Auburn Quarterbacks: A Trend that Needs Change
by WarEagle86 on Jun 28, 2009 2:16 PM CDT
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PrintAuburn has rightfully earned the nickname "Runningback U". Our strength at that position is as consistent as NCAA inquiries to that school to the North and West of here. Our list of talented backs runs deep: Bo Jackson(Heisman Trophy winner), Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, Rudi Johnson, Carl tewart, Kenny Irons, and Brandon Jacobs (though briefly). And those are just recent examples of a long line of great athletes at that position.
If you are to look at our quarterbacks, however, the list is a bit shorter and less glamorous. Pat Sullivan obviously comes to mind as well as Jason Campbell for his terrific Senior season in 2004; while others include Dameyune Craig and Patrick Nix. With this in mind I've compiled a list of the past 13 seasons' passing stats and also the past 13 Davey O'Brien award winners to show how our Tigers have compared to the best at the quarterback position. I've also boldened some of the better seasons our on-field generals have had. (Sorry in advance for the awkward spacing.)
1996: Dameyune Craig - 2296 yards for 208.7 per game, 169/310 for 54.5%, 16 touchdowns, 10 interceptions
Danny Wuerffel(Florida) - 3625 yards, 207/360 for 57.5%, 39 touchdowns, 13 interceptions
1997: Dameyune Craig - 3277 yards for 273.1 per game, 216/403 for 53.6%, 18 touchdowns, 13 interceptions
Peyton Manning(Tennessee) - 3953 yards, 37 touchdowns
1998: Gabe Gross - 1222 yards for 135.8 per game, 88/197 for 44.7%, 7 touchdowns, 12 interceptions
Ben Leard - 703 yards for 117.2 per game, 54/114 for 47.5%, 4 touchdowns, 7 interceptions
Michael Bishop(Kansas State) - 2844 yards, 23 touchdowns, 4 interceptions
1999: Jeff Klein - 1038 yards for 129.8 per game, 85/169 for 50.3%, 6 touchdowns, 9 interceptions
Ben Leard - 1423 yards for 203.3 per game, 111/157 for 70.7%, 12 touchdowns, 1 interception
Joe Hamilton(Georgia Tech) - 3060 yards, 29 touchdowns
2000: Ben Leard - 2552 yards for 196.3 per game, 221/356 for 62.1%, 15 touchdowns, 12 interceptions
Chris Weinke(FLorida State) - 4441 yards, 33 touchdowns
2001: Daniel Cobb - 1236 yards for 154.5 per game, 95/168 for 56.5%, 8 touchdowns, 8 interceptions
Jason Campbell - 1191 yards for 119.1 per game, 101/160 for 63.1%, 4 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
Eric Crouch(Nebraska) - 1510 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, 1129 yards rushing
2002: Daniel Cobb - 1175 yards for 146.9 per game, 80/150 for 53.3%, 7 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
Jason Campbell - 1215 yards for 93.5 per game, 94/149 for 63.1%, 11 touchdowns, 5 interceptions
Brad Banks(Iowa) - 2573 yards, 26 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, completed 170 of 294 passes
2003: Jason Campbell - 2267 yards for 174.4 per game, 181/293 for 61.8%, 10 touchdowns, 8 interceptions
Josh Sullivan - 213 yards for 53.2 per game, 20/28 for 71.4%, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception
Jason White(Oklahoma) - 3846 yards, 40 touchdowns
2004: Jason Campbell - 2700 yards for 207.7 per game, 188/270 for 69.6%, 20 touchdowns, 7 interceptions
Brandon Cox - 357 yards for 51 per game, 22/34 for 64.7%, 4 touchdowns, 2 interceptions
Jason White(Oklahoma) - 3205 yards, 35 touchdowns
2005: Brandon Cox - 2324 yards for 211.3 per game, 177/306 for 57.8%, 15 touchdowns, 8 interceptions
Blake Field - 237 yards for 47.4 per game, 17/31 for 54.8%, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Vince Young(Texas) - 3036 yards passing, 26 touchowns passing, 1050 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns rushing
2006: Brandon Cox - 2198 yards for 169.1 per game, 163/271 for 60.1%, 14 touchdowns, 9 interceptions
Blake Field - 47 yards for 9.4 per game, 8/9 for 88.9%, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception
Troy Smith(Ohio State) - 2542 yards, 30 touchdowns
2007: Brandon Cox - 2080 yards for 160 per game, 188/316 for 59.5%, 9 touchdowns, 13 interceptions
Kodi Burns - 145 yards for 14.5 per game, 10/26 for 38.5%, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception
Blake Field - 92 yards for 11.5 per game, 6/11 for 54.5%, 1 touchdown, 0 interceptions
Tim Tebow(Florida) - 3286 yards passing, 32 touchdowns passing, 23 touchdowns rushing
2008: Kodi Burns - 1050 yards for 105 per game, 94/179 for 52.5%, 2 touchdowns, 7 interceptions
Chris Todd - 903 yards for 129 per game, 86/156 for 55.1%, 5 touchdowns, 6 interceptions
Neil Caudle - 32 yards for 16 per game, 4/5 for 80%, 0 touchdowns, 0 interceptions
Sam Bradford(Oklahoma) - 4721 yards, 50 touchdowns, 8 interceptions
As you can see from the numbers, we haven't been in this discussion; not even close. Looking back on these stats frustrated me. I know we've had top notch backs toting the ball for us and doing a very good job at it. But I firmly believe we need a playmaker at this position. Will Kodi Burns deliver on potential that has been touted for the last 2-3 years? Will Caudle bring consistency and top-notch execution to the plains? Or will we have to wait on Tyrik Rollison and beyond to have a signal caller that can lead us to the promised land?
I would like to hear the Auburn Nation's voice on this. This is an issue that has long gotten the better of me. I cannot, for the life of me, figure out why we haven't had better recruiting at this position. This is not to down the quarterbacks we've had. I'm a huge Jason Campbell fan, I'm normally the only one in my "group" defending Brandon Cox, I remember as a kid pretending to be Patrick Nix in my backyard throwing touchdowns to the corner of the endzone. I have a lot of respect and admiration for the guys that have taken the snaps for us. But I often find myself wondering we can't get the Tim Tebows, Jason Whites, or Vince Youngs.
Thank You for reading, War Eagle
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Sadly...
as much as I disliked him at times and as frustrating as it to watch him completely shit the bed in a few games, Brandon Cox is far and away our best quarterback of the past 15 years. He was blessed with some good receivers and some good running backs to take the pressure off, but he was the most consistent of our past decade.
I just don’t see Burns or Caudle will be our future or else they would have been announced as the starter by now. To me this means that the coaches either have no faith in either of them or they promised Rollison a legitimate shot at the starting spot and they are waiting for him.
I'll once again take up for Dameyune Craig.
1996: Craig vs. Wuerffel. Wuerffel had a great O-line for much of the year, till injuries thinned things towards the end of the regular season. Auburn had two walk-ons starting, Jim Roe and James Kiger. Kiger was an SEC lineman playing at about 260 pounds. (!) Victor Riley was out of shape and OBESE, at the guard slot. Left tackle was redshirt freshman Jeno James. Only senior guard Leonard Thomas had significant starting experience at his current position.
…..Wuerffel had Jaquez Green, Ike Hilliard, and Reidel Anthony to throw to. Can you say, “NFL wide receivers?” And I think, Chris Doering, too. If I’m remembering correctly. Our best guy, Willie Gosha, was declared academically ineligible just before the season started, and had to sit out half the year, not even practicing. Robert Baker and Eric Lowe showed up for fall camp out of shape, and Karsten Bailey had hands issues, as did tight ends Jesse McCovery and Tyrone Dillard.
…..Running backs: We had redshirt freshman Rusty Williams and true freshman Markeith Cooper toting the rock, and fullback Kevin McCloud was nursing a separated shoulder all year, and still starting. Florida had freaking Fred Taylor and Elijah Williams.
…..Wuerffel was in his 4th SEASON, as a starter. Craig, his first. There’s no way you can compare those numbers meaningfully. Heisman Dan had NFL backs to deal it off to, and NFL receivers to throw to. Craig had to scramble for his life, most plays.
…..In 1997, play-makers were even fewer for Craig. Cooper separated his shoulder in the opener and was reduced to just returning kicks. Baker failed to qualify academically. We moved guard T. J. Dunnigan, who had just one career start, to center a week before the opener. Freshman guard T. J. Meers got the start. And yet, Craig put up a STRING of 300-yard passing games.
…..Dameyune Craig: best quarterback in Auburn history. And yeah, I watched Pat Sullivan play. Cox, better than Craig? No way.
…..Jason Campbell’s biggest problem was Knox-coached receivers dropping balls, in my opinion. Wreaked havoc with his confidence.
You're spot on with everything you said.
By comparing Wuerffel to Craig I wasn’t bashing Craig. I actually meant to highlight him in the list to point out the 2 great years he put up. We written post Acid.
War Eagle
I'm just asking ...
…..Dameyune Craig: best quarterback in Auburn history.
Acid, I know you’ve got good recall of history — so I’m curious — how were you able to wipe the 1997 Miss St game from your consciousness? I’m just asking.
Jagermeister.
…..See, we were the SEC West big dogs, or so we thought, that year. We had started 6-0, then barfed at home against a wounded Florida team. We traveled to Fayetteville, and basically dominated Danny Ford’s lame duck team, but couldn’t put ’em away till freshman corner Larry Casher slapped away a Hail Mary in the end-zone at the end.
…..Then we faced 17th ranked MSU at home, our 9th game in a row without a break, on a team with diminishing depth, on offense. We actually got in the red zone, 4 times in the first half, and managed no points. On the 4th try, the Bulldogs led 6-0 on typical Jackie Sherill FG drives. We were down there again, and Dameyune hit Fred Beasley with a perfect strike at the goal line. A perfect strike, that is, at the back of Beasley’s head. It bounced off, and the Bulldogs returned it for a TD. 13-0 deficit at half.
……We got down there again in the 3rd quarter, and Clifton Robinson dropped a perfect Craig bomb that should have been a score. We got down in the red zone again late in the game, and whiffed on a 4th down play. 5 trips to the red zone, zero points.
…..Big James Johnson busted a 39-yard run on us, after the last failure, for the final margin, 20-0. Worst loss to MSU of my lifetime. I ALWAYS remember the losses. Damn it. Wasn’t Craig’s fault. Joe Lee Dunn usually sent 9 blitzers on every play. Someone HAS to get open against that junk, and make the catch!
……After a week off, that 1997 team BLEW 5th-ranked Georgia OUT, in Athens! SEC West Champs, we were. Only 3 Auburn teams have gone to the SEC Championship Game, and that was one of them. Coulda-woulda-shoulda beat Peyton Manning and UT, but we had receiver and guard issues. Demarcus Curry and the false starts, and Karsten Bailey with the drops. Tyrone Goodson was great that year, but he had a shoulder issue late, and after the “Miracle catch inside the five!” thing, (Jim Fyffe’s words!) Goodson was out. Ah, what might have been…
Jägermeister Indeed!!
What did you use to wipe out the 1981 Miss St game? Most bizarre end of an AU game I’ve ever seen. With UGA Bobo’s (sack/fumble/incomplete-pass/delay-of-game/no-call/do-over) a few years back a close second.
Did you see the 1971 game in Athens? Given the circumstances probably the best performance I ever witnessed by an Auburn QB … and, goes down with Iron Bowl ‘82 and Iron Bowl ’72 and Iron Bowl ’89 as the 4 biggest Auburn wins I’ve ever seen — all for different reasons, of course. And, I’ve still got the ticket stubs.
I’ve seen every Auburn QB play from Howell Tubbs to Kodi Burns … and, I saw all the games that Pat Sullivan played when he was an Auburn Tiger — including the one in 1968 when the AU frosh beat the UA frosh @ Tuscaloosa. I believe you’re selling #7 a bit short. He was the man.
I listened to the 1971 UGA...
……game on the radio. My father let NOTHING interfere with yardwork chores back in those days, not even football. It was leaf-raking season, and we were hard at work. I had opted to watch cartoons that morning, and paid the price that afternoon!
……We blew several games late, in 1981. Dye’s first team had an awesome defense! There was Ken Hobby’s fumble on the goal line in Knoxville, then the cough it up 21-17 MSU loss at home.
……I think Sullivan had a way better supporting cast. Watch the video below. Sully rifled the ball into crowds of orange shirts several times, with total confidence that Schmaltz, Beasley, and co. would come up with the ball. Craig didn’t really have that with most of his guys. Look at how much time Sully had to throw, too. And of course, it’s two different eras. Kind of comparing apples and oranges, really. Both guys were great ones, of course!
I was high in the end zone @ UT ...
… in 1981 and after the game I was wrung out … soooo close but no cigar …. but, I knew somehow that I was witnessing a watershed moment in AU football
Sullivan went to John Carroll High School. A couple of his JCHS teammates were Dick Schmalz (#89 AU) and Tommy Banks (#50 AU). When they picked up where they left off at Auburn, they had been on the same page for a long time. Like a well-oiled machine. Schmalz was unflapable, crafty, good in traffic, and he didn’t hear the footsteps. And, he could run a bloody pass pattern. Remember those?
Terry Beasley, from Montgomery, was super fast, tough as hell, and was fearless going after the ball. And he and Sully could read each other’s minds or, it seemed so.
With Beasley (the biggest vertical threat WR ever at AU) and Schmalz (the best go-to possession WR ever at AU) … Pat Sullivan was an assassin. Too bad you didn’t see the 1971 AU-UGA game … the 3 of them put on a show for the ages!
You’re right about apples-oranges. The way I try to decide these things, for example, is to say if Craig was on the 1969-71 team do I think that he would have beat Sullivan out as the starting QB? The answer is simply: “no, I believe Sullivan would be the starter.”
“Best” doesn’t enter the conversation. The question is which gives the team the best chance to win? Which is the best leader? Which makes the other players better players? Which will make a play for you when you really need it?
But I will say I believe that Craig was the “best” runner at QB ever at AU. He would have been hell on wheels in Dye’s wishbone. :-)
P.S. Which comes first: a QB’s confidence in the WR … or, a WR’s confidence in the QB? Is it a chicken or the egg riddle? Hint: see Atlanta Falcons 2007 vs. Atlanta Falcons 2008.
Gotta catch that thing!
……I don’t have sympathy for dropped balls. As a wide receiver, you’re going to be blocking or running meaningless routes 90 percent of the time. When a ball gets anywhere near, the receiver MUST get it. Must! The only time I think confidence in the quarterback plays into it, is if you have a guy that leads receivers into collisions, or hangs them up in the air. Or you might have a guy like James Swinton, who’s going to be pretty confident that the quarterback will never look his way.
…..Two of our Auburn quarterbacks who had receiver confidence issues were Jason Campbell, and Stan White. We were bad catching the ball in 2003, but 1991 and 1992 were just awful! White ended up just trying to lob balls, and baby them in there. There’s a reason White is the career interception leader. I wonder how many of those things bounced off of guys like Herbert Casey or Fred Baxter?
... and, on confidence:
Not to put too fine a point on this but I believe a good passing attack is about planning, execution, timing, and accuracy… and, a bad passing attack is none of those things.
A good pass-play requires execution, timing, and accuracy by the WR and the QB working as 2 vital moving parts of a machine. One part is no good if the other is missing … and, both parts must work together to work at all. The WR and the QB succeed in executing a pass-play as one … or, the WR and the QB fail in executing a pass-play as one.
… and, on confidence:
What confidence that the QB has in a WR is built on the QB’s trust and belief that the WR will do his own job properly and execute the pass-play as designed each time, every time to the best of his ability.
What confidence that the WR has in a QB is built on the WR’s trust and belief that the QB will do his own job properly and execute the pass-play as designed each time, every time to the best of his ability.
What was most galling...
……about the 1996 UGA game was SEC referee inconsistency. See, in 1992 against UGA, we had fumbled on the goal line with 20 seconds left, got the ball back, and they would NOT let us run another play. The clock ran out, and we lost, 14-10.
……In 1996, Jimmy Brumbaugh sacked Bobo with under ten seconds left, the ball came out, was blown dead, and several UGA linemen started slapping the ball around. Auburn end Charles Dorsey picked the ball up, and the stupid refs stopped the clock, which should have been allowed to run out. With the extra play, UGA converted the 30-yard bomb for the tying score. Even more ridiculously, we were flagged for pass interference, and it somehow carried over to overtime, and we had to start on the UGA 35 instead of the 25. And the officials’ bumbling didn’t end there, either. We were down to 4th and ten, and Craig heaved one deep to Robert Baker. Baker fell down, untouched, and the ball sailed incomplete. The refs flagged UGA for pass interference. Were they trying to atone for the mess-ups? Who knows?
……Bowden lost that game, though. It was clear that we had nothing left in the tank, defensively. All UGA had to do was run toss-sweep after toss sweep, and they’d always score. When we scored to make it 41-42, Bowden should have gone for two. It was the only way we were going to have a chance to win. I was jumping up and down, screaming at the TV, but we kicked the point, and eventually lost, 56-49, on a failed 4th down quarterback keeper.
Yeah, I can still see Ray Goff on the sideline ...
signaling for his players to lie down on the ground and to not let the refs spot the ball. Have you no shame sir? At long last, have you no shame?
The refs gave UGA those 2 wins — no question.
Who was Josh Sullivan?
I honestly can’t recall him
"If on-base percentage is so important, then why don't they put it up on the scoreboard?" - Jeff Francouer
Josh lost the backup position...
……in the spring of 2004, to the up and coming Brandon Cox. Sullivan left the football team, to concentrate on baseball.
Campbell's Backup
I honestly only remember him b/c I filled out the entire roster on the NCAA Football video game, and Campbell got hurt in the first game….Sully went on to win the Heisman…
by SandMountainTiger on Jun 29, 2009 3:08 AM CDT reply actions
According to the stats
Todd was our best QB last year. Plus we won more games with him. Maybe it was because he grasped Franklin’s concepts better, being familiar with them. Certainly he was a better passer, even with a bad arm.
Cox had to scramble a lot when the OL caved in. He was not big and strong like Campbell. But, except for two games, he got up and played on. Now, in the two games referred to, his confidence was badly shaken and I could see him physically cringe before getting hit. The poor guy was getting crushed and lost his mojo.
Campbell was lucky to be big and strong. I remember that Tubby was reluctant to play him, opting for Cobb. The turning point came at the Syracuse game. Even the fans could see that we moved the ball better with Jason driving. But Tubby waited until we were a couple TDs behind and then relented to fan pressure. And by jove Jason moved the team ahead. We had to play three of four overtimes, but we finally beat the Orangemen. (Hideous mascot, by the way.) After that, Campbell was the starter and we never looked back.
Tubberville did not display a fascile grasp of the offense. I know the old timers are wedded to the belief that in the SEC defenses win games. I also think that’s a major reason why Chizik was hired as HC. He’s a defensive guy and also had coached at Auburn previously.
If this hire should be a failure, and I am not predicting that it will be, then I think Auburn should seriously consider hiring an offensive mind for HC next time.
I am happy with Chizik on board, as long as Malzahn is the offensive guy. We need someone who understands the nuances of quarterback play. We need a guy who is into the steps, the touch, release, and mechanics of QB play. Auburn has not been known for top flight QBs because we have been led by defensive minded guys.
Also, a good OL can make a mediocre QB look good. But a bad OL can destroy even a great QB.
They really didn't settle on Campbell....
……till he brought us back against Florida, in Gainesville. We were trailing 23-7 in the 4th quarter. Campbell and Ronnie Brown brought us back from the brink of a blow-out, to tie it at 23-all with six minutes left. The D did their job, and we got the ball back. At the end, Damon Duval kicked a low line drive ball that was blocked. Should have been an easy game-winner. In OT, Rex Grossman heaved up a Hail Mary that was caught for a TD. Campbell was then guilty of a football no-no, trying to take off and run for it, on a 4th down call. Florida won it, 30-23. But Campbell got his first start of the year, a week later, as we took down defending SEC champ LSU, 31-7.
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