College Football: Top 10 traditional option quarterbacks of all-time

1. Tommie Frazier, Nebraska

Another Heisman Trophy snub, Tommie Frazier is the greatest college football player of all-time and that makes him the top rated option quarterback. Frazier, a native of Bradenton, FL, went to Nebraska as no other program wanted him as a quarterback. He began his true freshman season in 1992 as the backup to Mike Grant but took over the starting job with the Huskers sitting at 4-2.

Once Frazier took over the rest became Nebraska history. The Huskers played for the national title in three consecutive years winning in 1994 and 1995. The 6-foot-2 Frazier was the MVP of three consecutive national title games.

During the 1994 season, Frazier’s career was almost cut short as he suffered through blood clots in his legs and played in only four games. Brooks Bollinger led the Huskers to a 12-0 record as Nebraska traveled to Miami for the 1995 Orange Bowl against the hometown Hurricanes. Frazier started the game, was removed after looking rusty, but came back in with seven minutes left in the game and guided the Huskers to a 24-17 victory over an exhausted Miami defense.

Healthy for the 1995 season, “Touchdown Tommie” totaled over 2,000 combined yards passing and rushing with thirty-four total touchdowns. Frazier was 33-3 as a starter while throwing for 3,521 yards and forty-three touchdowns with only eleven interceptions. The elusive Frazier added 1,955 yards on the ground with thirty-six touchdowns averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

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The greatest play in college football history was Tommie’s 1996 Fiesta Bowl scamper for a seventy-five yard touchdown against the Florida Gators defense that included over seven broken tackles on the play. Tommie Frazier’s legacy is cemented in college football lore.