We are just one week into the college football regular season, and it feels like a good time to check in on what Big Ten quarterbacks are doing the best at their position after every team has played, including Ohio State football’s new starter under center, Kyle McCord.
The metric we like to use more than any other is ESPN’s Total QBR rating. We find it to be a better indicator of performance because it takes into account many aspects others don’t, including the level of competition.
Buy Buckeyes TicketsSo what is Total QBR exactly? According to ESPN, Adjusted Total Quarterback Rating “values the quarterback on all play types on a 0-100 scale adjusted for the strength of opposing defenses faced.”
OK, we’re game.
So where is McCord and other Big Ten signal-callers J.J. McCarthy of Michigan, Drew Allar of Penn State, and Cade McNamara of Iowa following Week 1 of the college football season?
Here’s how things stack up after Big Ten football returned to a television set or streaming device near you.
14
Ben Bryant, Northwestern
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 14.8
The outlook
Northwestern has had one whale of a time winning a game on American soil. Don’t look for Bryant to jump out on film anytime soon with how poor the team is around him.
13
Brendan Sorsby, Indiana
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 28.0
The outlook
Indiana’s offense didn’t look like it could score ten points if it played for two weeks against Ohio State, and it probably won’t be that good all year. With a two-quarterback system for now, don’t expect Sorsby to make a move.
12
Jeff Sims, Nebraska
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 34.9
The outlook
Sims and Nebraska were bottled up pretty good against Minnesota and it’ll be interesting to see if there is improvement on the offensive end under Matt Rhule.
11
Cade McNamara, Iowa
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 35.9
The outlook
McNamara has been labeled a savior of sorts for Iowa, but it didn’t really take shape in Week 1. A chance to show improvement is on tap in the ultra-heated rivalry with Iowa State this weekend.
10
Tanner Mordecai, Wisconsin
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 36.0
The outlook
We all expected new head coach Luke Fickell to air it out a bit more than what we saw on Saturday. Until that happens (if it does), don’t expect Mordecai to be a focal point of the offense.
9
Athan Kaliakmanis, Minnesota
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 53.1
The outlook
You can probably expect Kaliakmanis to be in the middle of the pack with the offense and mindset head coach P.J. Fleck has. It’ll be a sound and conservative game plan throughout the season most likely.
8
Noah Kim, Michigan State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 60.6
The outlook
Kim slung it around 31 times but only completed 18 of those passes, though did toss two touchdowns. It does look like Mel Tucker might let him rip it a little more than what we’ve seen with Michigan State in year’s past, so if Kim can complete passes at a better clip, he could throw up some pretty good numbers.
7
Hudson Card, Purdue
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 66.4
The outlook
Card had a similar outing than that of of Kim, tossing two touchdowns but only completing 17-of-30 passes. He’ll get his chances in this offense though if the first game is any indication after the Boilermakers struggled to run the ball.
6
Kyle McCord, Ohio State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 78.1
The outlook
McCord didn’t throw any touchdowns and gave one away on Saturday in a game plan that didn’t exactly push the ball down the field. As long as he holds onto the starting job, watch for the improvement and some more lofty numbers down the road.
5
Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 36.0
The outlook
Altmyer’s rating is buoyed by completing an efficient 18-of-26 passes for 211 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday in a nailbiter vs. Toledo. As the competition increases, look for his QBR rating to adjust down a wee bit.
4
Gavin Wimsatt, Rutgers
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 81.9
The outlook
Wimsatt didn’t throw for a whole lot of yards on Saturday vs. Northwestern, but he took care of the ball through the air and he chipped in another 33 yards on the ground. We’ll see how much head coach Greg Schiano trusts him to make plays down the field as the season progresses.
3
Drew Allar, Penn State
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 86.0
The outlook
Expect Allar to be near the top of the QBR ratings all season long with the talent Penn State has at the skill positions and offensive line. He already went for over 300 yards and tossed three touchdowns in Game 1 against West Virginia.
2
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 86.4
The outlook
Tagovailoa will be up among the leaders in QBR all season long with the offensive scheme and his ability to throw it around and make things happen on the ground. He’s tossed three touchdowns already to zero interceptions.
1
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
Inside the Numbers
Total QBR | 95.4
The outlook
Yes, McCarthy will most likely show up among the top two in QBR on a weekly basis. He started things off right with arguably the most efficient day of any quarterback in the Big Ten, completing 26-of-30 passes for 280 yards and three touchdowns. We’ll be hearing about him all season long.
