We were spoiled last season.
The Heisman Trophy winner, Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin III, wasn’t even the best true quarterback in college football. That was the domain of Stanford’s Andrew Luck.
And neither Griffin nor Luck accomplished what Boise State’s Kellen Moore did — win 50 games in his career against just three losses.
No quarterback was better down the stretch than USC’s Matt Barkley. No quarterback put up gaudier numbers than Houston’s Case Keenum (5,631 yards, 48 touchdown passes). No quarterback was more efficient than Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson.
We were spoiled. But that does not appear to be the case as the 2012 college football season kicks off Thursday night.
Just yesterday, Oregon coach Chip Kelly announced redshirt freshman Marcus Mariota would start the season over redshirt sophomore Bryan Bennett.
With the exception of Barkley, who likely would have been a Top 10 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, there is no elite quarterback in college football.
Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly still has not announced if Everett Golson, Andrew Hendrix or true freshman Gunner Kiel will start when the Irish face Navy in Ireland. All that is certain is last year’s starter, Tommy Rees, won’t play in the opener while he serves a suspension for his role in an off-campus altercation.
Boise State coach Chris Petersen has decided the best way to handle his quarterback uncertainty is to make all of his quarterbacks off-limits to the media. Word has it Joe Southwick has the edge over freshman Nick Patti.
Texas coach Mack Brown said David Ash would start the Longhorns’ opener against Wyoming but he did not say he was the starter over Case McCoy.
“As we have been saying, it is obvious you have to have one walk out there first,” said Brown.
Wow, what an endorsement. Maybe coaches dealing with an unsettled quarterback situation should also make themselves off-limits to the media.
Rutgers coach Kyle Flood announced earlier this week Gary Nova would start over Chas Dodd. Stanford coach David Shaw named Josh Nunes over Brett Nottingham for the right to face a season-long comparison to Luck.
“It’s the biggest shoes I think you could have to follow,” Nunes said.
Florida quarterbacks Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett will both play against Bowling Green.
“I told both of them: ‘The last position I’m worried about is quarterback,’ ’’ said Florida coach Will Muschamp. “I feel very comfortable about both guys.”
Just not comfortable enough to name a starter.
Penn State coach Bill O’Brien made an early decision tabbing Matt McGloin over Rob Bolden and Paul Jones. UCLA’S Jim Mora tabbed Brett Hundley, a redshirt freshman, over three more experienced players. Auburn’s Gene Chizik chose Kiehl Frazier over three others.