While the University of Alabama coaching staff obviously pays a lot of attention to numerous passing statistics, the one that may be most indicative of a quarterback’s performance is passer efficiency rating.
It’s a measure of the performance of passers, based on attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions. It’s not perfect and doesn’t factor in rushing yards, fumbles, sacks or performance on key downs or location on the field, but is how the NCAA names its annual passing leader.
This year it was Oregon’s Marcus Mariota with a 181.7 rating that was 12 points ahead of the next best quarterback, ironically Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett (169.8), who didn’t play against the Ducks in the national championship game due to a season-ending injury.
The NCAA’s career record (minimum 325 completions) is 175.6, by Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford in 2007-09, and the single-season record (minimum 15 attempts per game) is 191.8 by Russell Wilson, when he was at Wisconsin in 2011.
With that in mind, it won’t surprise anyone what the three worst games Blake Sims had this past season.
He registered a 98.1 at LSU, where only a last-minute drive sent the game into overtime, 116.6 at Ole Miss and 118.1 against Ohio State, which were both losses.
Nevertheless, his season rating of 157.9 led the Southeastern Conference and was seventh in the nation.
If the Alabama record book included passer efficiency, AJ McCarron would have the modern-era benchmarks as his 175.3 rating in 2012 led the nation and helped him finish with a career mark of 162.5.
Recent Alabama career passer-efficiency ratings
AJ McCarron, 2010-13, 162.5
Greg McElroy, 2007-10, 155.4
Blake Sims, 2011-14, 155.2
Jay Barker, 1991-94, 131.9
Danny Woodson, 1990-91, 131.1*
Tyler Watts, 1999-2002, 131.0
Brodie Croyle, 2002-05, 128.4
John Parker Wilson, 2005-08, 120.6
Andrew Zow, 1998-2001, 118.9
Freddie Kitchens, 1993-97 113.9
*Woodson only played in 14 games in 1990-91
As for some of Alabama’s legendary quarterbacks Harry Gilmer posted an amazing 193.09 rating in 1945 when he completed 57 of 88 passes for 905 yards, with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. Jeff Rutlegde had a 169.9 in 1997, and Steve Sloan 153.78 in 1965. However, none of them had a career raring better than 150.
Harry Gilmer, 1945-47, 126.4
Joe Namath, 1962-64, 125.7
Pat Trammell, 1959-61, 122.5
Steve Sloan, 1963-65, 144.7
Ken Stabler, 1965-67, 128.0
Scott Hunter, 1968-70, 121.8
Richard Todd, 1973-75, 146.9
Jeff Rutledge, 1975-78, 145.6
Mike Shula, 1983-86, 122.9
Here are the game, season and career yards leaders for those playing when Nick Saban was the head coach at Toledo in 1990, Michigan State from 1995-99, LSU from 2000-04 and Alabama after 2007.
Game
Yards, Name, School, Opponent, Year
528 Rohan Davey, LSU vs. Alabama, 2001
445 Blake Sims, Alabama vs. Florida, 2014
444 Rohan Davey, LSU vs. Illinois, 2001 (2002 bowl game)
400 Bill Burke, Michigan State vs. Michigan, 1999
387 AJ McCarron, Alabama vs. Oklahoma, 2013
383 Rohan Davey, LSU vs. Kentucky, 2001
377 Greg McElroy, Alabama vs. Auburn, 2010
363 John Parker Wilson, Alabama vs. Tennessee, 2007
359 Rohan Davey, LSU vs. Arkansas, 2001
359 AJ McCarron, Alabama at Kentucky, 2013
Season
Name, School, Year, C-A, Yards
Blake Sims, Alabama, 2014, 252-391, 3,487
Rohan Davey, LSU, 2001, 217-367, 3,347
AJ McCarron, Alabama, 2013, 226-336, 3,063
Greg McElroy, Alabama, 2010, 222-313, 2,987
AJ McCarron, Alabama, 2012, 211-314, 2,933
John Parker Wilson, Alabama, 2007, 255-372, 2,846
Matt Mauck, LSU, 2003, 229-358, 2,825
John Parker Wilson, Alabama, 2006, 216-379, 2,707
AJ McCarron, Alabama, 2011, 219-328, 2,634
Bill Burke, Michigan State, 1998, 195-358, 2,595
Career
Name, School, Year, C-A, Yards
AJ McCarron, Alabama, 2010-13, 686-1,026, 9,019
Greg McElroy, Alabama, 2007-9, 436-658, 5,691
Bill Burke, Michigan State, 1996-99, 416-766, 5,463
John Parker Wilson, Alabama, 2007-8, 442-785, 5,119
Todd Schultz, Michigan State, 1995-97, 359-591, 4,266
Rohan Davey, LSU, 2000-1, 255-426, 3,924
Matt Mauck, LSU, 2001-3, 310-529, 3,831
Blake Sims, Alabama, 2011-14, 275-430, 3,731
Marcus Randall, LSU, 2001-4, 216-385, 2,854
Tony Banks, Michigan State, 1995, 156-258, 2,089
Christopher Walsh has covered Alabama football since 2004 and is the author of 19 books. In his free time, he writes about college football.
