Bowl Championship Series - Shining on the BCS' eight leaders

Friday, December 13, 2002
Shining on the BCS' eight leaders
By Gary Danielson
Special to BCSfootball.com

Each week throughout the season, ABC college football analyst Gary Danielson broke down the top quarterbacks in the country. This week, he spotlights the eight quarterbacks in the four BCS bowl games.

Rose Bowl presented by AT&T

DREW BREES

School: Purdue
Year: Senior
Position: Quarterback
Ht/Wt: 6-1, 220
Hometown: Austin, Texas

Games	Comp-Att-Int	Yards	TD	Rush	Yards	TD
11	286-473-12	3393	24	91	546	5

Drew Brees gets to do something that all us Purdue quarterbacks wanted to do -- be the next guy to take Purdue to the Rose Bowl after Bob Griese did it in 1967, and there have been a lot of good ones. He gets the honor of bringing the Boilermakers back, and it couldn't go to a better guy.

Brees is committed and football is important to him. He is a good leader, he has good statistics, and his teammates enjoy playing with him. He wants Purdue fans to respect him as a football player as well as a student and citizen. You can see his personality doesn't differ much when he's off the football field.

It's his last game, and the next time we see him play serious football field will be in the NFL. He should be a high draft pick, probably in the 10-15 range.

MARQUES TUIASOSOPO

School: Washington
Year: Senior
Position: Quarterback
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 220
Hometown: Woodinville, Wash.

Games	Comp-Att-Int	Yards	TD	Rush	Yards	TD
11	170-323-11	2146	14	126	394	6

Everyone knows that Marques Tuiasosopo is one of my favorite players in college football. Five fourth-quarter comebacks says everything about him. He's probably the best blend of toughness, athletic ability, and throwing in college football. Taking a team that I don't think is vintage Washington yet -- although 10-1 and a Rose Bowl appearance harkens back to the Don James era -- to the places he has this season is tremendous.

He is playing for a coach who did not recruit him because he thought he was a defensive back and not a quarterback, but Rick Neuheisel has become a convert like the rest of us. Tui and Drew Brees are the best at coming down the field and beating you at the end of the game.

He will be very difficult for Purdue to handle. The only quarterbacks similar to him that Purdue has faced this season are Indiana's Antwaan Randle El and Northwestern's Zak Kustok, but neither of them are as tough physically as Tuiasosopo.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

JONATHAN SMITH

School: Oregon State
Year: Junior
Position: Quarterback
Ht/Wt: 5-10, 194
Hometown: Glendora, Calif.

Games	Comp-Att-Int	Yards	TD	Rush	Yards	TD
11	154-314-7	2468	18	54	-165	0

Jonathan Smith is a great story. He is one of those guys that scouts try to eliminate on one factor -- his height. He has everything else: strong arm, great vision, and a great feel for the game. One of the dangerous things you can do as a recruit or scout is eliminate a player solely on one factor, rather than his overall makeup. Smith is proof of that.

Forced to walk-on, the Beavers didn't want to play him, but every time he came in last year, he lit it up, and coach Dennis Erickson recognized the talent that fits his offense tremendously. He has a strong arm and he is almost Flutie-like in the type of throws he makes in the game.

MATT LoVECCHIO

School: Notre Dame
Year: Freshman
Position: Quarterback
Ht/Wt: 6-3, 200
Hometown: Franklin Lakes, N.J.

Games	Comp-Att-Int	Yards	TD	Rush	Yards	TD
8	73-125-1	980	11	72	300	2

It is hard to believe a freshman quarterback could be the perfect player in a low-turnover, high-risk offense. Notre Dame's NCAA record-tying eight turnovers is an amazing statistic for an option team with a true freshman quarterback.

I suspect that Matt will continue to improve, and that he'll be a serious Heisman candidate by his junior year. His passing should improve as the coaches gain more confidence in him and he becomes more comfortable as a leader.

Turnovers are the key in this game. LoVecchio is going to have to produce some big plays as Oregon State is going to score. When he is forced to do that, he may be stretched a little bit out of his comfort zone.

Nokia Sugar Bowl

REX GROSSMAN

School: Florida
Year: Freshman
Position: Quarterback
Ht/Wt: 6-1, 216
Hometown: Bloomington, Ind.

Games	Comp-Att-Int	Yards	TD	Rush	Yards	TD
11	131-216-7	1866	21	27	-76	0

Steve Spurrier may be tough to play for, but many of the top high school quarterbacks want to go to Florida and run his quarterback-friendly offense. Spurrier ignores all that stuff and chooses the player that best fits his system. Rex has that blend of cockiness, confidence and a quick arm that Steve has become intrigued with.

There is no way going into spring ball that Steve had any idea that Rex would be his quarterback. He grew on him all year, and now he has the confidence in his team, that when he is throwing the ball on time, he is as good as anyone in college football at hitting receivers in their break.

You have to disrupt his timing. You have to move him out of the pocket. He does not throw well on the run.

KEN DORSEY

School: Miami
Year: Sophomore
Position: Quarterback
Ht/Wt: 6-5, 195
Hometown: Orinda, Calif.

Games	Comp-Att-Int	Yards	TD	Rush	Yards	TD
11	188-322-5	2737	25	16	-23	1

Watching Ken's film from before the Florida State game and after the Florida State game is like watching two different quarterbacks. It jumps at you so much it's hard to believe. It shows all young athletes in any sport, but specifically quarterbacks, what self-confidence means to your position and your ability to perform.

Ken does not make mistakes, but he has not been put in position to make a lot of mistakes. Miami got up early on Florida State, and hung on. He led a great last drive on FSU when the 'Noles made a tactical error and gave him a lot of underneath throws. He's charmed in having Santana Moss and Reggie Wayne, the best 1-2 receiver punch in a long time.

It will be interesting to see if Florida, with better athletes than Miami has faced in a long time, will try to pressure Dorsey into mistakes. So far, no one has been able to do it.

FedEx Orange Bowl

JOSH HEUPEL

School: Oklahoma
Year: Senior
Position: Quarterback
Ht/Wt: 6-2, 210
Hometown: Aberdeen, S.D.

Games	Comp-Att-Int	Yards	TD	Rush	Yards	TD
12	280-433-14	3392	20	70	144	7

Josh is going to break out in this game. He has been able to rest his body after taking a lot of hits. While he kept saying he was fine, he took a pounding this season. He's not a muscular guy; he has a slight frame, and he got worn out as the season went on. Toward the end of the year, the weather conditions affected his game also.

He will likely have to throw the ball 40 times and you will see him throw for 300-400 yards.

Florida State can't afford to blitz him and give him easy throws. And Josh can't lob the ball over the middle against this defense.

CHRIS WEINKE

School: Florida State
Year: Senior
Position: Quarterback
Ht/Wt: 6-5, 228
Hometown: St. Paul, Minn.

Games	Comp-Att-Int	Yards	TD	Rush	Yards	TD
12	266-431-11	4167	33	30	-97	1

The Heisman winner is going to be without his comfort blanket. Marvin Minnis is the one guy on Florida State's receiving corps who could stretch the defense. The Seminoles' receivers are very athletic, gifted, acrobatic, and tough, but they don't have the speed that Minnis did to make the big-play catch. It will affect Chris' game and I suspect he will start out slow, missing his favorite receiver.

Weinke is going to be surprised that Oklahoma's front four and two linebackers will put pressure on him. Chris needs his offensive line to play one of its best games, and I suspect they will. If the Sooners don't get to Weinke and get him throwing off his back foot, he will carve them up like he does most teams.

Gary Danielson will call the Nokia Sugar Bowl with Brent Musburger and Jack Arute and is a regular contributor for BCSfootball.com.

ALSO SEE

Danielson: Weinke should be the next Heisman winner

Danielson: It's Heupel's to win or lose

Danielson: Weinke facing age discrimination

Danielson: Wait to cast your vote

Danielson: Washington's courageous leader

Danielson: And then there were three

Danielson: Championships start from behind center

Danielson: The player vs. the system

Danielson: Cool Brees following Dayne's pattern

Danielson: Top quarterbacks beginning to emerge

Danielson: Dantzler setting the ACC on fire

Danielson: Purdue takes the ball out of Brees' hands

Danielson: Crouch looks golden

Danielson: Vick beginning to resemble a certain Tiger

Danielson: Year of the QB

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