For 10 hours Thursday, we'll unveil different parts of our "Year of the Quarterback" special section that ran in The News-Gazette. Here's the schedule

7 a.m. — Jeff George tops Illini's all-time list

8 a.m. — Rating them 1 through 120

9 a.m. — Juice WIlliams' last stand

10 a.m. — Bob Asmussen's awards

11 a.m. — Best moments

Noon — Ranking the Big Ten

1 p.m. — The AP voters speak

2 p.m. — Top 25 TV matchups

3 p.m. — Circle these dates

4 p.m. — Best of all-time

ASMUSSEN'S QB RANKINGS

1. Colt McCoy

Texas

Why he's here: He got our Heisman vote last year and is our front-runner going into this season. McCoy has completed a ridiculous 70 percent of his career passes. He holds Texas records for wins by a starter (32), yards (9,732) and touchdowns (85). With a year to go. He has 13 career records for the Longhorns and 42 overall. He isn't just a thrower, running for 1,223 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Nit to pick: Well, there was the loss to Texas Tech, not that he was on the field for the final play. Unlike Vince Young, McCoy doesn't have a national championship as part of his resume.

Circle the date: Oct. 17 vs. Oklahoma at Dallas.

Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis says: "The thing that makes Colt so great is the effect he has on all of his teammates. He leads his life in such a positive way, works so hard every day and is such a great role model that he energizes the team. He is just a great, great leader for our team."

Magic mirror says: You will win the Heisman that belonged to you last season and lead your team into the national title game. But beware of the opponent wearing the reptile on its helmets. That team has its own Heisman winner (see No. 3).

2. Sam Bradford

Oklahoma

Why he's here: The returning Heisman winner has thrown a stunning 86 touchdowns in two seasons, including 50 last season. Even better as far as the coaches are concerned, he's been intercepted 16 times. The nation's leader in passing efficiency last season helped his team to the national title game and wants a return trip. He's already in the top 25 nationally for career touchdown passes and can move to No. 1 with 49 scores this season.

Nit to pick: Not so hot in the national title-game loss to Florida, being intercepted twice. And he doesn't have as many offensive weapons this season.

Circle the date: Saturday vs. BYU in Dallas.

Oklahoma All-America defensive tackle Gerald McCoy says: "Sam won the Heisman, but you'd never know it from being around him. He's just Sam. Sam's a team guy all the way, and he doesn't want anyone to view him any differently than any other teammate. That's what makes him so great to me and that's one of the reasons we have such good team chemistry."

Magic mirror says: You will have another big season, setting the NCAA TD record. But you won't walk away with any hardware at the Heisman ceremony and you won't play for the national title. But you will be the first pick in next April's NFL draft.

3. Tim Tebow

Florida

Why he's here: It takes a long time to run through his list of awards, which includes the 2007 Heisman. No. 4 last season in passing efficiency. You can't beat his TD-to-INT ratio for 2008 (30:4) or for his career (67:11). And he's a winner, helping the 2006 and 2008 teams to national titles.

Nit to pick: Sure, he has 2,037 rushing yards and 43 rushing TDs – many of which could have gone to his tailbacks. Sorry, but his running is overrated.

Circle the date: Oct. 10 at LSU.

Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio says: "Well, obviously the way Tim was brought up and all the things that Tim has been involved with in his life with his dad and his family I think obviously speak to his character. I think ultimately as a leader and a leader of a football team, the leader of a family, the leader of an organization, I think it starts with character. And I think that Tim has been brought up in an environment where he has an appreciation for the bigger picture."

Magic mirror says: You will win your third national title in four years and be considered one of the all-time greatest at your position. But, partly because bowl games aren't considered, you won't win a second Heisman. That's OK, the guy who gets it will be on the losing end in the BCS title game.

4. Todd Reesing

Kansas

Why he's here: He finished 2008 like a guy who wants an invitation to the 2009 Heisman Trophy ceremony, throwing four touchdown passes against Missouri and another four in the Insight Bowl against Minnesota. He had 32 touchdowns overall against 13 interceptions. Kansas has won consecutive bowls with him in charge, including the 2008 Orange. He's a smart guy with an interesting personality who doesn't let his height (5-11) become a problem. Kansas has had better players (Gale Sayers), but nobody has had as great an impact on the left-hand column (wins).

Nit to pick: Interception total went up in 2008, indicating he might have been trying too hard. He can't force the ball into tight spots, even if he thinks it will work.

Circle the date: Nov. 21 at Texas.

Kansas coach Mark Mangino says: "He believes in himself, that he can make a play when there's not one. It kind of reflects his personality. Todd always thinks he can overcome."

Magic mirror says: You will enjoy a second 10-plus-win season, the Big 12 North title and another nice bowl trip (Cotton, perhaps). You also will move toward basketball player status on campus. Some smart NFL team won't worry about your height and will take you late in the draft. And you will make the team.

5. Case Keenum

Houston

Why he's here: The nation's total offense leader in 2008 wasn't McCoy, Tebow or Bradford. It was the sophomore from Houston. He had 5,241 yards and was the only player in Division I-A to average better than 400 yards. Despite losing Art Briles to Baylor, Keenum made sure the team didn't slip. And he helped Houston win its first bowl game (against Air Force in the Armed Forces Bowl) in 28 years.

Nit to pick: All four of his 400-yard games in 2008 came against Conference USA opponents. The league has talented teams and is improving overall, but some of the defenses aren't great. In the bowl game, he had his fewest yards all season, throwing for 252.

Circle the date: Sept. 12 at Oklahoma State.

Houston coach Kevin Sumlin says: "Case is a tremendous competitor and an even better leader. As good as he played last year, he believes he can do even better this season. That is what makes him such a good football player."

Magic mirror says: You again will lead the nation in total offense, and you will be the C-USA MVP. But your hopes for an invitation to the Heisman Trophy award show will end in early games against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. You will return for your senior season with a chance to move high up the NCAA career total offense list.

6. Jevan Snead

Mississippi

Why he's here: The Texas transfer is a huge reason Houston Nutt was able to quickly fix the mess left in Oxford by Ed Orgeron. After sitting out 2007, he found comfort on the mean streets of the SEC. Though not asked to pass as much as Bradford, Tebow and McCoy, he was efficient. Nobody else beat Florida. He was at his best in a six-game winning streak to close the season, including a three-TD performance in a stunning Cotton Bowl win against Texas Tech.

Nit to pick: You have to complete more than 56 percent of your passes if you want to be in the Heisman talk. And 13 interceptions were way too many. Cut that number in half, please.

Circle the date: Oct. 10 vs. Alabama.

Mississippi receiver Shay Hodge says: "Jevan always throws the ball where it needs to be. He just has a knack for putting the ball in the right spot. He will throw a bullet to your left shoulder when you have a defender on your right hip, and he'll throw it soft over your shoulder when you have a step on your defender. It's always a tight spiral and always catchable."

Magic mirror says: You will improve your completion percentage, your TD total (26) will climb and you will lead your team to the SEC West title. The fun will end in the SEC title game against Florida. The fun will resume in the bowl game and continue into the NFL draft.

7. Juice Williams

Illinois

Why he's here: He needs 426 yards to move into first on the school's career total offense list. Williams might hit that number in the opener against Missouri. He has a chance to become the Big Ten's career total offense leader. He holds the single-game total offense records at Champaign's Memorial Stadium, Ann Arbor's Michigan Stadium and St. Louis' Edward Jones Dome. He already has a signature win, beating then-No. 1 Ohio State in 2007.

Nit to pick: Way, way, way too many interceptions. He had 16 last season and 37 for his career, just seven fewer than his touchdown total. To get into serious trophy talk, he needs to cut the interception number in half and throw about 30 touchdown passes.

Circle the date: Sept. 26 at Ohio State.

Illinois running backs coach Reggie Mitchell says: "When we recruited him, basketball was making that great run to the Final Four. We tried to sell him on, 'You can be the Dee Brown for football. You can be the face of the program.' From that standpoint, everything we've told him has come true for him."

Magic mirror says: You will not only become your school's career total offense leader, you will put the number up so high that it may never be touched. You will finish your UI career in a bowl game, likely on New Year's Day. And your legacy will improve each year after you're gone.

8. Max Hall

BYU

Why he's here: No. 9 in total offense and No. 11 in passing efficiency last season while helping the Cougars to a 10-win season. Threw for 3,957 yards and 35 touchdowns. Welcomed Rick Neuheisel back to college football with a seven-touchdown effort in a 59-0 win against UCLA. Arizona State transfer bumped his completion percentage up toward McCoyland (69 percent).

Nit to pick: There were the five picks in the loss to Utah, which helped send the hated Utes to the Sugar Bowl (Alabama isn't happy with Hall, either). He also struggled in a blowout loss to TCU.

Circle the date: Oct. 24 vs. TCU.

BYU tight end Dennis Pitta says: "Max is a competitive guy who we look at to lead our offense and be a motivating factor. He's a guy we trust 100 percent to make plays. Last season after we lost those last two games against Utah and Arizona, a lot of the blame fell on Max's shoulders, which wasn't right. But he used that as motivation and worked really hard during the offseason and is now ready to lead us into this next season."

Magic mirror says: You will lead your team to the Mountain West title, knocking off TCU and Utah a year after they made you look bad. Even better, you will bounce back from a close opening loss to Oklahoma to help the Cougars beat Florida State at home. That game will go a long way in securing BYU a BCS berth.

9. Terrelle Pryor

Ohio State

Why he's here: One word, potential. Yeah, yeah, we know that means you haven't done it yet. But Pryor has shown enough positive signs to warrant a high spot among college quarterbacks. Sure, he struggled a time or two during his freshman season, which is normal. One might say human. He made mostly good decisions, throwing 12 touchdown passes and four interceptions. And he was smart enough to use his legs, running for 631 yards and six scores.

Nit to pick: Running against Youngstown State and Minnesota is OK. But it won't work often against Penn State, which Pryor and the Buckeyes found out in the home loss to the Nittany Lions.

Circle the date: Sept. 12 vs. USC.

Ohio State receiver Dane Sanzenbacher says: "He is talented in every facet of football – speedy, strong, he can run, he can pass, he maneuvers superbly. If you were designing a super football robot, it would look very similar to Terrelle."

Magic mirror says: You will win the Heisman Trophy ... in 2010. You will improve your completion percentage, and your touchdown totals will climb. Unfortunately, you will lose to the Trojans, which will cost your team a shot at the national title. But you will bounce back with a perfect 8-0 record in the Big Ten and earn a trip to the Rose Bowl.

10. Dan LeFevour

Central Michigan

Why he's here: It was a close call, but he stands 16th on the NCAA career total offense list. The former Benet Academy star beat teams with his arm (2,784 yards, 21 TDs) and his legs (592, six). And he missed two full games. LeFevour was even better in 2007, running for 1,122 and 19 touchdowns and throwing for 3,652 yards and 27 scores. Expect LeFevour to look more like the 2007 version.

Nit to pick: He missed two of the biggest games in 2008, wins against Indiana and Western Michigan. The bowl loss to Florida Atlantic, at nearby Detroit, wasn't good, either.

Circle the date: Sept. 12 at Mich. St.

Central Michigan coach Butch Jones says: "Dan is an individual who has a great foundation in his life. He has extremely high morals, integrity and character. He is not only a great role model in our program but also within our university and our community. Dan is extremely unselfish and humble, and he lives each day to its fullest."

Magic mirror says: You will move high up the NCAA chart for total offense, though you won't quite reach No. 1 Timmy Chang. After early struggles against a rugged nonconference schedule (at Arizona, at Michigan State), you will help your team dominate the MAC. And this time, you will be on the right end of a close bowl game.

11. Tim Hiller    Western Michigan
12. Robert Griffin    Baylor
13. Colin Kaepernick    Nevada
14. Jeremiah Masoli    Oregon
- "Masoli showed last year he can beat you with his legs, no more so than with his punishing rushing against Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl. If he can approach new UO coach Chip Kelly's goal of 70 percent pass completions, he could be a special player." - Rob Moseley, Eugene Register-Guard
15. Zac Robinson    Oklahoma St.
16. Daryll Clark    Penn State
17. Kellen Moore    Boise State
18. Russell Wilson    N.C. State
19. Adam Weber    Minnesota
20. Matt Grothe    South Florida

21. Trevor Vittatoe    UTEP
- "While his numbers have been eye-popping in his freshman and sophomore years, they don't show how tough he is. He finished his freshman year with an injured non-throwing shoulder that required postseason surgery, and last year he played all but the first two games with a broken bone in his foot that limited his mobility. Through all that, he has had great yardage and touchdown totals while taking care of the football." - Bret Bloomquist, El Paso Times
22. Rusty Smith    Florida Atlantic
23. Patrick Pinkney    East Carolina
24. Tony Pike    Cincinnati
25. Jimmy Clausen    Notre Dame
26. Tyrod Taylor    Virginia Tech
27. Omar Clayton    UNLV
28. Andy Dalton    TCU
29. Joe Webb    UAB
30. Austin Davis    Southern Miss

31. Matt Barkley    Southern Cal
32. Mike Kafka    Northwestern
33. Corey Leonard    Arkansas St.
n "Corey Leonard is perhaps the finest quarterback to ever wear an Arkansas State uniform. He already has his name in the school record book for several passing categories and should shatter several records this season, including career passing yardage (5,903) and passing touchdowns (40). ... Corey has all the tools any coach would want. He has good instincts, reads defenses well, makes good decisions, runs with good speed and can throw with accuracy downfield. Most importantly, he puts his team above himself. He's one of the most enjoyable players I've been fortunate enough to cover." - Matt Roberson, Jonesboro Sun
34. Riley Skinner    Wake Forest
35. Andy Schmitt    E. Michigan
36. Jarrett Brown    West Virginia
- "Fifth-year senior Jarrett Brown takes over as the Mountaineers' starting quarterback after sitting behind Patrick White for three years, and he brings a similar-but-different set of skills to the table. Brown is by far a more polished passer than White was and is more natural in the pocket. He's also deceptively fast for his size (6-foot-4, 223 pounds) and will also be a running threat for WVU. If his young offensive line can jell enough to keep him on his feet, Brown will have a breakout year." - Stefanie Loh, Morgantown Dominion Post
37. Lyle Moevao    Oregon State
38. Levi Brown    Troy
39. Jerrod Johnson    Texas A&M
40. Austen Arnaud    Iowa State

41. Jordan Jefferson    LSU
42. Christian Ponder    Florida St.
43. Tyler Sheehan    Bowl. Green
44. Ryan Lindley    San Diego St.
45. Joe Cox    Georgia
- "The guy (Joe Cox) who is taking over at Georgia for NFL No. 1 overall pick Matthew Stafford isn't eyeing a pro career. Cox wants to lead Georgia to an SEC title this year and then get into coaching as a graduate assistant. The fifth-year senior knows about waiting his turn. He backed up Chris Leak at Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C., before Leak helped lead Florida to a national title. Cox went 31-0 as a starter in high school and came off the bench to rally Georgia to a 14-13 win over Colorado in 2006." - Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald
46. Ricky Stanzi    Iowa
47. Thaddeus Lewis    Duke
48. Kevin Riley    California
49. Jake Locker    Washington
50. Jonathan Crompton    Tenn.

51. T.J. Yates    North Carolina
52. Jacory Harris    Miami
53. Taylor Potts    Texas Tech
- "The last five Texas Tech quarterbacks have put together a streak of seven straight seasons with at least 4,000 yards passing. Now, off the Mike Leach assembly line comes Taylor Potts, who's blessed with more size and a stronger arm than most of the others. But there are questions about the receivers and the offensive line around him." - Don Williams, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
54. Josh Nesbitt    Georgia Tech
55. Boo Jackson    Ohio
56. Zac Lee    Nebraska
57. Arkelon Hall    Memphis
- "Arkelon Hall, who joined the program last year from College of the Sequoias in California, won the starting job in 2008 and helped the Tigers to their fifth bowl in six years. An injured thumb forced him to miss two midseason games and he wasn't as effective down the stretch, but Hall has returned lighter (he shed 15 pounds to 225) and fitter and should be more effective leading the team's spread offense paced by 1,000-yard rusher Curtis Steele and receivers Duke Calhoun and Carlos Singleton." - Phil Stukenborg, Memphis Commercial Appeal
58. Paul McCall    Florida Int.
59. Ryan Mallett    Arkansas
60. Chandler Harnish    N. Illinois

61. Blaine Gabbert    Missouri
- "Missouri coaches expect Blaine Gabbert's arm strength to open a new dimension for the offense, giving the Tigers the ability to stretch the field vertically more often than they could have imagined with Chase Daniel at quarterback. Offensive coordinator David Yost has said Gabbert's arm strength is the second best of any college player they've ever seen in person on the recruiting trail, second only to Arkansas' Ryan Mallett. Even more promising for the offense has been Gabbert's decision-making and accuracy. He completed better than 72 percent of his passes in MU's three preseason scrimmages despite seeing his receivers struggle with drops early in camp." - Dave Matter, Columbia Daily Tribune
62. Tate Forcier    Michigan
63. Kirk Cousins    Michigan State
64. Bill Stull    Pitt
65. Joey Elliott    Purdue
66. Diondre Borel    Utah State
67. Scott Tolzien    Wisconsin
68. Chris Turner    Maryland
69. Cody Hawkins    Colorado
70. Kyle Parker    Clemson

71. Justin Burke    Louisville
72. Tim Jefferson    Air Force
73. Chris Jacquemain    Akron
- "Chris Jacquemain is going into his third season as a starter. Has thrown for 4,371 yards in his career, which is fourth on the school's all-time list. Has a strong arm and solid leadership skills. His downfall has been interceptions and bad decisions late in games." - Thomas Gaffney, Akron Beacon Journal
74. Aaron Opelt    Toledo
n "Key to the success of the Rockets this season will be keeping Aaron Opelt healthy. Entering his fourth year under center, Opelt has battled a multitude of injuries in his career, including a shoulder injury that forced him to miss much of the spring. While he doesn't get much love when mentioning the senior QBs in the MAC, Opelt has all the intangibles you want from your signal-caller." - Zach Silka, Toledo Blade
75. Jordan Wynn    Utah
76. Greg Alexander    Hawaii
77. Jameel Sewell    Virginia
78. G.J. Kinne    Tulsa
79. Matt Scott    Arizona
80. Ben Chappell    Indiana

81-90
81. Zach Frazer    UConn
82. Bo Levi Mitchell    SMU
83. Carson Coffman    Kansas St.
84. Daniel Raudabaugh    Miami (Oh.)
- "Daniel Raudabaugh, like all of Miami's offense, had a rough season in 2008. Miami ranked last in the MAC in passing efficiency, and he had only eight TD passes in 201 attempts in 11 games. In practice this year, however, Raudabaugh is looking more confident, making good decisions, his passes are more crisp, and he's showing an ability to run with the ball. He has withstood a very strong challenge from three highly regarded quarterbacks (a sophomore, Clay Belton, whose arm has been compared to that of Ben Roethlisberger, and who left the team a week ago when it became obvious he wasn't going to see much playing time), redshirt freshman Zac Dysert (who ranks second on Ohio's all-time prep passing yardage list) and true freshman Austin Boucher (who turned down an offer from Ohio State)." - Pete Conrad, Hamilton Journal-News
85. Andrew Luck    Stanford
86. Danny Sullivan    Arizona St.
87. Kevin Prince    UCLA
88. Greg McElroy    Alabama
89. Ryan Colburn    Fresno State
90. Kyle Reed    San Jose State

91. Codi Boek    Boston College
92. Mike Hartline    Kentucky
93. John Thomas Shepherd    Rice
94. Brian Anderson    Marshall
95. Tyson Lee    Mississippi St.
- "Few will beat Tyson Lee in the film room. Few are as smart as he is, and he has worked in the spread offense dating all the way back to high school. Few have as good an attitude as he does. But at 5-foot-10, Lee's biggest demon is something he can't control - his height." - Kyle Veazey, Jackson Clarion-Ledger
96. Dom Natale    Rutgers
97. Grant Stucker    Colorado St.
- "Grant Stucker is a good athlete and will be a solid quarterback for Colorado State this fall. The fifth-year senior fell short in a tight battle to be the starting quarterback a year ago, losing out to Billy Farris, who threw for 2,934 yards and 19 touchdowns, and won a similar battle this year that wasn't decided until Aug. 28. Second-year coach Steve Fairchild, a former Colorado State quarterback and NFL quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, has high standards for his QBs and demands a lot out of them, which is why he puts so much pressure on them before selecting a starter. He has said repeatedly that nothing they face in a game will be as difficult as what he puts them through in practice." - Kelly Lyell, Fort Collins Coloradoan
98. Kodi Burns    Auburn
99. Ross Jenkins    Louisiana Tech
- "Ross Jenkins is one of those hell-bent-for-leather, Favre-type of leaders whose enthusiasm and passion for the game bleeds into his teammates' uniforms. A totally focused, dedicated and all-business type of guy you want leading your offense. His performance this season could very well go to a higher level because of going into the season No. 1 following a late insertion at the starting role last year." - Buddy Davis, Ruston Daily Leader
100. Larry Smith    Vanderbilt

101. Zach Maynard    Buffalo
102. Stephen Garcia    S. Carolina
103. Rob Calabrese    Cent. Fla.
104. Donovan Porterie    N. Mexico
105. Giorgio Morgan    Kent State
106. Joe Kemp    Tulane
107. Kelly Page    Ball State
108. Greg Paulus    Syracuse
109. Robert Benjamin    Wyoming
- "Robert Benjamin is a dual-threat quarterback, which is ideal to run first-year coach Dave Christensen's spread offense. He throws a nice ball and has shown to be quick and elusive on his feet. He is far and away the best overall athlete among the quarterbacks and one of the better athletes on the entire team. Benjamin signed in December but did not get to Laramie until a week before camp because of academic issues back in junior college. He has shown good poise and maturity since his arrival." - Robert Gagliardi, Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
110. Ricky Dobbs    Navy

111. Dwight Dasher    Middle Tenn.
- "As a dual-threat QB, Dwight Dasher has shown severe highs and lows. Either way, he's always entertaining. He has the wheels to be a 1,000-yard rusher, but new offensive coordinator Tony Franklin wants to win with Dasher's strong arm. Time will tell if Dasher's passing is as potent as his legs." - Adam Sparks, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal
112. Nathan Enderle    Idaho
113. Riley Dodge    North Texas
114. Chris Masson    Louisiana
115. Vaughn Charlton    Temple
116. Chip Bowden    Army
117. Jeff Fleming    New Mexico St.
118. Trey Revell    La.-Monroe
119. Brandon Smith    W. Kentucky
120. Kevin Lopina    Wash. St.