Most Underrated Quarterbacks

[ScotsAU 1,343]

I started my annual "rewatching old games" tradition this weekend. Seeing these old games got me thinking about quarterback play. I think most folks would agree that, since 2000, Cam, Nick Marshall, Jason Campbell, and Stidham would be the top four. But that got me thinking... What about the other starters? Who would be the next three best in this century?

Here's a list of the starters since 2000: 

Ben Leard

Daniel Cobb

Brandon Cox

Kodi Burns

Chris Todd

Barrett Trotter

Clint Moseley

Kiehl Frazier

Johnathan Wallace

Jeremy Johnson

Sean White

JF3

Bo Nix

TJ Finley

Robbie Ashford

Who are your next 3?

[bigbird 60,580]

Cox

Nix

Leard 

White

[ScotsAU 1,343]

I'd go with:

1. Nix- I know some people will still find this controversial because his numbers at Auburn were very up an down. However, think of how much of a fall off there was after his injury in 2021. After his injury, we didn't win another game in 2021. Bad offensive lines all three of his years often force Nix to put the offense on his back. 

2. Cox- Digressed his senior year due to his muscle related illness, but had some really solid games throughout his 3 years as a starter. Probably more of a game manager than a game changer. But he made numerous clutch throws to win games. Also, fun fact. He never lost to Bama. 

3. Todd- Came from an air raid background, but never seemed comfortable in Franklin's offense. With the support of a solid running game, he was a relatively efficient game managers. I have to wonder how 2009 would've gone if he hadn't suffered a lingering arm injury against Tennessee. 

Edited July 16, 2023 by ScotsAU

[Hamma 62]

Cox

Nix

Todd

[toddc 13,194]

That list! 😅 ooof 

Seeing them written out like that makes my realize how bad it was.

Edited July 16, 2023 by toddc

[meh130 1,054]

I don't think Nix was ever underrated. Well, perhaps a little. I compared him to Johnny Manziel once because of his ability to evade the rush and make a crazy play, and I was dragged for it. But I would say Cox, Leard, and White were the three most underrated.

[DAG 34,033]

Nix is was not underrated IMO. Polarizing , yes. 

[W.E.D 11,070]

12 minutes ago, DAG said:

Nix is was not underrated IMO. Polarizing , yes. 

Probably safe to say he was vastly overrated by 45% of the fan base, vastly underrated by 45% of the fanbase and properly rated by 10% of the fanbase

[clwn 336]

Brandon Cox. Wasn't he like 29-9 as a starter or something for 3 years? Dude could manage a game well. Made some great throws when game was on the line, 2005 UGA in particular. 

Mastered that play action and dunking it to the TE. Was fun to watch.

[CR 2,446]

2 hours ago, toddc said:

That list! 😅 ooof 

Seeing them written out like that makes my realize how bad it was.

Painful. Explains a lot about why this programs been mediocore at best for a long stretch now.

[gr82be 14,495]

I'd take Cox over Stidham to start with. Then I'd say Stidham, Nix and White as 5-7

[AUINSY 2,228]

1 hour ago, clwn said:

Brandon Cox. Wasn't he like 29-9 as a starter or something for 3 years? Dude could manage a game well. Made some great throws when game was on the line, 2005 UGA in particular. 

Mastered that play action and dunking it to the TE. Was fun to watch.

^^^this. And had a muscle disease

[AUINSY 2,228]

2 hours ago, toddc said:

That list! 😅 ooof 

Seeing them written out like that makes my realize how bad it was.

Exactly…the other sad thing is how many quarterbacks there were in a short amount of time 

[W.E.D 11,070]

1 hour ago, clwn said:

Brandon Cox. Wasn't he like 29-9 as a starter or something for 3 years?

Yeah, so how exactly is he underrated?

Or are we just ranking the starting QBs the century that aren't Cam Newton, Nick Marshall, or Jason Campbell?

[ScotsAU 1,343]

14 hours ago, W.E.D said:

Yeah, so how exactly is he underrated?

Or are we just ranking the starting QBs the century that aren't Cam Newton, Nick Marshall, or Jason Campbell?

The question was who would the next 3 best be.

[W.E.D 11,070]

19 minutes ago, ScotsAU said:

The question was who would the next 3 best be.

Seems ppl are conflating the title vs question in their answers.

 

Next 3 would be (no order)....

• Cox
• Nix
• Todd

Honorable Mention: Leard, Sean White (got in too much of 50's weed)

[Win4AU 4,055]

If we’re going most underrated then I’m going Sean White #1.  Came in as a true freshman and single handedly saved Auburn’s 2015 season.  When Sean and the RBs were healthy in 2016 they were hard to beat.  Stidham was the better Qb and I don’t know what all Sean was getting into off the field but I kinda felt like Gus just pushed him out in 2017.  Without White Gus would have been fired after 2016.  
 

Trotter #2 most underrated.  Auburn lost soo much from 2010-2011 even Cam might have had some struggles that year.  Chizik running him off in 2012 in favor of Khiel Frazier may have been the dumbest in a number of dumb coaching moves by Chizik.   I’d go as far as say that Chizik isn’t fired with Barrett at qb in 2012.  
 

Maybe Cox #3 after the 2007 struggles and the general hate he got at the beginning of the year.  The bloom was off the Gorgeous Borges rose and Auburn didn’t have the talent it did 2003-2006.

If I’m going next best 3 then Nix, Leard, Cox

[Mikey 16,776]

Nix

Cox

White

[TexasTiger 13,090]

On 7/16/2023 at 4:44 PM, ScotsAU said:

I started my annual "rewatching old games" tradition this weekend. Seeing these old games got me thinking about quarterback play. I think most folks would agree that, since 2000, Cam, Nick Marshall, Jason Campbell, and Stidham would be the top four. But that got me thinking... What about the other starters? Who would be the next three best in this century?

Here's a list of the starters since 2000: 

Ben Leard

Daniel Cobb

Brandon Cox

Kodi Burns

Chris Todd

Barrett Trotter

Clint Moseley

Kiehl Frazier

Johnathan Wallace

Jeremy Johnson

Sean White

JF3

Bo Nix

TJ Finley

Robbie Ashford

Who are your next 3?

Thanks for the deeply depressing reminder. 😉

[ScotsAU 1,343]

On 7/17/2023 at 9:18 PM, Win4AU said:

If we’re going most underrated then I’m going Sean White #1.  Came in as a true freshman and single handedly saved Auburn’s 2015 season.  When Sean and the RBs were healthy in 2016 they were hard to beat.  Stidham was the better Qb and I don’t know what all Sean was getting into off the field but I kinda felt like Gus just pushed him out in 2017.  Without White Gus would have been fired after 2016.  
 

Trotter #2 most underrated.  Auburn lost soo much from 2010-2011 even Cam might have had some struggles that year.  Chizik running him off in 2012 in favor of Khiel Frazier may have been the dumbest in a number of dumb coaching moves by Chizik.   I’d go as far as say that Chizik isn’t fired with Barrett at qb in 2012.  
 

Maybe Cox #3 after the 2007 struggles and the general hate he got at the beginning of the year.  The bloom was off the Gorgeous Borges rose and Auburn didn’t have the talent it did 2003-2006.

If I’m going next best 3 then Nix, Leard, Cox

Trotter was an interesting one. He was a pretty decent quarterback in a lot of ways. He just had no arm strength. The beginning of 2011 wasn’t pretty, but Clint was not as effective as a starter after Trotter was benched. Love that he went out playing his best game in that Chick-fil-A bowl. 

[Win4AU 4,055]

22 hours ago, ScotsAU said:

Trotter was an interesting one. He was a pretty decent quarterback in a lot of ways. He just had no arm strength. The beginning of 2011 wasn’t pretty, but Clint was not as effective as a starter after Trotter was benched. Love that he went out playing his best game in that Chick-fil-A bowl. 

I’d have to go back and watch some of the games but Chizik messing with the offense in 2011 may have had as much to do with the offense struggling as Barrett playing poorly.  Seemed like after halftime of the Clemson game things went stale.  Clint definitely wasn’t any better.  Barrett and Sean had a lot of similarities and were both more athletic than given credit for.