Georgia Bulldogs: Top 10 quarterbacks in team history
By John Buhler
Aug 8, 2015; Canton, OH, USA; Mick Tingelhoff (right) and presenter Fran Tarkenton during the 2015 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
5. Fran Tarkenton (1958-60)
When people think of Fran Tarkenton, they think of the Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback playing most notably for the Minnesota Vikings. Tarkenton is routinely thrown in the mix as one of the absolute best NFL quarterbacks to never win a Super Bowl. He was the greatest scrambling quarterback of all time.
However, Tarkenton is also a legend in Athens, as he played both in high school and collegiately in the Classic City. Tarkenton starred for head coach Wally Butts in the late 1950’s to early 1960’s with the Georgia Bulldogs. Though his UGA career passing numbers don’t stand the test of time, he was one of best passers of his era of college football.
Tarkenton led the SEC in passing completions in both his junior and senior seasons. He was the most efficient passer in the SEC in 1960 (111.9) and threw for more yards than anybody in the conference that season (1,274).
During his UGA career, Fran Tarkenton completed 58.7% of his passes for 2,100 yards, 18 touchdowns, 20 interceptions, while boasting a quarterback rating of 120.4 while with Georgia. Keep in mind that he played in an era that quarterbacks rarely threw the football.
His NFL legacy obviously helps his UGA legacy, but Fran Tarkenton was arguably the best quarterback to play at the University of Georgia until Eric Zeier came along in the early 1990’s. While he’s not the best quarterback to play at UGA, he’s still very much a Top 10 play to wear the Red and Black.
He’s always in that conversation with Herschel Walker, Frank Sinkwich, Charley Trippi, David Pollack, and Champ Bailey as one of the best Dawgs of all-time. If Tarkenton was an undergraduate today…
Next: 4. Matthew Stafford