The best historical discussions are accessible to almost everyone regardless of demographics. Topics about which a consensus emerges, but the premise remains subjective, are entertaining. Because there’s no right answer.

Judging a “Mount Rushmore” of a sport or team hits the sweet spot.

Who are the best four players in a program’s history? Or is it the four people most synonymous with the program? Is it better to etch a coaches’ face into our theoretical granite rock face in South Dakota, or should we reserve all the spots for those who performed on the field?

It’s all open for debate, which is part of what makes it so enjoyable. It’s a participatory exercise.

Here is my Missouri football version of Mount Rushmore:

Who’s In?

Don Faurot

The namesake of Missouri’s football field, Don Faurot, helped lay the original sod at Memorial Stadium in 1926.

A three-sport star at Missouri and later the athletic director for many years, Faurot’s most notable contributions came as a coach. He helped the team erase more than $500,000 in debt and invented the Split-T offense, leading Mizzou to its first bowl game in 1939 and becoming the first coach in program history with more than 100 wins.

In 1995, the university converted the playing surface from artificial back to natural grass, and Faurot installed the final square of sod. He died later that year at 93 years old.

Chase Daniel

The iconic Missouri quarterback hoarded all sorts of school passing records, including a remarkable 12,515 career passing yards — a figure that would’ve ranked him second in SEC history behind Georgia’s Aaron Murray (13,166).

As a senior, he completed a remarkable 72.9 percent of his passes to become a Heisman finalist. As a junior in 2007, he completed 40-of-49 passes to lead No. 3 Mizzou to a win against No. 2 Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium, vaulting the Tigers to a brief No. 1 ranking.

Career numbers: 12,515 passing yards, 101 TDs, 41 INTs, 68.0 percent completion rate
Individual superlatives: Heisman finalist (2007); All-Big 12 (2007); second-team All-American (2007); Walter Camp Award finalist (2007); Davey O’Brien Award finalist (2007); Manning Award finalist (2007)

Brad Smith

When he finished his college career in 2005, Smith was the most productive dual-threat quarterback in the history of the sport. No other player in NCAA history had thrown for 8,000 yards and run for 4,000 yards. (For comparison’s sake, Florida’s Tim Tebow threw for 9,286 and ran for just 2,947.)

Smith ran Mizzou’s spread offense to near-perfection. Second to Daniel on the school’s all-time passing list, he still holds Mizzou’s records for career rushing yards (4,289) and career rushing touchdowns (45).

Career numbers: 8,799 passing yards, 4,289 rushing yards, 101 total career touchdowns
Individual superlatives: All-Big 12 (2005); Freshman All-American (2002); Big 12 Freshman of the Year (2002)

Dan Devine

We’ll hold off construction on this fourth face for another few years.

Gary Pinkel, Mizzou’s all-time wins leader, can make a case for this spot. But Pinkel has produced a top 20 team in 5 of 14 seasons, whereas Devine produced a top 20 team in 9 of 13 seasons.

Devine’s winning percentage at Missouri (93-37-7; .704) tops Pinkel’s (102-63; .618).

The current occupant of our final Mount Rushmore spot won a pair of Big Eight titles in addition to a national championship while at Notre Dame. Missouri became the No. 1 team in the country in 1960, and Devine nearly brought a title to Columbia, Mo., as well, but the team lost to a Kansas team that featured an ineligible player.

You’ve seen my Mount Rushmore. Now it’s your turn. Who’s in your all-time Tennessee Mount Rushmore?