Iowa Football: Top 10 Quarterbacks of All Time
By Dylan Burn
No. 1 – Chuck Long
You all probably could’ve guessed it, but Chuck Long is our number one quarterback in our top 10. Long quarterbacked the Hawkeyes from 1982-85. He had a winning record in each of the four seasons he was the starter and led Iowa to a 2-2 bowl record over those four years.
His final two years as a Hawkeye were undoubtedly his best, but 1985 really stands out. That was the year Long was the Big Ten Player of the year, a consensus All-American, won the Davey O’Brien Award, and the Maxwell Award. We know that the O’Brien Award goes to the nations top quarterback from our number two quarterback, Brad Banks, but the Maxwell Award goes to the best all around college football player.
Long, like Banks, finished second in the Heisman voting. Long lost that year to no other than Auburn’s own, Bo Jackson, who received 43 more votes than Long did.
Long’s awards and honors page on college football reference is almost too cluttered to understand. He finished 1985 first in the Big Ten in passing touchdowns and total touchdowns. For his career, Long leads the Big Ten completing almost 65% of his passes, which tops Chuck Hartlieb. In 1983 and 84 he led the Big Ten in passer efficiency rating and was first in the NCAA in that category in ’84.
His second place finish in the Heisman voting in 1985 wasn’t his only appearance. In ’84 Long received votes and finished 7th in the voting.
Iowa fans will argue with you tooth and nail about how Long and Banks were both screwed out of Heisman trophies and some of them may be right.
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Banks lost to Carson Palmer, who was a lot better known than Banks was, and Long lost to Bo Jackson, who is arguably the greatest athlete of all time. Now, I know that wasn’t taken into account when the voting took place, but Auburn just wasn’t very good that year. They finished 8-4 and .500 in the SEC. Long led Iowa to a 10-2 record and an appearance in the Rose Bowl.
When his time as a Hawkeye came to an end, Long cemented himself as an all time great Hawkeye. He was selected 12th overall in the 1986 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions. Long’s pro career wasn’t exactly stellar, but Iowa fans will always remember what he did for the Hawkeyes in his four years in Iowa City.
There you have it, the top 10 quarterbacks in Iowa Football history.
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