Texas Tech Football: Top 10 Red Raiders quarterbacks of all time

Oct 10, 2015; Lubbock, TX, USA; A Texas Tech Red Raiders football sits on the field before the game with the Iowa State Cyclones at Jones AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Ranking the Top 10 Texas Tech football quarterbacks of all time, not an easy task to do.

There is no more important position in sports than that of quarterback. No other player has more responsibility to his team than does the man taking the snaps. Plus there is more pressure on quarterbacks than there is on anyone else in the world of athletics.

Only quarterbacks (and head coaches) are judged by their team’s record. No one looks back at the career of a safety or left tackle and cites the record of his team as proof of his effectiveness.

Quarterbacks are held to a higher standard than their teammates, which is illogical because of the complexity of the position. Usually, society makes excuses for those who have the most difficult task but in football the quarterback has to be the master of every aspect of the game and there is no room for excuses.

Being a solid signal-caller requires more of a player than just athleticism. While at the lower levels of football, the best athlete on the team can be an dominant quarterback because no other player on the field can match his physical abilities, once that player faces equal competition his athleticism is not going to be enough for success.

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A quarterback must be the most mentally prepared member of the team. A running back must know where to hit the hole and how to recognize a blitz to pick up. A wide receiver must know his assigned route and how to read the defensive coverage. Offensive linemen must be able to diagnose what defensive front they see and adjust their blocking scheme accordingly.

But a quarterback must know all of these aspects of the game better than anyone else on the field. It is the responsibility of the quarterback to know what everyone on his team is supposed to do and what everyone on the defense is likely to do.

This is why truly great quarterbacks are so valuable yet difficult to find. Fortunately for Texas Tech fans, there have been a number of excellent quarterbacks to come through the program.

The next time you watch a football game between two teams with awful quarterback play, think about the following list of the 10 best Texas Tech quarterbacks of all time and be thankful that Texas Tech has rarely struggled to find fantastic quarterbacks to lead its team.

Next: No. 10 Sonny Cumbie