Best/Worst College Football QB Transfers: A List Inspired by Former Texas Main Man Garrett Gilbert

By Steve Jansen Thu., Oct. 6 2011 at 4:01 PM

Garrett Gilbert will either shine or warm the bench at a program not named Texas

Obviously, Garrett Gilbert is no Colt McCoy.

Or Case McCoy. Or David Ash.

Earlier today, the Texas Longhorns announced that Gilbert -- who filled in admirably for the injured Colt McCoy during the Longhorns' loss in the 2010 BCS Championship game...and that's about it -- is leaving the program. Gilbert had season-ending shoulder surgery on September 20.

How will Gilbert perform with his to-be-determined team? Well, maybe he can look to this inventory of best/worst college football quarterback transfers for some guidance. (The list doesn't include junior-college acquisitions so folks like 2010 Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton are not, uh, eligible.)

Gilbert does have one thing going for him: His first name is not Zach.

Best QB Transfers:
4. Russell Wilson
Ditched North Carolina State for Wisconsin after Wolfpack skipper Tom O'Brien gave the senior the play-baseball-or-football ultimatum. Wilson is tearing it up in Madison, where the Badgers are a potential national championship contender.

All that and a basket of French fries, apparently.

3. Ryan Mallett
Texas High School (Texarkana) product ditched Michigan after coach Rich Rodriguez replaced Lloyd Carr. Mallett found his way to Arkansas, where he ~~drank the booze~~ led the Razorbacks to Liberty Bowl and (after Ohio State was forced to vacate its cheat-heavy conquest) Sugar Bowl victories. He's currently a back-up with the New England Patriots.

2. Jeff Hostetler
Todd Blackledge beat out Hostetler at Penn State so he transferred to West Virginia. While there, the future Super Bowl XXV-winning quarterback played himself into a third-round pick in the 1984 NFL Draft.

1. Troy Aikman
Good thing Aikman wasn't taxed with running Oklahoma's near-unstoppable wishbone offense. Instead, he developed into a more traditional dropback passer at UCLA and eventually won three Super Bowl rings with Dallas.

Honorable Mention: Nick Foles (Michigan State to Arizona); Colt Brennan (Colorado to Hawaii)

Tags:

College Football, Garrett Gilbert Transfer, Texas Longhorns

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bjohn18x

Mitch Mustain was the first one to come to mind in recent years, but it's hard to beat ex-Texas QB Jevan Snead as the poster boy for bad decisions after he transferred to Ole Miss. Colt McCoy barely beat out Snead for the open UT spot after Heisman Trophy winner Vince Young moved on to the NFL. Snead got little playing time behind McCoy, throwing just 49 passes in what appeared the start of a four-year career as McCoy's backup. Snead jumped to Ole Miss after the 2006 season and after sitting out a year was installed as the Rebels' No. 1 quarterback in 2008. His first season left draft experts with visions of Snead as a Top 10 draft prospect, but his stock declined after a spotty 2009. After two years in which he threw for nearly 5,400 yards with 46 touchdowns and 33 interceptions, he divided draft experts by announcing he was making himself available for the NFL draft instead of playing his final collegiate season. After his 2008 season, he had been mentioned with Oklahoma's Sam Bradford as a can't miss NFL quarterback. After 2009, he was barely mentioned at all. He was one of several Hogs to contract swine flu that season, and though it didnt appear to affect his game, it was indicative of things to come. His play was inconsistent and his reputation as a willing pupil waned. He left Ole Miss apparently expecting to go as a mid-round selection. He went undrafted signed with the Tampa Bay Bucs as a free agent. Snead was cut before camp. In Jan. 2001 he signed with the Tampa Bay Storm of the UFL but did not make the squad..

Robert

Troy Aikman was a traditional drop back passer at OU until he broke his leg. Barry Switzer switched back to the Wishbone and won a national title with Jamelle Holieway as the quarterback. With Holieway firmly established as the starter Aikman then transferred to UCLA.

Charles Kuffner

As a Rice fan, I can't accept a Best QB Transfers list that doesn't have Bert Emanuel on it. He was amazing.

Dconrow

You FAILED on the Worst QB transfer. WITHOUT question, the worst transfer did not even make your Honorable Mention list.NUMBER ONE: Mitch MustainMustain was the most highly decorated player in Arkansas High School History after being named the NATIONAL High School player of the year by Parade Magazine, was the Gatorade National Player of the year, and won the Hall Award (High School Heisman). He was the number one ranked recruit in the nation. As a freshman at Arkansas, he was 8-0 as a starter and led the Razorbacks to a year end ranking of #10. He had a much publicized "falling out" with then Head Coach Houston Nutt and when his former HS Coach and then Ark Off Co-Ordin. left for Tulsa, he transferred to Southern Cal.At USC, after sitting out a year, he was expected to take over for Mark Sanchez, but was bypassed for redshirt freshman Aaron Corp, and then true freshman Matt Barkley. He never rose above second team and spent most of his career at USC on the third team.In the spring of his senior year, Mustain was arrested on suspicion of selling prescription amphetamines after allegedly selling a substance he passed off as Adderall to an undercover officer