Inspired by Joe's post about Logan Thomas, I expounded on his first-year QB stats. However, I did mine a little differently and went with each QB's first year as the primary starter. The arbitrary number I set for this was starting 75 percent of the Hokies' games. Then, I grabbed the stats for every first-year starter under Frank Beamer.
This doesn't include Beamer's first starting quarterback in 1987, Erik Chapman, who started the previous season.
Abbreviations: Elig. - QB's year of eligibility that season; GP - Games Played; GS - Games Started; Cmp - Completions; Att - Attempts; Pct - Completion Percentage; Yds - Passing Yards; YPA - Yards Per Attempt; TD - Touchdown Passes; INT - Interceptions; API - Passing Attempts per Interception; Eff - Pass Efficiency.
| Year | QB | Elig | GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | YPA | TD | INT | API | Eff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Tyrod Taylor | So. | 12 | 10 | 99 | 173 | 57.2% | 1036 | 6.0 | 2 | 7 | 24.7 | 103.3 |
| 2006 | Sean Glennon | RSo. | 13 | 13 | 170 | 302 | 56.3% | 2191 | 7.3 | 11 | 11 | 27.5 | 122.0 |
| 2005 | Marcus Vick | RJr. | 13 | 13 | 177 | 289 | 61.2% | 2393 | 8.3 | 17 | 10 | 28.9 | 143.3 |
| 2002 | Bryan Randall | So. | 14 | 12 | 158 | 248 | 63.7% | 2134 | 8.6 | 12 | 11 | 22.5 | 143.1 |
| 2001 | Grant Noel | RJr. | 12 | 12 | 161 | 281 | 57.3% | 2905 | 10.3 | 17 | 11 | 25.5 | 156.3 |
| 1999 | Michael Vick | RFr. | 11 | 11 | 105 | 182 | 57.7% | 2065 | 11.3 | 13 | 5 | 36.4 | 171.1 |
| 1997 | Al Clark | RJr. | 11 | 11 | 119 | 209 | 56.9% | 1543 | 7.4 | 10 | 3 | 69.7 | 131.9 |
| 1995 | Jim Druckenmiller | RJr. | 12 | 12 | 169 | 326 | 51.8% | 2369 | 7.3 | 15 | 12 | 27.2 | 120.7 |
| 1992 | Maurice DeShazo | RSo. | 11 | 10 | 101 | 215 | 47.0% | 1504 | 7.0 | 12 | 11 | 19.5 | 113.9 |
| 1988 | Will Furrer | RFr. | 10 | 10 | 128 | 279 | 45.9% | 1384 | 5.0 | 6 | 16 | 17.4 | 83.2 |
| Total | 1387 | 2504 | 55.4% | 19524 | 7.8 | 115 | 97 | 25.8 | 128.3 |
Please tell me I'm not the only one whose jaw dropped at Grant Noel having the second-highest YPA and efficiency rating among first-year starters.
Comments
Mike Vick Efficiency 171.1
Is pretty good but not even in the top 25 nationally for a season, probably because of low number of attempts and completions. 11.3 ypa is also great. Averaged a first down per attempt. He did not do as well his 2nd year.
TT is the 2nd lowest. He got better over time. That is why CFB wanted the redshirt so bad.
Noel was blamed for Hokie losses but it wasn't all his fault. Fans were spoiled by MV's outrageous numbers.
The arbitrary number I set
What I found interesting was that even though you restricted starts to 3/4s of games for the season there aren't any glaring omissions of starters, at least since the Vick era began. Once Beamer picks are a starter he sticks with him.
Grant Noel lost any benefit of the doubt with me when he just fell in the end zone for a safety against Syracuse. I wasn't expecting him to be Vick, but he wasn't even serviceable. The coaches weren't ready to replace Vick in 2001.
Grant Noel
after seeing his numbers should shotgun a 12 pack and go thru downtown Blacksburg and say FU to everyone he comes across.
i will stand up and take my medicine.