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30-touchdown club: SEC quarterbacks who have hit the mark since 2010
By Dave Holcomb
Published:
The 30-touchdown passes club is a pretty elusive group. Some years, the SEC have a single quarterback reach that mark.
Despite heavy criticism of the quarterback play in the SEC, the conference had two quarterbacks with 30 or more TD passes in 2015. That makes it eight different SEC quarterbacks — Aaron Murray did it twice — with 30-plus passing touchdowns in a season since 2010.
Here are the eight players:
Chad Kelly, Ole Miss, 2015: Kelly led the conference with 31 passing scores and 4,042 yards this season. He also added 10 rushing TDs. In the final four games, including the Sugar Bowl, Kelly had 11 passing TDs, five rushing TDs and just one interception.
Brandon Allen, Arkansas, 2015: The Arkansas quarterback was the only other signal caller in the SEC with 30 TDs through the air this season, and he threw exactly 30, getting his final one in the Liberty Bowl. Thirteen of his 30 TDs came in two games against Ole Miss and Mississippi State.
Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, 2013: Johnny Football leads all SEC quarterbacks since 2010 with 37 passing scores the season after he won the Heisman Trophy. In addition to the 37 TDs, Manziel finished with 4,114 passing yards and nine rushing TDs.
Aaron Murray, Georgia, 2012: Murray finished just shy of Manziel’s mark with 36 TDs in 2012. Georgia nearly beat Alabama in the SEC Championship Game that season but fell, 32-28. Murray completed his career with 121 TDs, the most in Bulldogs history.
Tyler Bray, Tennessee, 2012: The Volunteers quarterback had just two fewer TDs than Murray in one fewer game. Bray posted 34 TDs with 3,612 yards and 12 interceptions. He was the first Tennessee quarterback to throw for more than 31 TDs in a single-season since Peyton Manning.
A.J. McCarron, Alabama, 2012: McCarron had 14 games to reach the 30-TD club in 2012, but it was still an impressive feat. He had four TD passes against Auburn in the Iron Bowl then four more versus Notre Dame in the National Championship Game to get 30 on the nose. McCarron also threw just three picks in 314 pass attempts that season.
Aaron Murray, Georgia, 2011: Murray had 35 TDs, 3,149 yards and 14 interceptions in his sophomore season.
Ryan Mallet, Arkansas, 2010: The Razorbacks are the only team with two different players on the list. Mallet led the SEC with 3,869 passing yards and 32 TDs. He threw for 277 yards and two TDs in a loss against Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl.
Cam Newton, Auburn, 2010: On his way to the Heisman Trophy in 2010, Newton threw for 2,854 yards, 30 TDs and seven interceptions. He also had a remarkable 1,473 rushing yards and 20 TDs on the ground. The Tigers beat the Oregon Ducks in the National Championship Game, 22-19.
Dave covers SEC football for Saturday Down South.
