Has a freshman QB ever led an undefeated regular season team?

[seaborneq]

After watching Jalen Hurts on Saturday it's obvious he is the key to them winning and scoring at a lights out pace. Has this ever been done before? The closest thing I can remember is Bernie Kosar, but he was a redshirt sophomore. Just an amazing feat in this day and age. Hurts must have been unstoppable in high school last year this time.

[jjgold]

Anyone on Oklahoma in the old days?

[clownpuncher]

Jameis Winston
2013

[jtoler]

Yes was gonna say Winston. He was a redshirt freshman.

[Sam Odom]

kid was playing HS last yr

[daneblazer]

Holieway for OU but I don't think he started every game

[seaborneq]

So it has not happened before. Anything in the olden days would be a redshirt freshman and why are the responses only Oklahoma based?

[seaborneq]

Jameis Winston
2013

Redshirt. Had a year of college scout team and college practice under his belt and an extra year of maturity. Great, but not exactly the same thing going on.

[jtoler]

Youre still not experienced as a redshirt. You didnt play. Jameis was 25-27 in his first game. He was better as a freshman than Hurts is. Hurts enrolled at Bama in January, he's had quite a bit of practice also, Jameis was winning games with his arm, Hurts more of a game manager, moves the ball more with his legs and short passes and Id say has a better team around him.

[kingdom]

Not sure a freshman has been handed the keys to a lamborghini before either. think they were preseason no.1 and would have been with or without him.

[Sam Odom]

Youre still not experienced as a redshirt. You didnt play. Jameis was 25-27 in his first game. He was better as a freshman than Hurts is. Hurts enrolled at Bama in January, he's had quite a bit of practice also, Jameis was winning games with his arm, Hurts more of a game manager, moves the ball more with his legs and short passes and Id say has a better team around him.

Stay Focused on TRUE Freshman

[seaborneq]

Youre still not experienced as a redshirt. You didnt play. Jameis was 25-27 in his first game. He was better as a freshman than Hurts is. Hurts enrolled at Bama in January, he's had quite a bit of practice also, Jameis was winning games with his arm, Hurts more of a game manager, moves the ball more with his legs and short passes and Id say has a better team around him.

Wrong, wrong, and wrong. You have a chance to get stronger, more time to learn the plays, more practices against more talented players than in high school, a year of big boy strength training, coaching up, film study, nutrition etc. Contrary to popular belief redshirts don't sit on their asses and do nothing.

[seaborneq]

Not sure a freshman has been handed the keys to a lamborghini before either. think they were preseason no.1 and would have been with or without him.

There is a good reason that not only freshmen, but also average players are also not handed the keys to the lamborhini either. Too much bad can happen just trying to keep it in the road. That should tell you all you need to know right there. Hurts was handed the keys against USC on day 1 and hasn't looked back. Georgia has a high rated 5 star QB starting also, he was handed the keys to a Ferrari and its been in the garage awhile. That is usually what happens, not what Hurts is doing. Georgia's season has been over a while, but they are sticking with him and at home for the bowl game.

[jtoler]

I like UGA's qb alot, havent seen him play much but he has the tools imo. I think he's gonna be super. About Hurts, maybe, hard to tell, prob depend on which year you started counting actual college football. But he prob is the first true freshman.

[kingdom]

There is a good reason that not only freshmen, but also average players are also not handed the keys to the lamborhini either. Too much bad can happen just trying to keep it in the road. That should tell you all you need to know right there. Hurts was handed the keys against USC on day 1 and hasn't looked back. Georgia has a high rated 5 star QB starting also, he was handed the keys to a Ferrari and its been in the garage awhile. That is usually what happens, not what Hurts is doing. Georgia's season has been over a while, but they are sticking with him and at home for the bowl game.

Lol Eason will be a top5 draft pick.he is on a team who's coach was fired.not the defending champion no.1 rated team coming into season.switch teams and see what happens.bad comparison.

[seaborneq]

Lol Eason will be a top5 draft pick.he is on a team who's coach was fired.not the defending champion no.1 rated team coming into season.switch teams and see what happens.bad comparison.

Georgia was a 10 win team last year. Eason was handed to a team that wasn't defending champion but not a total rebuild either. Georgia is 7-5 in his true freshmen year playing in the weak EAST who won ONLY 3 games against the SEC WEST. So Hurts beat EVERY team in a divsion that dominated Eason's division by unthinkable measures on the scoreboard and Eason lost 5 more games. If Eason is a top 5 pick it will be like Stafford, based on potential only. Mel Kiper said Stafford would be the number ONE pick before he finished high school. That did not lead to one title or undefeated regular season for Georgia while he was there. Just give Hurts credit for doing something that has never been done before and leave it at that.

[kingdom]

he's ok. i can only assume u are a bama fan. he's an average game manager on a great college squad. only qb that can challenge them is browning. and all that "he" beat?? Alabama beat those teams. like i said, switch places and Eason is undefeated as well. Georgia has zero receivers that will be drafted, but two running backs. The team was given to the backs, and the gameplan is scaled down for the freshman. He lost the Tennessee game in a hail mary and the tech game in the last minute. vandy as well. the kid can't play defense lol.

[Chi_archie]

As a fresh Dan Marino took over after a Pitt loss and went 10-0 and won the national championship as a true freshman

[kingdom]

As a fresh Dan Marino took over after a Pitt loss and went 10-0 and won the national championship as a true freshman

Think he had Tony Dorsett on that team. but he still carried them.

[gojetsgomoxies]

Think he had Tony Dorsett on that team. but he still carried them.

dorsett drafted 1977.......... marino born 1961........... so they almost met........... a great great player for pitt in - i think - dan marino's day was hugh green, a defensive end from mississippi.

as per the debate and some attitude shown on here,

the title of the thread says "freshman" - nothing about "true" freshman.

just my opinion, but i do think spring enrollment is probably at least 50% of the way to "red shirt" experience.

a true freshman who shows up for first time at august practice would be a little different

[Chi_archie]

Think he had Tony Dorsett on that team. but he still carried them.

i was born in 77 so I don't know any of this from first hand memory

Dorsett won Heisman in Pitt national championship in 1976 and won nfl Roy in 77

was 79 considered a national championship for Pitt though or am I making that up?

[Chi_archie]

Dorsett's Rookie of the year campaign is the "tricky" part of my favorite trivia question

in NFL, NBA, and MLB the ROY had the initals A.D. (Anthony Dorsett)

[homie1975]

Holieway for OU but I don't think he started every game

Good mention. He actually took over middle of game four in 85 season when Aikman hit his leg busted by miami. Holieway was a true freshman and led them to 7 or 8 straight wins and natl title over penn state that year

[seaborneq]

he's ok. i can only assume u are a bama fan. he's an average game manager on a great college squad. only qb that can challenge them is browning. and all that "he" beat?? Alabama beat those teams. like i said, switch places and Eason is undefeated as well. Georgia has zero receivers that will be drafted, but two running backs. The team was given to the backs, and the gameplan is scaled down for the freshman. He lost the Tennessee game in a hail mary and the tech game in the last minute. vandy as well. the kid can't play defense lol.

The Browning that was rag dolled against USC a few weeks ago at home? Or are you talking about Browning Nagle? The same USC that gave up 50+ to Bama on a neutral field that came in and shut Browning down and held them UNDER 20 points in Husky stadium. Yeah. You have a great point.

[kingdom]

i was born in 77 so I don't know any of this from first hand memory

Dorsett won Heisman in Pitt national championship in 1976 and won nfl Roy in 77

was 79 considered a national championship for Pitt though or am I making that up?

I'm confused because Dorsett was part of Pitt's last National Championship team. not sure if Pitt got awarded by some knockoff reward but marino's teams didn't win a major national championship...

[daneblazer]

Georgia was a 10 win team last year. Eason was handed to a team that wasn't defending champion but not a total rebuild either. Georgia is 7-5 in his true freshmen year playing in the weak EAST who won ONLY 3 games against the SEC WEST. So Hurts beat EVERY team in a divsion that dominated Eason's division by unthinkable measures on the scoreboard and Eason lost 5 more games. If Eason is a top 5 pick it will be like Stafford, based on potential only. Mel Kiper said Stafford would be the number ONE pick before he finished high school. That did not lead to one title or undefeated regular season for Georgia while he was there. Just give Hurts credit for doing something that has never been done before and leave it at that.

Georgia was the worst 10 win team in recent memory. Eason has no offensive line and no go to receivers...yet. His best receivers are also freshmen & sophomores including a TE who could be the next Jeremy Shockey/Gronk. UGA is just a super young team now at all the wrong places.

Hurts is surrounded by NFL draft picks. There may be 2 guys that get drafted from UGA this year and that's if Chubb leaves early. Georgias time should come soon... that said It's hard to argue that Hurts isn't a reason Alabama is winning. Usually teams win in spite of freshmen quarterbacks

And check the stats on East vs West. It's still fairly lop sided but the East made some ground up towards the end.

[seaborneq]

Georgia was the worst 10 win team in recent memory. Eason has no offensive line and no go to receivers...yet. His best receivers are also freshmen & sophomores including a TE who could be the next Jeremy Shockey/Gronk. UGA is just a super young team now at all the wrong places.

Hurts is surrounded by NFL draft picks. There may be 2 guys that get drafted from UGA this year and that's if Chubb leaves early. Georgias time should come soon... that said It's hard to argue that Hurts isn't a reason Alabama is winning. Usually teams win in spite of freshmen quarterbacks

And check the stats on East vs West. It's still fairly lop sided but the East made some ground up towards the end.

Really????

[daneblazer]

Really????

Yes, they were tough to watch last year. If they played in the SEC West they'd easily be the worst team.

...and yes...I can't think of many true freshman Qbs who came in and set the world on fire...can you?


There are some, but they're few and far between

[seaborneq]

Yes, they were tough to watch last year. If they played in the SEC West they'd easily be the worst team.

...and yes...I can't think of many true freshman Qbs who came in and set the world on fire...can you?


There are some, but they're few and far between

Maybe I'm missing something. You said teams are winning in spite of freshman quarterbacks. I have observed the opposite. Teams lose plenty of games and seasons because of freshman quarterbacks waiting for them to get better or serviceable. Normally freshman play the most when the season is lost and gone. Not many teams put all of their eggs in a freshman quarterbacks basket at the beginning and expect glowing results. Eason is what normally happens when you play a freshman qb. You win your fair share but you also lose games because they can't make the crucial plays they will make later in their careers. I would say the Eason/Georgia results are pretty common, and Georgia didn't start the season with him, they were hoping Lambert would be the guy. After that failed they lived and died with Eason. The Bulldogs are 1 game over .500. They should expect better next year because of his talent and experience. I would venture to say that was the feeling for the season once Eason took over. Next year will be our year, but we are going to take some lumps getting to next year. Georgia lost by 30 to Ole Miss early in the season. The season was over right there.

[daneblazer]

Maybe I'm missing something. You said teams are winning in spite of freshman quarterbacks. I have observed the opposite. Teams lose plenty of games and seasons because of freshman quarterbacks waiting for them to get better or serviceable. Normally freshman play the most when the season is lost and gone. Not many teams put all of their eggs in a freshman quarterbacks basket at the beginning and expect glowing results. Eason is what normally happens when you play a freshman qb. You win your fair share but you also lose games because they can't make the crucial plays they will make later in their careers. I would say the Eason/Georgia results are pretty common, and Georgia didn't start the season with him, they were hoping Lambert would be the guy. After that failed they lived and died with Eason. The Bulldogs are 1 game over .500. They should expect better next year because of his talent and experience. I would venture to say that was the feeling for the season once Eason took over. Next year will be our year, but we are going to take some lumps getting to next year. Georgia lost by 30 to Ole Miss early in the season. The season was over right there.

Ya you pretty much nailed what I was trying to say at least. Maybe its teams win despite freshmen Qb...it's been a long week

[seaborneq]

Hurts won the offensive player of the year. Wow. Undefeated regular season. SEC division and conference champs. Who has done this in any conference. The favorite to win the national championship by a large margin. We are watching something that has never been done and may never be done again. Yet all I here is ho hum and crickets.

[Sam Odom]

seaborneg

1. he is on Ala... most people hate Bama

2. he is black... still many racists

[grease lightnin]

If Hurts had these kind of results playing for virtually any other team, he'd be all you hear about in college sports media. But he plays for bama so it looks like business as usual.

[daneblazer]

...

[seaborneq]

seaborneg

1. he is on Ala... most people hate Bama

2. he is black... still many racists

Wow. I didn't want to go there, but.....................Both of those are true