Player development is always important, as important as recruiting in many ways. So how have Power Five teams been developing quarterbacks in the last decade? Let’s finish with the Big 12 and hand out some grades.
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RELATED: How Big Ten programs have developed QBs | SEC | ACC | Pac-12
MORE: How things stand with top uncommitted QBs
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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BAYLOR
Regular starters: Robert Griffin, four-stars (2010-11); Nick Florence, three-stars (2012); Bryce Petty, three-stars (2013-14); Seth Russell, three-stars (2015-16); Charlie Brewer, three-stars (2017-20)
The skinny: Griffin starts things off pretty well with a Heisman Trophy season and first-round grade. It’s not bad after that at all for Baylor. Florence developed solidly as a three-star, Petty was excellent for his three-star rating and Brewer outplayed his ranking most of the time as well. Quarterback has not been a problem for Baylor.
Grade: B-plus
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IOWA STATE
Regular starters: Austen Arnaud, three-star (2010); Steele Jantz, three-star (2011-12); Sam Richardson, three-star (2013-15); Brock Purdy, three-star (2018-present)
The skinny: Aside from Purdy this isn’t a who’s-who of talent here. Some of the program's quarterback play was ugly before Matt Campbell arrived. Arnaud and Richardson had some moments but were inconsistent overall. Purdy has been a great development job.
Grade: C-plus
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KANSAS
Regular starters: Jordan Webb, three-stars (2010-11); Dayne Crist, five-stars (2012); Jake Heaps, four-stars (2013); Peyton Bender, three-stars (2017-18); Carter Stanley, two-stars (2019)
The skinny: This is not pretty but you wouldn’t expect it be, right? The good thing is that a lot of the players they signed in recruiting weren’t highly-ranked. Crist and Heaps were highly-ranked transfers so they don’t count as much. Stanley flashed signs of being better than a two-star and Bender had a few moments, but none of these players did overly well. It’s just not a program that is taking QBs to the next level.
Grade: D
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KANSAS STATE
Regular starters: Carson Coffman, two-stars (2010); Collin Klein, three-stars (2011-12); Jake Waters, three-stars (2013-14); Joe Hubener, unranked (2015); Jesse Ertz, two-stars (2016-17); Skylar Thompson, four-stars (2017-20)
The skinny: Klein was excellent and played much better than a three-star and I like Thompson as well, although he's been average for a four-star. The rest of this group are largely players that weren’t ranked that highly coming into college. Some did better than expected but nothing earth-shattering here at all.
Grade: C
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OKLAHOMA
Regular starters: Landry Jones, four-stars (2010-12); Trevor Knight, four-stars (2013-14); Baker Mayfield, three-stars (2015-17); Kyler Murray, five-stars (2018); Jalen Hurts, four-stars (2019); Spencer Rattler, five-stars (2020-present)
The skinny: Does it get better than this? Naysayers will point out that Mayfield, Murray and Hurts were all transfers but they all got better in Norman. There is no other grade to give out other than than the highest one.
Grade: A-plus
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OKLAHOMA STATE
Regular starters: Brandon Weeden, unranked (2010-11); Daxx Garman, three-stars (2014); Mason Rudolph, four-stars (2015-17); Taylor Cornelius, unranked (2018); Spencer Sanders, four-stars (2019-20)
The skinny: Weeden was an older player and was easier to develop, I suppose. Rudolph was a solid job even with his four-star rating but the rest is lacking for sure. Sanders has been especially disappointing to me. I expected more from Mike Gundy overall.
Grade: C-plus
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TCU
Regular starters: Andy Dalton, three-stars (2010); Casey Pachall, four-stars (2011-13); Trevone Boykin, three-stars (2012-15); Kenny Hill, four-stars (2016-17); Max Duggan, four-stars (2019-present)
The skinny: Dalton was a tremendous developmental job as a three-star overlooked elsewhere and he’s still in the NFL. Boykin was an excellent athlete and did some nice things and improved as a passer. Hill has his moments as a transfer. Pascall lived up to his four-star billing at times as well. The jury is still out on Duggan but overall this is solid work.
Grade: B-plus
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TEXAS
Regular starters: Garrett Gilbert, five-stars (2010); David Ash, three-stars (2011-12); Case McCoy, three-stars (2013); Tyrone Swoopes, four-stars (2014-15); Shane Buechele, four-stars (2016-17); Sam Ehlinger, four-stars (2017-20)
The skinny: This is not so great at all as Gilbert was a bust, Ash and McCoy were average and the four-stars like Swoopes, Buechele and Ehlinger had moments but were overall too erratic. Swoopes especially was a disaster. Buechele had to go to SMU to find real success and Ehlinger is a borderline NFL backup.
Grade: C-minus
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TEXAS TECH
Regular starters: Taylor Potts, three-stars (2010); Seth Doege, three-stars (2011-12); Davis Webb, three-stars (2013-14); Patrick Mahomes, three-stars (2014-16); Nic Shimonek, three-stars (2017); Jett Duffey, three-stars (2018-19); Alan Bowman, three-stars (2018-20)
The skinny: Mahomes is amazing, so you know the grade will be good no matter what as he’s an all-timer at the NFL level. Webb was pretty good as well, especially for a three-star. The development has been very up and down recently. Bowman would have been very good if it hadn’t been for injuries. Mahomes carries the Red Raiders to a good grade.
Grade: B-plus
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WEST VIRGINIA
Regular starters: Geno Smith, four-stars (2010-12); Clint Trickett, three-stars (2013-14); Skyler Howard, three-stars (2015-16); Will Grier, four-stars (2017-18); Austin Kendall, four-stars (2019); Jarret Doege, three-stars (2020)
The skinny: Smith was awesome, Howard was OK and Grier was solid. It’s been very up and down otherwise. I expected more from Kendall, although he’s a transfer. The Mountaineers don’t get full credit for Grier as he came from Florida. Smith bumps them up as people forget how amazing he was.
Grade: B-minus
