August 6, 2007

Olin Buchanan
Rivals.com College Football

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Insurance policies often aren't fully appreciated until they are needed.

The same goes for backup quarterbacks - the State Farm for State U.

The value of a capable backup passer cannot be under stated or overemphasized. At quarterback, more than any other position, depth can prevent a team from going off the deep end if the ever-present threat of injury becomes reality.

For example, this time a year ago Riley Skinner was an obscure redshirt freshman backup to Wake Forest starting quarterback Ben Mauk. After Mauk was injured, Skinner became a celebrated all-conference quarterback who guided the Demon Deacons to their first ACC title in 36 years.

Of course, Skinner's example is extreme. In many instances, the backup is only thrust into the starting lineup for a game or two. Sometimes he's just needed to finish a game. Other times, he might only be needed for a few plays or for a change of pace.

But no matter what the situation, it's always important to have insurance in case of emergency.

Here is a look at our top backup quarterbacks for 2007:

Rivals.com Top 10 Backup Quarterbacks
1. Hunter Cantwell, Louisville, Jr.
Filling in when starter Brian Brohm was injured, Cantwell has gone 3-1 in four career starts. The loss came against Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl in his freshman year. Cantwell entered last year's game against Miami in the third quarter and immediately completed a 45-yard pass. In that 31-7 victory he completed three of four passes for 113 yards and a touchdown. He threw four touchdown passes while directing victories over Kansas State and Middle Tennessee. In his career, Cantwell has completed 58.7 percent of his attempts for 1,340 yards and 10 touchdowns.
2. Jarrett Brown, West Virginia, So.
Brown did a nifty impression of starter Pat White in a 41-39 triple-overtime victory over Rutgers. With the injured White sidelined, the strong-armed Brown operated the spread offense smoothly. He passed for 244 yards and ran 40 yards for a touchdown while posting 317 yards of total offense. Brown completed 59.6 percent of his passes for 384 yards and two touchdowns last season. He also rushed for 176 yards and three scores.
3. Zac Robinson, Oklahoma State, So.
As a redshirt freshman he appeared in six games, passing for 345 yards and three touchdowns. Like starter Bobby Reid, Robinson is a gifted runner. Because their skills are similar, the game plan doesn't have to change when Robinson plays. Filling in for the injured Reid, Robinson threw three touchdowns in a 34-33 loss to Texas A&M. He also passed for 149 yards against Oklahoma and led the Cowboys to the OU 25-yard line on a late drive that came up short.
4. Patrick Cowan, UCLA, Jr.
Last season Cowan was thrust into the starting lineup when starter Ben Olson sustained a knee injury in the first quarter against Arizona. Cowan threw two touchdown passes to lead the Bruins to a victory in that game, and was the starter for the remainder of the season. He passed for more than 200 yards three times and threw for 329 against Cal. UCLA went only 3-5 with Cowan as the starter. However, one of those victories was over USC.
5. Jonathan Crompton, Tennessee, So.
A former four-star prospect, Crompton proved himself a capable backup for Erik Ainge. He could be the Volunteers' quarterback of the future after turning in admirable showings against two of the SEC's better defenses last season. He replaced the limping Ainge, who was hobbled with a sprained ankle, in the second quarter against LSU. Crompton threw for 183 yards and two touchdowns, including a 54-yard toss that provided a brief fourth-quarter lead. Crompton started the next week against Arkansas and passed for 174 yards and two touchdowns. He completed the season with 401 yards passing and four touchdowns.
6. Allan Evridge, Wisconsin, Jr.
Evridge is not the average backup. He started at Kansas State and then transferred after Ron Prince succeeded Bill Snyder as coach. He sat out the 2006 season per NCAA transfer rules and still has two years of eligibility remaining. He proved himself in 2005 when he started six games for the Wildcats. Evridge set a couple of school freshman records, including six touchdown passes in a game. He also threw for 1,365 yards on the season and rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns against Nebraska. He passed for 357 yards against Texas A&M, which remains the ninth-best single-game passing total in Kansas State history.
7. Brady Leaf, Oregon, Sr.
Leaf gives the Ducks an experienced backup to Dennis Dixon, and Leaf has often played very well when pressed into duty. Last season he made his first career start in the regular season finale against rival Oregon State and threw for 274 yards and a touchdown. In his career he has completed 56.5 percent of his passes for 1,384 yards and nine touchdowns. His best performances have come against Washington State (361 yards, three touchdowns) - where his older brother, Ryan, played.
8. Mark Sanchez, Southern California, So.
Ranked by Rivals.com as a five-star prospect and the No. 1 pro-style quarterback in 2005, Sanchez has the strongest arm of any USC quarterback since Carson Palmer. Though his playing time has been limited ? he completed only three of seven passes for 63 yards last season ? he has learned from Matt Leinart and John David Booty. Sanchez performed very well in the spring of 2006 when Booty was injured.
9. Joe Cox, Georgia, So.
Sometimes a backup comes in to save the day. Cox did that on Sept. 23, 2006. Georgia trailed Colorado 13-0 and was on the brink of a shocking upset. Cox came off the bench in the fourth quarter to throw two touchdown passes ? the second with just 46 seconds remaining ? lifting the Bulldogs to a 14-13 victory. Cox completed 10 of 13 passes for 154 yards in that relief role. Later Matthew Stafford was established as the starting quarterback, but Cox proved he can come to the rescue if needed.
10. Tommy Grady, Utah, Sr.
A former understudy to Jason White at Oklahoma, Grady transferred to Utah in 2005 and is firmly entrenched as the backup to Brian Johnson. Last season he completed almost 68 percent of his attempts for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
Rivals five: Still up for grabs
Here's a look at teams that could have good backup quarterbacks, but there remains intense competition for the starting job.
1. Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee, Florida State
Weatherford or Lee? Lee or Weatherford? Over the last two years that has been debated more than any political issues in Tallahassee. The debate continues into August (and perhaps all season). With a new offensive coordinator (Jimbo Fisher), neither has an inside edge to be No. 1. Weatherford is 14-9 as a starter. Lee is 1-2. Weatherford has thrown 30 touchdown passes, but 29 interceptions. Lee has 10 touchdown passes with six interceptions.
2. Kyle Wright and Kirby Freeman, Miami
An impressive sophomore season in 2005 seemed to cement Wright as the Hurricanes' starter for the rest of his career. But Wright, who is 14-7 as a starter, suffered a broken thumb and missed the final four games last year. Freeman stepped in and was 2-2 as the starter, and led an upset of No. 18 Boston College. Freeman was named MVP of the MPC Computers Bowl after passing for 272 yards and two touchdowns and running for another in a 21-20 victory over Nevada.
3. Evan Sharpley and Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame
This may be the highest profile competition in the country. Sharpley, a junior, was Brady Quinn's backup but received limited playing time and threw just two passes. Clausen, a true freshman, was named the nation's No. 1 prospect by Rivals.com. But is he ready? If both falter, Demetrius Jones remains an option.
4. Sam Bradford and Keith Nichol, Oklahoma
The Sooners will go with either a redshirt freshman or a freshman, which is like getting behind the wheel of a Ferrari with a learner's permit. Bradford, the redshirt, was a three-star prospect in 2006. Nichol was a four-star prospect last year. Former junior college transfer Joey Halzle could get into the mix, but he's not as talented as the youngsters.
5. Seth Adams and Brent Schaeffer, Mississippi
A former walk-on, Adams earned a scholarship and the right to run the first team offense when he completed 16 of 20 passes with a touchdown in the spring game. He'll have to hold off Schaeffer in preseason camp, though. Schaeffer was painfully disappointing as a starter both in performance and in attitude. However, his immense athletic ability makes it difficult to completely exile him to the bench.

Olin Buchanan is the senior college football writer for Rivals.com. He can be reached at olin@rivals.com.