Ranking the 10 best small school college football QBs of all time
By Zach Bigalke
Ty Detmer had one of the most storied careers ever enjoyed by small school quarterbacks. The 1990 Heisman Trophy winner led BYU to three straight WAC championships between 1989 and 1991. He won the award with a junior campaign that saw Detmer throw for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns.
He didn’t land the full-time starting position until 1989, though he was the 1988 Freedom Bowl MVP after entering the game in the second half. Over his three-year span as the starter for the Cougars, Detmer went 28-9-2 as the leader of the BYU offense. Though he never led the Cougars to a national championship like his predecessor Robbie Bosco, Detmer helped keep BYU on the map with his passing exploits and his Heisman victory.
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Detmer finished third in the 1991 Heisman race, failing to repeat. He was eventually drafted in the ninth round of the 1992 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. Unlike fellow BYU quarterbacks Jim McMahon and Steve Young, Detmer spent 14 years as a journeyman in the NFL. He retired in 2005 having played in just 54 professional games over his career, with 34 touchdowns and 35 interceptions.