Where ESPN ranked Texas football amid top 10 ‘Quarterback U’ schools
A significant line of quality quarterbacks and running backs out of the Texas football program since the BCS-era was recognized by ESPN earlier this month.
In two fun lists to go through for any college football fan, which was posted on the official ESPN Twitter page back on April 11, the Texas football program was a major player in the determination of the top 10’s. Those two lists that ESPN posted on its official Twitter timeline earlier this month were the top 10 “Quarterback U” and “Running Back U” football programs of the BCS and College Football Playoff-eras.
The Texas Longhorns football program found themselves on both lists, in similar spots inside the top 10. On the Quarterback U Top 10, the Longhorns ranked pretty high up at No. 4. And in the Running Back U Top 10, the Longhorns held the No. 1 spot.
Texas ranked behind the rival Oklahoma Sooners on the Quarterback U Top 10, but ahead of the Texas A&M Aggies. Oklahoma rang in at No. 2 for quarterbacks, and Texas A&M at No. 10. ESPN cited Heisman winners like Kyler Murray, Sam Bradford, and Baker Mayfield for Oklahoma’s spot. Texas A&M had Ryan Tannehill, Johnny Manziel, and Kellen Mond listed.
From the BCS to the CFP era, who's your No. 1 for Quarterback and Running Back U? pic.twitter.com/8tkWmVPKdv
— ESPN (@espn) April 11, 2020
Oklahoma once again was ahead of Texas on the running backs side. ESPN cited Adrian Peterson, DeMarco Murray, and Samaje Perine as the best running backs of these two eras coming out of Norman. Meanwhile, Texas A&M didn’t even make the list for running backs.
No other current or former Big 12 programs were on either list.
The quarterbacks that were cited for Texas here were Vince Young, Colt McCoy, and Major Applewhite. VY and McCoy make a lot of sense, but Applewhite was just as effective as the likes of Chris Simms and/or Sam Ehlinger. Young and McCoy might be the two best quarterbacks in program history, and they were back-to-back stars on the Forty Acres in the 2000’s.
Moreover, the running backs cited for Texas here were Heisman winner Ricky Williams, Jamaal Charles, and Cedric Benson. It’s arguable that D’Onta Foreman should be included here since he had a 2,000-rushing yard season in 2016 and finished in the top 10 for the Heisman voting. Charles never finished in the top 10 in the final Heisman voting or had a 2,000 yard season.
But you can’t argue with the total body of work from Williams or Benson.
Next. Predicting the next 3 2021 Texas commits. dark
The top three Quarterback U football programs per ESPN were the USC Trojans, Oklahoma, and the Oregon Ducks. The top three for the running backs were the Alabama Crimson Tide, Wisconsin Badgers, and defending National Champion LSU Tigers.