College Football: Top 10 traditional option quarterbacks of all-time
6. Donovan McNabb, Syracuse
Donovan McNabb isn’t a quarterback that probably elicits memories of the option football game into your memory but before starring for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings McNabb was a double-option quarterback for the Orange in the Carrier Dome.
Paul Pasqualoni was one of only two head football coaches to offer McNabb a scholarship to play quarterback. The other was option aficionado Tom Osborne– the coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. McNabb signed with Syracuse and Scott Frost transferred from Stanford back home to Lincoln and both men made history. Frost won a share of the 1997 national title with the ‘Huskers while McNabb led the Orange to thirty-five wins over his career.
McNabb started at Syracuse for four seasons, throwing for 8,389 yards and seventy-seven touchdowns on only twenty-six interceptions. On the ground McNabb added another 1,561 yards rushing and nineteen touchdowns perfecting Syracuse’s freeze option attack.
Not just an option quarterback, McNabb also played basketball for the Orange for two seasons including a March Madness run in 1996. The three-time Big East Player of the Year’s college career was topped off with a 66-13 beatdown of the Miami Hurricanes in 1998. McNabb wrapped up his college career as a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
As a pro, McNabb was drafted No. 2 overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL from 1999-2011 throwing 234 touchdowns and playing in six Pro Bowls over his career.