It seems like only yesterday that the Big XII was home to the top quarterbacks in the nation, with names such as Bradford, McCoy, Harrell, Daniel, Robinson and Reesing commanding the nation’s top offenses.

That was 2008, when college football in the Big XII had a lot of certainty. Now it’s 2010, and all of those quarterbacks have since graduated from their respective universities and are either on active NFL rosters or spent a short tenure in the Canadian Football League.

The accolades of the aforementioned stars included 1 Heisman Memorial Trophy, 2 BCS Nat’l Championship appearances, 2 BCS Bowl wins, 10 total bowl wins and 162 total victories.

It will be quite difficult for the following quarterbacks to fill the shoes of their predecessors. However, with that being said, here’s a ranking of the current Big XII quarterbacks for the 2010 CFB season.

#12 Carson Coffman, Kansas State University

  • Height: 6-3
  • Weight: 212 lbs.

#11 Kale Pick, University of Kansas

  • Height: 6-2
  • Weight: 200 lbs.

#10 Tyler Hansen, University of Colorado

  • Height: 6-1
  • Weight: 205 lbs.

#9 Zac Lee, University of Nebraska

  • Height: 6-2
  • Weight: 215 lbs.

#8 Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State University

  • Height: 6-4
  • Weight: 215 lbs.

#7 Austen Arnaud, Iowa State University

  • Height: 6-3
  • Weight: 224 lbs.

#6 Jerrod Johnson, Texas A&M University

  • Height: 6-5
  • Weight: 243 lbs.

Aggie fans, and some biased columnists across the country, are really trying to hype Johnson as the Big XII’s top Heisman candidate. However, if you look at the facts, Johnson has simply failed to produce in any meaningful game in his career. He reminds me a lot of Reggie McNeal. If any of you have a decent memory, you’ll remember Aggie fans, and some biased regional columnists, saying McNeal was a far superior QB to Texas great Vince Young entering the 2005 season. That didn’t turn out well, and this hype surrounding Johnson won’t either.

#5 Steven Sheffield, Texas Tech University

  • Height: 6-4
  • Weight: 175 lbs.

Sheffield is an excellent quarterback in a pass-heavy offense, and I would have loved to see what he would do this season if recently departed TT coach Mike Leach hadn’t been canned by TT officials. I have serious doubts that Sheffield can thrive in an offense led by Tuberville, who is known for hard-nosed football by the inches.

#4 Landry Jones, University of Oklahoma

  • Height: 6-4
  • Weight: 216 lbs.

Not a lot I can write about Jones, other than that he performed quite well last season under poor conditions with the plague of injuries OU had. I think he can easily be the #1 quarterback from the Big XII at the end of the season if he can lead the Sooners to the Big XII Championship in Dallas.

#3 Garrett Gilbert, University of Texas

  • Height: 6-4
  • Weight: 207 lbs.

Gilbert will walk onto the fabled field of the 40 acres this September with expectations no Texas quarterback has faced since Chris Simms made his first start at Texas. Now, I’m not saying that Gilbert will follow the roller-coaster college career Simms had, merely that the Texas faithful expect the Longhorn train to continue on without a hitch. They have been quite spoiled with the last two orangebloods, Vince Young and Colt McCoy, and may not be prepared for some growing pains from a young Gilbert.

#2 Blaine Gabbert, University of Missouri

  • Height: 6-5
  • Weight: 240 lbs.

Gabbert returns as the most complete quarterback in the Big XII. Last season he threw for 3,593 yards, 24 touchdowns and only 9 interceptions. Gabbert could easily be #1 on this list, and Missouri fans could rightfully complain that he is not.

#1 Robert Griffin III, Baylor University

  • Height: 6-3
  • Weight: 210 lbs.

The electrifying scrambling quarterback returns after an injury-riddled setback in 2009 with high expectations from the Baylor nation. He is by far the most athletically gifted quarterback the Big XII has seen since a certain young man from Houston, TX glided his way into history on that 4th-and-5 play in Pasadena, CA.

Griffin will certainly have a lot on his shoulders this season, as he is the only Baylor Bear with elite talent. If Griffin can remain healthy for 2010, the Bears might be able to avoid finishing last in the Big XII South.