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Saturday Down South's Top 25 SEC QB's All Time (25-16)
Posted on 4/21/15 at 9:55 am
Posted on 4/21/15 at 9:55 am
Editor’s note: The SDS staff weighed multiple factors during our SEC’s all-time quarterback rankings process including career statistics, individual awards, importance to their respective team and the era in which they played.
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25.) CONNOR SHAW, SOUTH CAROLINA (2010-13)
Not nearly as decorated from an individual or national award perspective as most of the quarterbacks on this list (and some that aren’t), Shaw left a lasting legacy that won’t soon be achieved at South Carolina, a once mediocre program where he is now the school’s all-time winningest quarterback.
Shaw’s most noteworthy accomplishment was when he joined elite company as one of the few quarterbacks in SEC history to win every home start of his college career, going 17-0. South Carolina’s 18-game home winning streak during his tenure is a school record.
Shaw’s led the Gamecocks to a program-record three consecutive 11-win seasons, putting his career winning percentage of .843 inside the top 10 winningest SEC quarterbacks category, just behind Peyton Manning (86.7) and Tim Tebow (86.6) among others. He holds South Carolina records for touchdowns responsibility (74), rushing yards by a quarterback (1,683) and career completion percentage (65.5).
On the heels of his third consecutive bowl victory following a TD to INT ratio of 24:1 his senior season, Shaw was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and eventually started the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens.
Career numbers:
480-733, 6,074 yards, 56 TD, 16 INT; 1,683 yards rushing, 17 TD
Individual superlatives:
Capital One Bowl MVP (2014)
NFL Draft:
Undrafted free agent signee in 2014
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24.) KENNY STABLER, ALABAMA (1965-67)
The quarterback that eventually followed Joe Namath as Steve Sloan’s primary backup during the Crimson Tide’s 1965 natioanl chapmionshp season, Stabler earned the full-time starting job as a junior and didn’t disappoint. Stabler led Alabama to an 11-0 record with a bowl win, but it wasn’t enough for poll voters who kept Bear Bryant’s team third behind Notre Dame and Michigan State.
Stabler, who finished his career at Alabama with a 19-2-1 record as a starter, was booted from the team for the off-the-field issues before his senior season but allowed back on to finish out his career. The Crimson Tide went 8-2-1 in 1967, but posted a memorable win against Auburn during which Stabler had the game-winning 53-yard touchdown run.
He would go on to enjoy a superb 15-year NFL career, amassing nearly 28,000 yards through the air. Stabler’s 194 career touchdown passes ranks 45th all-time. The four-time Pro Bowl selection won the NFL’s MVP award in 1974 and led the Oakland Raiders to a win in Super Bowl XI on Jan. 9, 1977.
Career numbers:
180-303, 2,196 yards, 18 TD, 18 INT; 838 yards rushing, 9 TD
Individual superlatives:
N/A
NFL Draft:
No. 52 overall (second round) in 1968
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23.) HEATH SHULER, TENNESSEE (1991-93)
Many feel Shuler, Tennessee’s first legitimate candidate since Johnny Majors in the late 1950s, was robbed of the 1993 Heisman Trophy when he finished second to Florida State’s Charlie Ward. The Vols went 10-2 that season with one of the nation’s top offenses averaging 40.3 points per game behind the SEC Player of the Year’s 25 touchdown passes.
During one one stretch of his career, Shuler tossed a touchdown pass in 17 consecutive games and left the program with several individual records that were later eclipsed by Peyton Manning. He skipped his senior season for the NFL Draft and was selected third overall by the Washington Redskins, where he played three season before brief stints with the New Orleans Saints and Oakland Raiders.
Shuler was elected to represent 11th District in North Carolina as a congressman in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2006.
Career numbers:
316-513, 4,089 yards, 36 TD, 12 INT; 383 yards, 14 TD
Individual superlatives:
SEC Player of the Year (1993); Heisman runner-up (1993)
NFL Draft:
No. 3 overall in 1994
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22.) SHANE MATTHEWS, FLORIDA (1990-92)
Steve Spurrier’s first major weapon in the Gators’ Fun-N-Gun pass-happy offense in 1990, Matthews shattered several program passing records pre-Danny Wuerffel with 74 career touchdown passes and more than 9,000 yards, compiling a 28-8 record as a starter.
Twice named the SEC’s Player of the Year (including Florida’s 1991 SEC title squad), Matthews was a gunslinger who was the league’s passing leader every season and earned first team All-SEC status the duration of his time as Florida’s starting quarterback. A member of the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame and the Gators Hall of Fame, Matthews was a career backup in the NFL from 1993-06.
Career numbers:
722-1,202, 9,287 yards, 74 TD, 46 INT
Individual superlatives:
All-SEC (1990-92); SEC Player of the Year (1990-91); All-American (1992); Florida Hall of Fame
NFL Draft:
Undrafted free agenet signee in 1993
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21.) BILL WADE, VANDERBILT (1949-51)
A member of Vanderbilt’s inaugural Hall of Fame class, one of college football earliest “game managers” at quarterback never had a losing season at Vanderbilt, which was quite an accomplishment at a program mired in mediocrity.
Wade played sparingly as a sophomore in 1949, but his career kicked off during the preseason after he was featured on the cover of Look magazine highlighted in the “Football Forecast” segment, a portion written by legendary sportswriter Grantland Rice. He became known as ‘Glamour Boy’ after posing with two co-eds in the photo, but didn’t earn the starting job until the following season.
As a senior, Wade earned SEC Player of the Year honors and was named a second-team All-American. He was named MVP of the 1951 North-South Shrine Bowl in Miami where scouts noticed his talent. Signed as the L.A. Rams’ ‘bonus pick’ before the 1952 Draft, Wade played 13 professional seasons and finished with 18,530 yards passing career.
Career numbers:
N/A
Individual superlatives:
All-American (1951), SEC MVP (1951); Vanderbilt Hall of Fame
NFL Draft:
Bonus choice in 1952
17
Posted on 4/21/15 at 9:55 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
quote:
20.) REX GROSSMAN, FLORIDA (2000-02)
The second of several Spurrier-coached signal callers in this list, Grossman unseated returning starter Jesse Palmer and five-star recruit Brock Berlin at quarterback as a redshirt freshman in 2000, leading the Gators to an SEC Championship with a 21-touchdown season.
It was Grossman’s sophomore campaign that turned heads however.
The winner of several awards including the SEC’s and AP’s National Player of the Year honor, the consensus All-American led the nation in passing efficiency, passing completion percentage and yards per attempt during an incredible 34-touchdown season. Grossman finished second to Nebraska Eric Crouch in one of the closest Heisman votes in history.
Following an 8-5 mark as a junior, Grossman departed for the NFL. He made 47 career starts over nine professional seasons and threw 63 touchdown passes.
Career numbers:
677-1,110, 9,164 yards, 77 TD, 36 INT
Individual superlatives:
Consensus All-American (2001); SEC Player of the Year (2001); AP National Player of the Year (2001); Heisman runner-up (2001)
NFL Draft:
No. 22 overall in 2003
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19.) BABE PARILLI, KENTUCKY (1949-51)
One of the best players in Wildcats football history, Parilli directed Kentucky to a national championship in 1950 under Bear Bryant after finishing 11-1 with a win over then-No. 1 Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl.
Nicknamed ‘gold finger’ for his expert holds on field goal tries, Parilli could spin it too, throwing for 50 touchdowns and 4,351 yards in three seasons. Parilli was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1982.
Parilli’s lone championship in the professional ranks came in 1968 when he was Joe Namath’s backup for the New York Jets in Super Bowl III. Namath’s ‘guarantee’ came to fruition as the Jets upset the Baltimore Colts, 16-7.
Career numbers:
331-592, 4,351 yards, 50 TD, 37 INT
Individual superlatives:
College Football Hall of Fame
NFL Draft:
No. 4 overall in 1952
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18.) CHRIS LEAK, FLORIDA (2003-06)
North Carolina’s prep football passing leader in nearly every major statistical category, the Parade National Player of the Year enrolled at Florida as a five-star prospect in 2003 tasked with turning around the Gators under second-year coach Ron Zook following Steve Spurrier’s departure from Gainesville.
In 33 career starts at Florida, Leak fought through three offensive coordinator changes over a four-year stretch but still finished his career as the Gators’ all-time passing leader (11,213 yards) and tossed 88 touchdown passes, second-most in school history.
As a senior in 2006, Leak, with Tim Tebow’s help, led the Gators to their first SEC Championship in 10 years. A few weeks later, the season turned even sweeter when Florida defeated top-ranked Ohio State for the national title.
Career numbers:
895-1,458, 11,213 yards, 88 TD, 42 INT; 137 yards rushing, 13 TD
Individual superlatives:
Second-team All-SEC (2005-06); BCS Championship Game Off. MVP (2006)
NFL Draft:
Undrafted; played three years in CFL
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17.) BERT JONES, LSU (1969-72)
LSU’s first quarterback to be named a consensus All-American in 1972, Jones didn’t earn the full-time starting gig until his senior season but finished fourth in Heisman voting and was voted national player of the year that fall.
Over 15 career starts, Jones won 12 games including several victories over nationally-ranked teams. According to records and various media reports, Jones’ numbers would’ve been considerably higher with the Tigers if he didn’t share snaps with Paul Lyons for disagreeing with coach Charlie McClendon’s handling of the offense.
Jones followed Johnny Unitas with the Baltimore Colts as the second overall pick in 1973 and over eight seasons as a starting quarterback, won three division titles and a most valuable player award.
Career numbers:
233-466, 3,390 yards, 28 TD, 17 INT; 9 TD rushing
Individual superlatives:
All-American (1972); National Player of the Year (1972)
NFL Draft:
No. 2 overall in 1973
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16.) JOHN RAUCH, GEORGIA (1945-48)
Rauch, a four-year starter between the hedges, compiled a record of 36-8-1 and was a first team All-American as a senior in 1948. As a sophomore, Rauch led the Bulldogs to a sparking 11-0 record and the program’s third unclaimed national title (Williamson Poll No. 1).
He was college football’s first player to start four consecutive bowl games.
Rauch left Georgia as the Bulldogs’ all-time leading passer (just over 4,000 yards). He played three seasons of pro ball before beginning an incredible coaching career spanning from 1952-76 that included stops in the SEC, AFL and NFL.
Career numbers:
N/A
Individual superlatives:
All-American (1948); SEC Player of the Year (1948); Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame; Georgia Circle of Honor; College Football Hall of Fame
NFL Draft:
No. 2 overall in 1949
This post was edited on 4/21/15 at 9:59 am
Posted on 4/21/15 at 9:55 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
Will update when 15-11 is posted.
This post was edited on 4/21/15 at 10:00 am
Posted on 4/21/15 at 9:55 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
Will update when 10-6 is posted.
This post was edited on 4/21/15 at 10:00 am
Posted on 4/21/15 at 9:55 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
Will update when 5-1 is posted.
This post was edited on 4/21/15 at 10:00 am
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:00 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
Stabler is WAY too low.
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:01 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
Wuerffel better be #1.
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:04 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
How in the frick is stabler behind Shane Matthews? 
I can ALMOST understand Danny Weurffel but Shane Matthews? Please.
I can ALMOST understand Danny Weurffel but Shane Matthews? Please. Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:18 am to FourThreeForty
How is Stabler behind anyone?
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:19 am to FourThreeForty
Did you look at the stats?
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:20 am to Wtodd
Bert Jones have any eligibility left?
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:21 am to roadGator
I literally stopped reading after Shaw at 25.
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:21 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
Florida is (College) QBU and DBU 
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:22 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
quote:
25.) CONNOR SHAW, SOUTH CAROLINA (2010-13)
Made the list. Place at the table!
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:23 am to Ssubba
Thankyou
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:24 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
I'm assuming the top 5 are Manning, Manning, Tebow, Newton, and Manziel. It'll be interesting to see the order.
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:27 am to Hugh McElroy
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I'm assuming the top 5 are Manning, Manning, Tebow, Newton, and Manziel. It'll be interesting to see the order.
Top 5 will be Peyton Manning, Tebow, Wuerffel, Newton, and Either Joe Namath or Steve Spurrier
This post was edited on 4/21/15 at 10:28 am
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:31 am to atlgator
id be surprised to see Newton in the top 5, not because he doesn't deserve it but just because he only did it for one year..
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:32 am to NorthGwinnettTiger
Who's got a scantron for Ryan Mallett?
This post was edited on 4/21/15 at 10:32 am
Posted on 4/21/15 at 10:33 am to Ssubba
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I literally stopped reading after Shaw at 25
i like that bald guy but i was surprised to see him on there too.
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