Steven Johnson: Where do TCU’s quarterbacks rank in the Big 12?
The Big 12 has long been known for its prolific quarterbacks and its high-scoring games.
That changed during the 2021 season when no team averaged 40 points per game for the first time since 2009. There wasn’t a single quarterback that averaged 250 passing yards per game. It’s been at least a decade since that happened.
This transitional phase should continue in the conference this season. Eight of last season’s 10 leading passers are gone. One of the remaining two, Max Duggan, may not start this season.
With so many questions marks around the league, the Horned Frogs actually stack up well with conference foes at the most important position.
Take a look around the conference and see where TCU’s quarterback ranks with the rest of the Big 12:
1. Spencer Sanders, Oklahoma State: Sanders being No. 1 says a lot about where the quality of quarterback play currently is in the Big 12. Sanders is a legitimate dual-threat as he produced more than 3,500 total yards and 26 touchdowns last year. He was named first-team preseason All-Big 12 by the media. Sanders is solid, but far from spectacular and had some really tough outings last year like the four interception game against Baylor in the Big 12 championship.
Sanders lands in the top spot almost by default, but there’s a good chance he won’t be in this spot come December.
2. Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma: If the UCF transfer wasn’t coming off a season-ending injury, he would have a compelling case for No. 1. Gabriel threw for 70 touchdowns and more than 8,000 yards in 25 starts for the Golden Knights. He threw at least two touchdowns in 20 games and completed 68% of his throws before getting hurt against Louisville. It’s a step up in competition going from the AAC to the Big 12, but he’ll also have more talent around him with Marvin Mims.
Gabriel was voted Big 12 Newcomer of the Year in the preseason.
3. Max Duggan/Chandler Morris, TCU: It’s understandable if this feels a bit high for the Horned Frogs. But a closer look at the numbers show it’s not far-fetched. Only Sanders has more experience than Duggan and their stats were similar. Indications from fall camp point to Morris as holding the edge to become the starter. Morris flashed in limited action last year including the record-setting performance in an upset over Baylor.
You also have to factor Dykes’ success with quarterbacks into the mix. If Morris plays like he did against Baylor consistently or Duggan takes a leap in a new system, it’ll more than justify a top-three ranking.
4. Blake Shapen, Baylor: Shapen only appeared in six games with two starts last year, but was impressive in the Big 12 championship win over Oklahoma State. He completed 17 straight passes against one of the country’s best defenses and was better than Sanders on the day. Shapen beat out Gerry Bohanon, which says something about his future.
5. Quinn Ewers, Texas: The former No. 1 overall recruit was named the starting quarterback for the Longhorns on Friday and now he’ll have to live up to the hype that’s been growing all summer. Ewers hasn’t thrown a pass since high school, so it’s all projection at this point. His talent is undeniable and he could easily shoot up the list. He’ll have tremendous skill talent around him with Bijan Robinson and Xavier Worthy, but the offensive line could be a weakness. Ewers is one of the more intriguing storylines this season.
6. JT Daniels, West Virginia: Now at his third school, the former five-star is hoping to put it all together. Injuries have held him back and ultimately led to him losing his job at Georgia to Stetson Bennett. When Daniels has been on the field, he hasn’t been a star, but has been productive. His career completion percentage is just under 64 and he has a 2-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Reuniting with his old offensive coordinator Graham Harrell at West Virginia could lead to a breakout year.
7. Tyler Shough, Texas Tech: New head coach Joey McGuire just named Shough the starter over Donovan Smith on Sunday. Shough started the first four games last year before suffering a season-ending injury. He also started for Oregon during the 2020 COVID year. He helped lead the Ducks to a Pac-12 championship before transferring to Lubbock. In 11 starts Shough has averaged more than nine yards per attempt and posted 19 touchdowns to nine interceptions.
8. Adrian Martinez, Kansas State: Remember when Martinez burst onto the scene as a true freshman and looked like the next big thing? That was a long time ago and the former Nebraska quarterback finds himself at Kansas State, hoping to recapture that early success. Turnovers were Martinez’s biggest problem as he threw 22 in the three seasons after a promising freshman debut. As a runner, Martinez might be the best in the conference as he’s rushed for 2,301 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Maybe a new situation will help Martinez rise in this list.
9. Jalon Daniels, Kansas: One of the more intriguing names on the list, Daniels showed some nice improvement as a sophomore. Daniels scored four times in a narrow loss to the Horned Frogs last season. He also led the Jayhawks to the historic upset over Texas with four touchdowns as well. KU head Lance Leipold is all in on Daniels and named him the starter two weeks ago.
10. Hunter Dekkers, Iowa State: Outside of Ewers, there’s no quarterback we know less about than Dekkers. Dekkers is taking over for longtime starter Brock Purdy and it’ll be a challenge to fill his shoes. At 6-3, 203 pounds Dekkers has prototypical size and was a four-star recruit coming out of high school. He’s only attempted 43 career passes so the sample size is extremely small. He will have a first-team All-Big 12 receiver in Xavier Hutchinson, which should help. Somebody has to be last and Dekkers holds this spot for now.
This story was originally published August 22, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
