In 2023, Michigan illustrated that there is more than one way to win a national championship. It was built around a powerful rushing attack and strong defense. And while Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy showed enough on tape to be drafted 10th overall, he was rarely asked to “win” Michigan a game. However, one championship run does not alter the value of the quarterback position. In the new 12-team playoff landscape, having the best Big 10 quarterback returning in 2024 could make the difference in winning and losing a playoff game.
Best Big 10 Quarterbacks Returning For 2024
New Big 10 Quarterbacks Everywhere
The Big 10 is experiencing the complete opposite of what is happening in the Big 12 for 2024. The depth of returning starters at the quarterback position in the Big 12 is deep and talented. The 18-team Big 10 conference is experiencing major turnover at the quarterback position. Two-thirds of the teams in the Big 10 will have a new starting quarterback when week one of the 2024 season kicks off. Those teams include Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Rutgers, USC, Michigan State, Washington, Ohio State, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Oregon, and defending national champion Michigan. Even the ACC has more returning production at the quarterback position. So, who claims the top returning quarterback spot in the Big 10?
Third Best: Ethan Garbers – UCLA
UCLA is coming into the 2024 college football season with plenty of changes. It has a new head coach in former UCLA running back DeShaun Foster. The Bruins are also playing in a new conference with some major travel ahead of them. Some of their road games include trips to Hawaii, LSU, Penn State, and Rutgers. With all of the change swirling around the program, UCLA does have solid quarterback play returning in Ethan Garbers. While he appeared in 11 games last season, he only started six games after splitting time with Dante Moore. Moore transferred to Oregon, and Garbers is locked in as the starter. His 2023 numbers included a completion percentage of 67.1%, 1,136 passing yards, 11 touchdowns, and only three interceptions. Garbers, and the entire Bruins offense, will need to elevate their play if they hope for a successful debut Big 10 season.
Second Best: Hudson Card – Purdue
It was a rough first season for head coach Ryan Walters. The Boilermakers went 4-8 in Walter’s debut season, after winning eight and nine games in the previous two seasons. But it was not for a lack of trying to throw the ball around the yard by quarterback Hudson Card. Card, who transferred from Texas, had some slight inefficiency issues running offensive coordinator Graham Harrell’s offense. He only had a completion percentage of 58.9%, but he did throw the ball 365 times in 2023. He finished the season with 15 passing touchdowns but also had eight interceptions. Card was a capable rusher as well with 93 rushes for 203 yards and five touchdowns.
The Best Big 10 Quarterback: Drew Allar – Penn State
Returning or new, the best Big 10 quarterback going into the 2024 season is Drew Allar. The Penn State junior is coming off a season in which he had a completion percentage of 59.9% on 389 attempts for 2,631 yards. He also had 25 passing touchdowns and only two interceptions. Allar added 74 rushes for 206 yards and four touchdowns. Head coach James Franklin had to be thrilled with how well Allar took care of the ball in his first season as the starter.
However, in typical Penn State fashion, he (and the team) struggled to make the big plays when it counted against Michigan and Ohio State. In those two games, Allar was a combined 28-for-65 passing (43.07%) for 262 yards and two touchdowns. He also only had 26 rushing yards on 17 carries. If Franklin and the Nittany Lions will break through in 2024, it will be determined by Allar’s ability to make plays in the biggest games.
