Pac-12 preview: Our breakdown of the quarterback depth (because it’s not always about the starters)
The Hotline’s QBCQ takes the quality of the backups into account
The Pac-12 is entering its final season with possibly the best quarterback class in its history.
The conference is home to the reigning Heisman Trophy winner as well as three of the top nine betting favorites for the award in 2023.
In Pro Football Focus’ early look at NFL Draft prospects at each position, it has three of the top four quarterbacks.
It has five former five-star recruits, with two on the bench to begin the 2023 season due to the talent ahead of them.
However, quarterback play is more than just the quality of the starter, and the Hotline’s quarterback comfort quotient (QBCQ) considers depth. After all, the backup quarterback is the roster’s least important player until he becomes the most important.
The following ranking is based on a subjective assessment of each team’s ability to navigate the season given the quarterback room’s current options.
(Please note that not all backups are listed; only those we believe are relevant for 2023 are.)
Here we go…
- Washington Starter: Michael Penix Jr. Key backup: Dylan Morris Comment: The Huskies are one of the few teams in the country that has both an elite starter and a proven backup. Penix is a Heisman Trophy candidate, while Morris has 489 career attempts and 15 starts. Yes, his performance in the lead role in 2020-21 was uneven. However, we attribute this largely to the previous regime’s prehistoric offense. Morris projects as the conference’s top backup with the current coaching and playbook at his disposal.
