Big 12 Football: Ranking best returning QB’s alongside Sam Ehlinger

Honorable mentions and who’s gone

For two years in a row, the Longhorns actually have one of the best returning starting quarterbacks in the Big 12 Football Conference. That really wasn’t an outcome for Texas throughout much of the 2010’s, as former head coaches Mack Brown and Charlie Strong couldn’t find an answer at the quarterback position.

However, there’s three very notable names worth watching in the Big 12 in 2020. The first of those names that will stick out is the Oklahoma Sooners rising redshirt freshman former five-star recruit Spencer Rattler. Only having 12 passing attempts and one touchdown during his true freshman campaign, Rattler doesn’t have enough production to work off of to put him in the top five currently.

The next name worth watching in the Big 12 in 2020 is to-be senior Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Skylar Thompson. A quarterback that seems like he’s been around forever, Thompson nearly has 50 career total touchdowns. He is more of a runner than a passer, but that fit well under former North Dakota state head coach Chris Klieman last year. Thompson also brings back a solid 135.0 passer efficiency rating with him.

And the last name worth watching in the Big 12 this year outside of the top five will be TCU Horned Frogs rising sophomore former four-star recruit Max Duggan. Coming off a true freshman campaign where he tossed 15 touchdowns, 10 picks, good for a passer efficiency rating of 113.6, Duggan could be a true breakout candidate in 2020.

Among the most notable departures of the Big 12’s quarterbacks from 2019, Heisman finalist Jalen Hurts is gone as is Carter Stanley of the Kansas Jayhawks. The Big 12 does return most of its production at quarterback for the 2020 college football season.