51 Days
What's changed about college football?
The following quarterbacks have hit the 2,000 yards passing/1,000 yards rushing in a season. They are the only ones in history:
Cam Newton
Colin Kaepernick
Joe Webb
Dwight Dasher
Dan LeFevour
Vince Young
Brad Smith
Woodrow Dantzler
The more interesting fact? Dantzler was the first to do so, and Dantzler played in the year 2001.
From 2001-2010, eight players have accumulated enough yards through the ground and the air to make this list.
Three of them (Kaepernick, Webb, Smith) did it twice.
From 1890-2000? Zero players achieved this mark.
Obviously for a long time, seasons were shorter. Would Cam Newton have hit the mark only playing 10 games?
Possibly not.
Nonetheless, quarterbacks are lighting up the statistics with exciting dual threat ability the likes we have never seen.
For most (and for me), this makes the game more exciting.
A true leader on the offensive side of the ball. A crucial integral that steals the spotlight and leads the other 10 guys to victory.
While the statistics do become more individualized, they are still reliant on the other guys on the field.
It was exciting to watch Cam Newton because he could do it all. He could run. He could throw. And more importantly, he could be the general on the field. The receivers had to catch. The linemen had to block. The running backs had to open things up.
And the fans got to watch a star.
Seven out of the last ten seasons have featured a dual threat quarterback that was adept at both throwing and running.
We have no reason to not expect one this season.
I've got my eye on Denard Robinson at Michigan.
What about you?
51 Days.