Leading up to the 2023 college football season, The Floor Slap is previewing each position group in the Big Ten and ranking them 1-14. First up, the quarterbacks.
Ohio State quarterbacks have dominated the Big Ten for years. This season may be different, with the Buckeyes facing question marks at the position for seemingly the first time under Ryan Day.
In place of CJ Stroud, Michigan’s JJ McCarthy is the public’s choice of the best QB in the Big Ten. But Taulia Tagovailoa is right on his tail. If he can stay healthy for the entire season, he should put up gaudier numbers than McCarthy.
The Drew Allar hype train left the station back in January and might be heading to Penn State’s first CFP birth.
Question marks are abound after the top-five units. But there is also some exciting potential from transfer portal additions like Hudson Card and Jeff Sims.
Disclaimer: we aren’t ranking each team’s starting quarterback. We are evaluating position groups as a whole, so teams’ back up situations are also taken into account.
1) Maryland
Starter: Taulia Tagovailoa
Backup: Billy Edwards Jr
I might be in the minority, but I think Taulia is as good as any collegiate QB when healthy. His size and durability issues likely won’t allow him to find much NFL success, but Tagovailoa has all the tools you want out of a winning college quarterback.
Despite missing a game and being banged up for a stretch in late-October, Taulia was 2nd in the Big Ten in completion percentage and 3rd in pass yards. He was also top-5 in yards per attempt, pass efficiency, and total TDs. That was also with a largely ineffective run game and an offensive line that took the majority of the season to find its footing – both should be improved in 2023.
I’d still probably choose JJ McCarthy as the best QB in the conference, but Maryland takes the top spot because of who they have backing up their star. Billy Edwards was an under-the-radar QB prospect who originally enrolled at Wake Forest.
Edwards stepped up when needed last year, appearing in seven games and starting in one. He completed 61% of his passes and racked up 444 total yards & 4 total TDs. Tough to tackle and a good decision-maker, Billy Edwards Jr is one of the Big Ten’s best backup QBs. He can certainly hold the fort down and lead a formidable offense if Taulia is forced to miss some time.
Heading into 2023, the Maryland Terrapins have the most stable QB situation out of anyone in the Big Ten.
Grade: A
2) Michigan
Starter: JJ McCarthy
Backup: Jack Tuttle
JJ McCarthy is the preseason choice for 1st-team All-Big Ten and rightfully so. The upcoming junior was top-5 in the Big Ten in passing yards, passing TDs, total TDs, completion percentage, passing efficiency, and yards per attempt. McCarthy is also one of the nation’s toughest quarterbacks to sack, as he racked up 306 yards and 5 TDs on the ground last year.
Michigan lacks the receivers and play-style for McCarthy to put up Heisman numbers. Nonetheless, the Wolverines have one of college football’s most reliable quarterbacks under center. Their #2 ranking here is definitely not on his shoulders.
Michigan will have to rely on Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle as their primary backup. It’s usually nice to have a 6th-year quarterback as your backup, but Tuttle has yet to prove he can lead a competent offense. He has completed 57% of his passes at 5 yards per attempt over his career with more interceptions than touchdowns.
JJ McCarthy has proven to be a tough, durable quarterback. Playing behind one of the country’s best offensive lines should keep him clean and healthy throughout the season. So in the most likely scenario, Michigan will be as set as anyone at football’s most important position.
But the Wolverines could be in a world of hurt if McCarthy is forced to miss some time due to injury. Certainly in a worse position than Maryland would be in. That’s the reason behind Michigan’s #2 ranking here.
Grade: A-
3) Ohio State
Starter: Devin Brown or Kyle McCord
Backup: Devin Brown or Kyle McCord
Ryan Day has yet to name the Buckeyes’ next starting quarterback despite hoping to after the spring. McCord wasn’t able to secure the job despite Devin Brown missing the end of the spring – including the spring game.
McCord is the overwhelming favorite to win the job, but I think Devin Brown might have a slight leg up on McCord heading into the summer. Either way, this position battle is sure to take some time to figure out. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it bleed into the beginning of the regular season.
No matter who the starter ends up being, one thing is for sure: Ryan Day and this staff deserve the benefit of the doubt when it comes to quarterback performance. The Buckeyes have had at least a top-five quarterback in the country in each of the past five seasons. McCord & Brown were both top-5 quarterbacks in their respective classes and have all the physical tools necessary to win at college football’s highest level.
This tight battle also ensures that Ohio State will be set as far as their backup goes. Neither of these quarterbacks will transfer until at least the end of the season, so this offense should be fine even if an injury were to occur.
This level of uncertainty at quarterback is certainly an unfamiliar feeling for Buckeye fans. But Ryan Day has a proven track record of selecting and developing elite quarterbacks. It is almost certain that there will be a drop in production, but 2023 should be another strong year at quarterback for Ohio State.
Grade: B+
4) Penn State
Starter: Drew Allar
Backup: Beau Pribula
Drew Allar is already being discussed as a 1st-rounder in the 2025 NFL Draft despite not starting a single game yet. Allar has all the confidence in the world from his team & Penn State fans and for good reason – he was the #1 QB in the 2022 class and the 13th-highest ranked prospect in Penn State history.
Allar is 6’4″ 230lbs and has a quick release & a strong arm. I definitely believe the Nittany Lion aerial attack will be more potent in 2023 than it was under Sean Clifford. However, James Franklin and his staff haven’t given a ton of reason to think that Allar can reach the lofty expectations fans have for him in his first year as a starter.
Trace McSorley and Sean Clifford were beloved by fans for their grit, moxy, and scrambling ability. As much as they have meant to Penn State football over the past seven seasons, they never showed signs of major improvement and development during their time in school. Neither James Franklin nor offensive coordinator Mike Yurcic are proven quarterback whisperers. I have my doubts that they can help Drew Allar reach his full potential.
Penn State would also have to rely on redshirt-freshman Beau Pribula if Allar were to go down. Pribula could have a bright future ahead of him, but he was outside the top-25 quarterbacks in his class and hasn’t seen any collegiate game action yet. This offense would take a massive step back if he had to step up for an extended period of time.
Nonetheless, Drew Allar is one of the most exciting quarterback prospects in the entire country. If he is what fans hope he is, Penn State will be a legitimate national title contender in 2023. The Nittany Lions comfortably have one of the top-four quarterback situations in the Big Ten.
Grade: B+
5) Iowa
Starter: Cade McNamara
Backup: Deacon Hill
Surprisingly, the Iowa Hawkeyes have the most reliable quarterback situation in the Big Ten West heading into 2023. Cade McNamara had only 25 pass attempts last season as McCarthy’s backup. But he started all 14 games in 2021 for the Wolverines, completing 64% of his passes for over 2,500 yards and 15 TDs.
McNamara isn’t an elite athlete and won’t wow you with his arm strength. But he is a good decision-maker and has consistent intermediate accuracy – a far cry from what Iowa had at the position last season. The ceiling on a McNamara-led offense is not quite as high as some other quarterbacks in the West, but the floor is definitely higher than anyone else’s. The Hawkeyes are sure to have a more effective offense in 2023.
Deacon Hill is an interesting backup option. A 3-star quarterback in 2021 class, Hill originally enrolled at Wisconsin before transferring this past off-season. He’s a big quarterback with a cannon for an arm. A polished passer with exciting potential, Hill now has two years of experience under his belt and should be able to keep this offense afloat if called upon.
Iowa isn’t going to be dropping 40 ppg on anyone any time soon. But Cade McNamara gives Iowa a reliable answer at quarterback and assures this offense will take a big step forward in 2023. In a conference with a lot of turnover and uncertainty at the quarterback position, a reliable and proven starter is good enough for 5th.
Grade: B-
6) Purdue
Starter: Hudson Card
Backup: Bennett Meredith
Hudson Card had an impressive 2022 as Quinn Ewer’s backup. He kept the Longhorns alive against Alabama, completing 14 of 22 passes without a turnover. He had a QBR above 86 in his two starts against Texas Tech – an OT loss on the road – and West Virginia – a 38-20 thumping. In total, Card completed 69% of his passes for nearly 1,000 yards, 6 TDs, and only 1 INT.
Although a tad undersized, Hudson Card has demonstrated good composure in the pocket and an accurate arm – including nice touch on the deep ball. He was a top-5 dual-threat QB and top-100 prospect in the 2020 class for a reason.
Paired with the strategic son of Mike Leach in OC Graham Harrell, Card is perhaps the most underrated quarterback in the Big Ten. He could be in for a big 2023 season.
Behind Card is Arizona State transfer Bennett Meredith. A 3-star in the 2022 class, Meredith displayed impressive arm talent in high school. He fits the mold of the gun-slinging pocket passer that Purdue has relied on the past few seasons.
Meredith offers some promise for the future, but the Boilermaker offense would likely struggle to move the ball consistently if the redshirt freshman were call into duty. Nonetheless, Hudson Card is one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the entire Big Ten.
Grade: B-
7) Northwestern
Starter: Ben Bryant
Backup: Ryan Hilinski or Brendan Sullivan
Pat Fitzgerald landed a rare splash in the transfer portal in QB Ben Bryant out of Cincinnati. Be started the first 11 games for the Bearcats last year before he lost the rest of the season to injury. He completed 61% of his passes for over 2,700 yards, 21 TDs, and 7 INTs in 2022.
Bryant – a 3-star QB in 2018 – actually originally enrolled at Cincinnati before taking a one-year sabbatical in 2021. He went 7-6 at Eastern Michigan where he completed 68% of his passes for over 3,100 yards, 14 TDs, and 7 INTs.
Although not flashy, Ben Bryant offers a consistent arm, good decision-making, and plenty of experience (a far cry from the majority of quarterbacks in the muddied Big Ten West).
If Ben Bryant were to go down, Northwestern would still have a chance with either Hilinski or Sullivan backing him up. Although both struggled mightily throughout the ugly 2022 season for the Wildcats, the two young quarterbacks are both another year older and figure to take some steps forward.
Northwestern has a lot of question marks heading into the 2023 season. Luckily, they have one of the sturdiest quarterback situations in their division.
Grade: B-
8) Wisconsin
Starter: Tanner Mordecai
Backup: Braedyn Locke
The assumption was that Wisconsin’s big transfer addition at quarterback would quickly win the Badgers’ starting job. But Tanner Mordecai – SMU’s starting quarterback the past two seasons after three years on Oklahoma’s sideline – has yet to take a firm hold on the job. A shaky spring game performance where he threw four interceptions certainly didn’t do him any favors heading into the summer.
But Mordecai did lead impressive pass attacks with SMU, completing 66% of his passes for nearly 7,200 yards, 72 TDs, and 22 INTs. It may just take some time for things to click in a new environment.
Redshirt freshman Braedyn Locke is one of my under-the-radar players to keep an eye on heading into 2023. He thoroughly outplayed Mordecai in the spring game and displayed decisiveness, good accuracy, and an ability to make plays outside the pocket. I think Mordecai starts the season, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Locke make an appearance if things get off to a rocky start.
It may take some time to develop the chemistry they need in a new system, but I think Wisconsin will ultimately play the quarterback that will give them the best chance to win. A competitive battle like this also breeds security in the case of injury.
Based on the spring game, the Badger quarterback room still has plenty of room for improvement. But they should be able to rely on more consistent play than they had in 2022.
Grade: C+
9) Nebraska
Starter: Jeff Sims
Backup: Heinrich Haarberg
Nebraska started off the spring with one of the deepest quarterback rooms in the entire country. But a slew of transfers later, the Huskers are left with a a new transfer quarterback and a litany of question marks behind him.
That being said, the new transfer quarterback is the experienced dual0-threat Jeff Sims from Georgia Tech. Although still a bit raw as a passer, Sims is an elite athlete, has a strong, and has plenty of experience running the option and RPO plays that will be relevant in Lincoln this season.
Sims’ success will likely depend on how his offensive much his offensive line can improve from last year. But the fact that Sims scared off so many quarterbacks by the spring – including last year’s starter Casey Thompson – should speak volumes about his performance so far.
Behind Sims is third-year quarterback Heinrich Haarberg. The Nebraska-native was a 3-star in the 2021 class. At 6’5″ and with elite speed, Haarberg has all the physical tools to be Nebraska’s future starter. But he is not battle tested and still has to prove that he can run this new offense.
Nebraska has a lot to clean up in 2023. But Jeff Sims has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the West – maybe even the entire Big Ten.
Grade: C+
10) Indiana
Starter: Tayven Jackson or Brendan Sorsby
Backup: Tayven Jackson or Brendan Sorsby
Indiana’s quarterback battle appears to be down to Brendan Sorsby and Tennesse transfer Tayven Jackson – both redshirt freshmen. Jackson – a 4-star and top-300 prospect in 2022 – is the heavy favorite to win the starting job. His athleticism, release, and maneuverability outside the pocket are giving Hoosier fans lots of optimism for the future.
But there’s a reason Tom Allen hasn’t named a starter yet and doesn’t plan to until August – Brendan Sorsby has been playing really well. He was a low 3-star recruit and hasn’t been discussed much in the off-season. But at 6’3″ 220 lbs, Sorsby can make all the throws that Jackson can.
Tom Allen has a close battle on his hands. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if both quarterbacks see significant play time in 2023. But as I mentioned with Wisconsin, a tough quarterback battle helps to forge quality depth. That is, until the loser of the battle transfers. But that’s not on the table for the 2023 season.
Indiana is going to struggle to get to a bowl game this season, but they will be able to learn on the quarterback as a relative position of strength.
Grade: C
11) Illinois
Starter: Luke Altmyer
Backup: John Paddock
Luke Altmyer was a highly-touted 4-star quarterback in the 2021 class who ultimately ended up choosing Ole Miss. His only real experience came in replacement of Matt Corral in the 2022 Sugar Bowl, going15-28 for 174 yards, 1 TD, and 2 INT in a 21-7 loss.
Despite that subpar performance, Altmyer offers a nice improvement at the quarterback position. He is a bit undersized and doesn’t have the biggest arm, but has also displayed elite accuracy and a nice tough on the deep ball. Altmyer isn’t necessarily a dual-threat quarterback, but he has no problem extending plays and making throws on the run. From a purely football standpoint, he reminds be a bit of Stetson Bennett.
Although a starter has yet to be named, the spring seemed to indicate that Altmyer would be the starter and Paddock would be the primary backup. Paddock transferred from Ball State after starting every game for them last year. He completed 60% of his passes for over 2,700 yards, 18 TDs, and 14 INTs. He’s not a starting-caliber quarterback for a winning team in the Big Ten, but he offers reliable experience behind a young quarterback.
I think Luke Altmyer still needs to develop a little more physically to become one of the better quarterbacks in the Big Ten, thus the low ranking. I think Tayven Jackson offers a higher ceiling in 2023. Nonetheless, Illinois can rely on better quarterback play this season than they had in 2022.
Grade: C
12) Minnesota
Starter: Athan Kaliakmanis
Backup: Cole Kramer
Athan Kaliakmanis has been tasked with replacing long-time starter Tanner Morgan. Gopher fans have a lot of optimism for their new starting quarterback.
Kaliakmanis – a 4-star prospect in the 2021 class – has a rapid release and an incredibly strong arm. He is certainly capable of pulling off some eye-popping throws. Kaliakmanis is also an above-average athlete and capable of making throws on the run and from different angles.
However, he still has to demonstrate better consistency with his accuracy and decision-making. Kaliakmanis had the opportunity to gain valuable experience last season while Morgan struggled with injury. But he only completed 54% of his passes for 946 yards, 3 TDs, and 4 INTs. Kaliakmanis offers a bright future and a higher ceiling than Tanner Morgan ever did, but he may be a year away from being an elite quarterback for the Gophers.
Cole Kramer – a 3-star quarterback from 2019 – is Kaliakmanis’ primary backup. He’s attempted only 13 passes in his career. It’s hard to evaluate his talent, but the ceiling of the Minnesota offense would certainly plummet if he needs to start games.
Minnesota has their eyes on their first Big Ten West title in 2023. But they’ll have to try to accomplish that without a ton of certainty around their quarterback.
Grade: C
13) Michigan State
Starter: Noah Kim
Backup: Katin Houser
Michigan State’s quarterback depth took a massive hit when Payton Thorne – the Spartan’s starter for the past two season – announced his departure this past spring. However, it seemed like Kim might’ve had a slight edge in the position battle after the spring game. That likely triggered the transfer.
Kim’s accuracy was a little inconsistent in the spring game, but he had the most impressive throws out of any quarterback. The 2020 3-star prospect seems to have won the confidence of his teammates and coaches. Despite being a first-time starter, Spartan fans are not expecting a drop in production this season. If anything, they are expecting Kim to be better.
Behind Kim will likely be true freshman Katin Houser – a 4-star and top-300 prospect. Needing to rely on a true freshman to win games is usually a scary proposition in college football. But Houser might be the most talented Michigan State quarterback since Connor Cook.
The Spartans’ quarterback situation is very similar to many other position groups: full of question marks. Noah Kim could definitely surprise some people this season and help improve Michigan State’s offense. But I the tough defenses on their schedule and lack of weapons at his disposal will likely make for a rough 2023.
Grade: C-
14) Rutgers
Starter: Gavin Wymsatt
Backup: Evan Simon
Simply put, Rutgers quarterback play was atrocious last season. In total Rutgers quarterbacks completed 51% of their passes for 154 yards per game and more interceptions than touchdowns. Unfortunately, Schiano wasn’t able to add any new blood to invigorate this competition.
Scarlet Knight fans hope this is the year Gavin Wymsatt finally breaks through. And if he’s ever going to do it, this has to be the year. Wymsatt was a 4-star quarterback in the 2021 class thanks to his tantalizing mobility and arm strength.
But the third-year quarterback has yet to show much improvement in his accuracy or ability to get through his reads. Greg Schiano is a good coach, but he’s never claimed to be a QB-guru. With a new offensive coordinator, I’m not convinced Wymsatt has all the tools necessary to take the next step forward and elevate this offense.
Evan Simon is likely to be Wymsatt’s backup to start the season. He was the most effective quarterback for Rutgers last season, completing a whopping 58% of his passes. There are worse backups to have in the Big Ten, but if Simon ends up playing that likely means Wymsatt still isn’t ready to be the starter. That would be bad news for Rutgers and their hopes of getting back to a bowl game.
Gavin Wymsatt could make Rutgers a scary team to play in 2023 if he becomes a more polished passer and decision-maker. But I don’t see that happening this year. Rutgers will likely have to endure another season of painful quarterback play.
Grade: D