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Amanda PapkeByron Leftwich is a tough act to follow. The ex-Marshall quarterback cast a superhuman shadow on a conference searching for an identity amongst college football’s elite last season by shredding opposing secondaries.
But he only was following suit of past MAC greats.
Now, eight other quarterbacks have created their own image, an image that has the nation talking.
“Everyone was talking about who Leftwich was going to pass the torch to,” said Miami University quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. “I don’t know if he necessarily passed the torch to anyone; he just placed it up on a pedestal. I think everyone is doing their part to keep it up there.”
MAC schools have always had quality athletes, but whispered praises were the extent of the publicity.
“It is great to start getting some recognition,” Toledo quarterback Bruce Gradkowski said. “I think we have as good of quarterbacks as anyone in the country.”
But who is the best?
Charlie Frye, 6’4” 214-pounds, Akron, junior
Frye isn’t the type of player who rants about his skills. He said the best quarterback would be determined in a few months.
“I’m not one to vote for myself,” Frye said. “Whoever wins the MAC Championship has the best quarterback.”
Frye isn’t the typical dropback passer, even though he’s third in the nation with 2,116 passing yards.
He also takes care of the little things.
Frye executes play action fakes, looks off defenders and will run out of the pocket if needed, all overlooked qualities that make good players great.
“The main thing about me is the leadership role,” he said. “I’m a leader. I’m not a follower.”
Kent State junior quarterback Joshua Cribbs said Frye is the most accurate passer in the MAC.
Frye said his accuracy is his strongest attribute, as he’s completing 65.8 percent of his passes with 14 touchdowns.
Ben Roethlisberger, 6’ 5” 242-pounds, Miami, junior
Roethlisberger may be the one to grab Leftwich’s metaphorical torch this season.
He’s a classic pocket passer, one who uses his massive 6-foot 5-inch body to see over defenders.
“Most of these guys are a lot more mobile than I am,” he said. “They have the speed, but the one thing I have is the size. That helps me do some of the things that I do well.”
Frye said Roethlisberger has the best awareness and is the most accurate passer in the MAC. He has completed 69 percent of his passes for 1,913 yards.
Roethlisberger said every MAC QB has a legitimate shot of making an NFL roster.
“I think every team in the MAC has some pretty doggone good quarterbacks this year,” he said.
Bruce Gradkowski, 6’ 2” 204-pounds, Toledo, sophomore
Toledo is earning a reputation for producing efficient quarterbacks, but who is this guy?
Gradkowski is a multi-threat quarterback who can beat teams with his arm and feet. He ranks fourth in the MAC with 1,526 passing yards and has 181 rushing yards.
Gradkowski said he had a good mentor in ex-Toledo quarterback Brian Jones, who ranked third in the country last season in passing efficiency.
“I try to model myself more after Brian Jones and Tavares Bolden,” he said.
Gradkowski has thrown 14 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He said the depth at quarterback is helping the MAC gain recognition.
“There are some guys who really get the job done,” he said.
Josh Harris, 6’ 3” 225-pounds, Bowling Green, senior
Harris gives opposing defenses fits with his pass-rush attack. He has a linebacker’s body and running back speed. He can throw a football 75 yards.
“Harris is probably the quickest quarterback and he has a real strong arm,” Gradkowski said.
Harris has 1,660 passing yards and 205 rushing. He led Bowling Green to a 27-26 upset victory against No. 13 Purdue, and nearly beat then No. 3 Ohio State.
“You can’t stop him,” CMU coach Mike DeBord said before playing Harris two weeks ago. “The best defense is to keep him off the field.”
Frye said Harris is the most complete quarterback in the MAC because of his mobility and arm strength.
Stan Hill, 6’ 3” 210-pounds, Marshall, junior
Hill may have the most daunting task of any MAC quarterback because of what his predecessors, Leftwich and Chad Pennington, have accomplished.
“It (pressure) makes me actually do better,” Hill said. “I don’t look at it as fitting into (Leftwich’s) shoes.”
Before sustaining an injury earlier this season, Hill was making defenses look bad. In four games, Hill has 1,244 passing yards and 13 touchdowns. He is ranked third nationally with a 171.5 rating.
Josh Haldi, 6’2” 194-pounds, Northern Illinois, junior
So much focus is directed at stopping running back Michael Turner that the consistent play of Haldi can be overlooked — until now.
“I think we are held to a high standard,” Haldi said of the MAC quarterbacks. “The guys we have in our conference are going to play in the next level. You can just go down the list with all the great guys right now.”
Haldi has led the Huskies to wins against BCS teams Maryland, Alabama and Iowa State. He has thrown 11 touchdowns and three interceptions.
“I do anything to win. I’m not flashy,” he said. “I just care about winning.”
Last week against CMU Haldi dove toward the endzone only to be hit and suffer a concussion. The junior will return Saturday.
Haldi — who has 1,291 passing yards — said he is happy to be mentioned in the same breath with the other great MAC quarterbacks.
“I think the guys in the conference are just trying to win football games,” he said.
Joshua Cribbs, 6’ 0” 195-pounds, Kent State, junior
Cribbs can become the only player in Division I-A history to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.
“I think I’m capable of being the best quarterback in the MAC,” he said. “But right now I’m not.
“I’ve been working on becoming a more complete quarterback. Right now, I think I’m in the middle of the totem pole.”
He has 1,171 passing yards and 185 rushing.
Cribbs said quarterbacks who can throw and pass are the hot commodity in today’s football market.
“If you have a quarterback that can sit in the pocket and run, why wouldn’t you want that?” he said. “That’s like combining Emmitt Smith and Troy Aikman together.”
Ryan Schneider, 6’ 2” 230-pounds, Central Florida, senior
This was supposed to be Schneider’s breakout season, the year he challenged Daunte Culpepper’s career passing total.
But it’s been more of a nightmare.
The Golden Knights are 2-4 overall, including a shutout loss to Ohio last weekend. Although Schneider is completing 68 percent of his passes, he’s been troubled with inconsistency and injuries.
He has 1,183 passing yards, including nine interceptions and only eight touchdowns
| Player | School | Main Statistic |
|---|---|---|
| Frye | Akron | 2,116 yards |
| Roethlisberger | Miami | 1,913 yards |
| Gradkowski | Toledo | 14 TDs, 2 INTS |
| Harris | Bowling Green | 1,660 passing, 205 rushing |
| Hill | Marshall | 3 TDs, 171.5 rating |
| Haldi | Northern Illinois | 6 come from behind wins this season |
| Cribbs | Kent State | Chance to be first player to rush for and throw for 1,000 yards in three consecutive seasons |
| Schneider | UCF | 1,183 yards |
