With summer workouts underway and fall practice right aroud the corner for all 130 college football teams, it’s never too early to evaluate how every program looks at quarterback for the 2019 season. The depth continues with the return of Texas’ Sam Ehlinger, Georgia’s Jake Fromm, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Oklahoma’s Jalen Hurts.
15. Ian Book, Notre Dame
The decision by Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Chip Long to change starting quarterbacks was a key part of Notre Dame’s run to the CFB Playoff last season. Brandon Wimbush started the first three games, but Kelly and Long decided to promote Book in an effort to spark the passing attack. Mission accomplished. The California native started nine out of the next 10 contests for the Fighting Irish and finished the year with 2,628 yards and 19 touchdowns to seven picks. Book also chipped in 280 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while completing 68.2 percent of his passes. He also went 8-1 over his nine starts, with the only defeat coming in the CFB Playoff to Clemson.
14. K.J. Costello, Stanford
Stanford’s offenses under coach David Shaw have traditionally leaned on the offensive line and ground game. That setup is likely to change in 2019, as the Cardinal lost running back Bryce Love to the NFL, the offensive line enters the year in transition, and the strength of this group is under center. Costello thrived in his first full season as the starter, throwing for 3,540 yards and 29 touchdowns to 11 interceptions. The California native ranked second among Pac-12 quarterbacks by completing 65.1 percent of his passes and tied for third with 21 completions of 30 or more yards.
13. Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
Jimbo Fisher is one of the best quarterback gurus in college football, so it was no surprise Mond showed marked improvement last fall. After sharing the job with Nick Starkel in 2017, Mond started all 13 games for the Aggies last season and threw for 3,107 yards and 24 touchdowns. Those totals represented a significant increase from the 1,375 yards and eight passing scores in 2017. Additionally, after completing just 51.5 percent of his throws in ’17, Mond connected on 57.3 in ’18. Mond also finished second on the team by rushing for 474 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018. With one of the SEC’s top receiving corps at his disposal, along with another offseason under Fisher, Mond should earn a spot on the All-SEC team by the end of 2019.
12. Jordan Love, Utah State
After a prolific 2018 season, Love ranks among the top returning quarterbacks for ‘19. Love started the final six games of 2017 and showed promise by finishing the year with 1,631 yards and eight passing scores. The California native started 2018 by throwing for 319 yards and nearly led Utah State to an upset win over Michigan State. The performances only got better the rest of the way, as Love posted six more games of 300 or more yards, including 491 versus San Jose State and 359 against North Texas. He ended the season with 3,567 yards and 32 touchdown tosses (both school records for most in a single year) and added seven additional scores on the ground.
11. Mason Fine, North Texas
Fine’s 9,417 passing yards ranks as the most in North Texas history and also leads all active FBS quarterbacks for career yardage prior to the 2019 season. After a prolific sophomore season (4,052 yards and 31 TDs) in 2017, Fine was even better last fall. He cut his interceptions from 15 to five, completed 65 percent of his passes and ended the year with 3,793 yards and 27 touchdown tosses. Fine will easily eclipse the 10,000-yard mark for his career and is a big reason why North Texas could be the preseason favorite to win Conference USA in 2019.
10. D’Eriq King, Houston
Dynamic. That’s the easiest way to sum up King’s ability. In his first full year as the team’s starting quarterback, King accounted for 2,982 yards and 36 scores through the air and contributed 674 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. A knee injury suffered in mid-November against Tulane prevented King from playing in the final two games of 2018. However, King’s 50 overall touchdowns are the most by a player in a single season in AAC history. Look for King and new coach Dana Holgorsen to score plenty of points this fall.
9. Adrian Martinez, Nebraska
The continued development of Martinez is a big reason why coach Scott Frost’s team should take a big step forward in 2019. Martinez did not play as a high school senior due to injury but showed no rust in his freshman season. The California native connected on 64.6 percent of his passes for 2,617 yards and 17 touchdowns to just eight picks. Martinez finished second on the team with 629 rushing yards and chipped in eight scores on the ground. With a full offseason to develop under Frost, look for Martinez to contend for All-Big Ten honors this fall.
8. Justin Fields, Ohio State
Not only does new coach Ryan Day have to maintain Ohio State’s dominance in the Big Ten, but the first-year coach also starts his career in Columbus having to replace a first-round pick at quarterback (Dwayne Haskins). However, Day’s quarterback room isn’t hurting for talent despite the transfers of Tate Martell and Matthew Baldwin this offseason. Fields signed with Georgia as a five-star prospect during the 2018 recruiting class and received playing time in 12 games. The Georgia native flashed potential in his limited snaps, completing 27 of 39 throws for 328 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for 266 yards and four scores on the ground. With Jake Fromm entrenched as the starter, Fields decided to transfer following the 2018 season. Talent certainly isn’t an issue for Fields. How quickly will Day get the sophomore playing up to his potential in 2019?
7. Shea Patterson, Michigan
After Michigan’s offense cycled through three quarterbacks in 2017, Patterson provided stability and an upgrade at the position in his first year on campus. The Ole Miss transfer completed 64.6 percent of his throws for 2,600 yards and 22 touchdowns to only seven picks. Patterson also added 273 yards and two scores on the ground. Coach Jim Harbaugh plans to hand over the play-calling duties to coordinator Josh Gattis this season, and Michigan’s spring game provided a small peek into what’s in store for 2019. Patterson should benefit from an approach that uses more tempo and spread looks, especially with a receiving corps that ranks among the best in college football.
6. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
With Tua Tagovailoa entrenched as the starter in Tuscaloosa, Hurts decided to transfer for his final year of eligibility. The Texas native landed in a perfect situation, as he will inherit the controls of Oklahoma’s high-powered attack – an offense that has produced back-to-back Heisman winners. Hurts played in 42 games at Alabama and completed 445 of 707 passes for 5,626 yards and 48 scores to just 12 picks. He also added 1,976 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground. Hurts’ mobility and penchant for making plays with his legs is no secret. However, he also showed marked improvement as a passer from 2017 to ’18. Under the tutelage of coordinator Dan Enos, Hurts connected on 73 percent of his throws (up from 60 in 2017) and looked more comfortable with his reads and overall comfort level within the pocket. With an offseason to work under Lincoln Riley, look for Hurts to only get better in that department, combining with his rushing ability to have a huge senior year in Norman.
5. Justin Herbert, Oregon
Winning the offseason doesn’t always translate into on-field success, but not many teams had a better one than Oregon. The Ducks landed the Pac-12’s top recruiting class, and a couple of key veterans – Troy Dye, Herbert and three starters up front – decided to return to Eugene instead of pursuing the NFL. After taking over the starting job midway through 2016 and missing time due to injury in ’17, Herbert played in all 13 games for the first time in his career last fall. The Oregon native posted a prolific junior season, passing for 3,151 yards and 29 touchdowns to eight picks, while adding 166 yards and two scores on the ground. Finding a No. 1 receiver to replace Dillon Mitchell is a priority this offseason, but all signs point to Herbert closing out his career with a huge 2019 season and a run at the Pac-12 title.
4. Jake Fromm, Georgia
Fromm set the bar high as a freshman in 2017, as he was instrumental in guiding Georgia to an SEC Championship and a trip to the national title game against Alabama. As expected, Fromm continued his development with a standout sophomore campaign and enters 2019 as one of the top quarterbacks in college football. The Georgia native started all 14 games and threw for 2,749 yards and 30 touchdowns last season. Efficiency has been a critical part of Fromm’s career in Athens. He’s completed 65 percent of throws and has only 13 interceptions over 597 attempts.
3. Sam Ehlinger, Texas
The Longhorns return only seven starters from last year’s 10-win team, so coach Tom Herman and his staff have some retooling to do on both sides of the ball. However, having an All-Big 12 quarterback like Ehlinger certainly eases a lot of concerns. As a freshman in 2017, Ehlinger made six starts (and nine overall appearances), completing 158 passes for 1,915 yards and 11 touchdowns to seven picks. He also added 385 yards and two scores on the ground that year. Ehlinger continued his development into one of the top quarterbacks in the nation last fall. He started all 14 games for the Longhorns, recording 482 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground and passing for 3,292 yards and 25 scores. Ehlinger has tossed just 12 picks over 700 career attempts. His 41 overall touchdowns in 2018 ranked as the second-most in a single season in school history. If Ehlinger stays healthy, Texas will once again make a run at the Big 12 title.
2. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
After ranking as the No. 1 prospect for the 2018 signing class, it was only a matter of time before Lawrence emerged as a star one of the top quarterbacks in college football. The Georgia native started his freshman campaign sharing the quarterback duties with Kelly Bryant but earned the starting job after a 49-21 victory over Georgia Tech. Lawrence’s emergence as the team’s starter helped Clemson jumpstart its downfield passing attack, which was instrumental in the program’s run to a national championship. Lawrence ended 2018 with 3,280 yards and 30 touchdowns to just four picks and connected on 65.2 percent of his throws. And here’s a scary thought for the rest of college football: Lawrence can only get better in 2019.
1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama
After leading a second-half comeback against Georgia to win the 2018 national title, Tagovailoa edged Jalen Hurts to win a high-profile quarterback battle in Tuscaloosa. The Hawaii native certainly lived up to the hype and then some in his first full year as the starter. Tagovailoa started all 15 games and accounted for 3,966 passing yards and 43 scores (both single-season records at Alabama). He tossed only six picks over 355 attempts, completed 69 percent of his throws, earned Athlon Sports first-team All-America honors and added another 190 yards and five scores on the ground. Tagovailoa finished second in the Heisman race last fall and another trip to New York is likely in store as the leader for the Crimson Tide’s high-powered offense.
