All-Time Irish Football Team - Quarterback

[Irish Envy]

Okay, I've got an idea for something that could be a complete blast to do.

Basically, we're going to come up with an All-Time Notre Dame team as decided by the members of IrishEnvy, the true Notre Dame football experts! You can use this to stand up on a soapbox and lobby for votes. User logic, statistics, memories, whatever you've got to sway votes for your favorite.

If there is someone that is not on the list and should be, please feel free to drop a line in here and I'll add them to the poll. I will give the poll 60 days from today to complete and in 15 days, I'll move on to the next position until we finish the entire team!

Oh, and I forgot to mention... the winner will have a custom McFarlane Action Figure created and be raffled off to the members who choose to purchase a raffle ticket.

 

[punishment]

This is a very tough poll. Considering I've only been watching college football since the mid-80s, I would have to say Rick Mirer was the best I've seen in an ND uniform. But, from accounts of people who say Hornung play back in the day, they would say he was the best. I'm going to have to vote from what I've seen, and go with Mirer.

 

[jiggafini19]

I am also taking "Slick Rick". My favorite Irish QB of all time.

 

[punishment]

I just read my post. I promise to use periods next time. It was tought to read.

 

[Irish Envy]

I just read my post. I promise to use periods next time. It was tought to read.

LOL.

 

[irishnd31]

Since I am going by QBs I've seen and I'm going with my gut on this one. Since I'm going with my gut, I think of food. If I'm thinking of food, then I think Chinese. If I'm thinking Chinese, I think of General Tsaos Chicken. AND WHAT GOES BEST WITH GENERAL TSAOS CHICKEN YOU ASK????

RICE!!!!

 

[Pete]

do we just take their college careers into account

 

[Irish Envy]

do we just take their college careers into account

Yeah, I'm only worried about what they did while at Notre Dame.

 

[KMac151993]

Well I would say Kevin McDougal needs to be on that list...but my pick would go to Tony Rice...the guy was what they call a baller, he just made plays and won games.

 

[maison bleu]

Yeah, I'm only worried about what they did while at Notre Dame.

Well, I can't vote on that basis. I say pro careers matter. Notre Dame never had a better QB than Montana, even though he didn't realize his true greatness until he got to the Niners. By the same logic, Brady is easily the greatest QB in Michigan history, even though he wasn't the undisputed starter until several games into his senior year.

 

[tgolden]

Um- I'm only old enough to remember from McDougal to Quinn. So I'm going with Quinn. And I figure Quinn's broken all the passing records as a junior even though I know that's in part b/c of the system and the fact that he started as a frosh. But I'm still going with him.

 

[punishment]

I can't believe only me and jiggafini voted for Mirer.

Come on people. Joe montana, while great in the pros, not quite so great in college. At least he did not have the success Mirer did.

If this poll had been for the greatest QB in both college and pros, then I would definitely go with Montana, and Theisman second. But we are only talking college performance here.

 

[Irish Envy]

I still haven't voted. I've done tons and tons of reading and I'm having a hard time not voting for one of the old school guys like Hornung and Lujack. If I go modern, it will definitely be Mirer or Rice.

 

[ACCIrish]

Hard one for me but i went with rice cause hes the only one in my lifetime with a nc but Im hopin that changes!!
GO IRISH!!!

 

[KMac151993]

How could you put Mirer over Rice? Can I vote again just so my boy K-Mac gets one vote?

 

[Irish Envy]

How could you put Mirer over Rice?

Well, to me, Rice was more of a RB than a QB. It would be unfair to compare them since Rice was an option QB and Mirer was a pocket passer.

If I'm not mistaken, he never completed more than 70 completions in any one season. Hell, I believe Mirer threw for more yards in one season that Rice may have his entire career.

 

[guff]

I'm going with Quinn because of what I believe he'll do this year - which will be better than last year.

Now stop and think about what better than last year means at least from a statistical stand point - comp % north of 65%, somewhere around 35 tds (with the extra game and three Service Academies he may approach 40), 3700+ yards and an att/int ratio of somewhere around 65 to 1.

Those are off the charts numbers but he still has to win. He has to be able to deliver in the clutch and I think he has shown that - Stanford, USC, and MSU. The last two of course are losses where Quinn wasn't the last QB with the ball. Unfortunately for him much of his legacy rests with the defense.

 

[punishment]

I can put Mirer over Rice easily.

Rice was a running back, who did handoffs, and just happened to be on a NC team. If not for the NC title that year, Rice would never be known. But I think that was more the talent around him than Rice himself. I think somebody else could have QBed that team and done well.

There is a reason why Mirer was the highest drafted of all the QBs on this poll. And, we are basing this poll on collegiate performance, and not NFL, right?

I can't vote for Quinn because this poll is taking place today. Not on expectations of next year. In that case, I'll change my vote to Jimmy Clausensince he is going to bring "four NCs" to south bend. heh heh

 

[Domer95]

What? No Carlyle Holiday?????

 

[Irish Envy]

What? No Carlyle Holiday?????

LOL. Would anyone really vote for him?

 

[KMac151993]

Well, to me, Rice was more of a RB than a QB. It would be unfair to compare them since Rice was an option QB and Mirer was a pocket passer.

If I'm not mistaken, he never completed more than 70 completions in any one season. Hell, I believe Mirer threw for more yards in one season that Rice may have his entire career.

That is a valid arguement but regardless I look at leadership and wins and "big wins" Rice was almost unbeatable as a collegiate QB and always came up big in the big games and never made the costly mistake....don't get me wrong, Mirer was a great QB but I would take Rice over Mirer any day of the week.......on another note I believe that Holiday could have been a GREAT QB in a Holtz style of offense (ie. another Tony Rice).

 

[shark83]

Went with Rice

 

[shark83]

ya'll know Rice was playing semi pro in Europe after he's world league days?

 

[irish4life99]

I have to go w/Brady Quinn. He's broken a lot of records and still has another year to go. He still could win a NC and a Heisman and be the best QB ND has had. So, I'm taking a leap of faith!

 

[Pete]

Kevin has the highest efficiency in ND history, lead the team to a 11-1 or a 12-1 record, and should have been co-national champs.

 

[Irishmist]

Guess it's up to an old timer to speak for the guys who created the ND mystique...
Johnny Lujack...statistics are not great according to today's standards. In his 2 full seasons as a starter he threw for 1500 yards and 15 TD's...but he also played defense and punted, and never lost a game. (17-0-1)...He played the entire game in the 0-0 tie with Army with a badly sprained ankle, and made the game saving open field tackle of Doc Blanchard . What a game that must have been...4 eventual Heisman winners...Blanchard, Davis, Lujack and Hart!!!!

Ralph Guglielmi....1952-53-54.....2670 yards.....18 TD's......Record ...25-3-2

Bertelli, Hornung, Hanratty.....so many great one's...my heart goes with Lujack, but for a pure QB my vote goes to Joe Theisman.

Total career offense (2 years as a starter) 5400 yards (1,000 rushing)...29 TD's...187
Average yards per game ...record 17-2-1

Single game high...512 yards against USC

 

[KMac151993]

Kevin has the highest efficiency in ND history, lead the team to a 11-1 or a 12-1 record, and should have been co-national champs.

I like how this guy thinks

 

[LuckoftheIrish86]

Hornung baby! The Golden Boy himself

Wins the Heisman on a team with a losing record!

That will never happen again

 

[nayers]

your all wrong...the GREATEST qb EVER is....Matt Lovechio (one and done)

 

[Indydomer]

whoever is putting in all the votes for montana is crazy. Definately not the best ever. Maybe if you put him in our current system, but back then it was different. Can't argue Brady's numbers, but don't forget about Lujack. He was badass.