Big 10, and makes them a National Title contender.

Wilson was also a 4th round draft pick by the Colorado Rookies in the 2011 draft. Wilson will play both baseball and football for the Badgers.

1. Kirk Cousins, Michigan State: Cousins has started every game since his sophomore year. He is as durable and steady as you get in a quarterback.  Last season Cousins completed 66.9% of his passes, for 2,825 yards and 20 touchdowns. If Cousins stays healthy look for Michigan State to repeat on their 11-2 record from 2010.

By Jimmie Allen