Who Are the All-Time Best Three Washington State QBs?
The Washington State Cougars have been on the top of the mountain, and they have been at the bottom of the barrel. They have had powerhouse teams as well as being laughable losers. It’s hard to put together a college-level football program that can contend with the best in the NCAA year after year. There are so many positions constantly needing to be refilled after players graduate, transfer, get drafted, or just decide to stop playing football.
However, it seems as though Washington State is never in a great need for a QB. Somehow they always seem to find the right guy for the job. This got me to thinking about who really stood out amongst others to be considered the most valuable QB’s WSU has ever had. So here is a short list of three names. These are the three QB’s that did the most for WSU.
#3: JACK THOMPSON
The Throwin’ Samoan opened up the record book and threw his way into it. Although his NCAA record has since been broken, he once held the record for the most career passing yards (7,818). He also held the, at the time PAC-10, records for pass attempts, completions, and TD’s. Although his college career was impressive, ESPN has ranked him as the 26th biggest draft bust in NFL history. He was selected by the Bengals with the third overall pick in the 1979 draft. Despite having a pro career that fizzled out, what he did for WSU will always be remembered as amazing.
#2: DREW BLEDSOE
Anytime anyone mentions WSU football, his name will eventually be brought up. This strong-armed Walla Walla native led the 1992 team to a win in the Copper Bowl, and his performance in Pullman earned him the number-one overall pick in the 1993 draft. He had a very successful NFL career, winning Super Bowl XXXVI. He was also selected for the Pro Bowl four times, and really represented the pride of Cougar football throughout his time in the pros.
#1: RYAN LEAF
Just kidding. Really, you think I would list him as the #1 guy? His stats were amazing, but as we know all too well, his huge ego, low work ethic, and spoiled, childlike attitude doomed his NFL career as quickly as it began. Sorry Ryan, you didn’t make the cut, but MARK RYPIEN certainly does. Who didn’t love what Rypien did for the Cougars football legacy? He was the big dog on campus during his time at Washington State, delivered us one of the most memorable victories over the University of Washington, and he went on to the NFL to have a great career with the Washington Redskins. He walked away with a championship and MVP honors in the 1992 Super Bowl, defeating the Buffalo Bills 37-24.
So there you have it, the three quarterbacks who contributed the most to Washington State football. Love the list, or hate it?