Where does Jake Browning rank against Pac-12 quarterbacks?

Washington Football’s quarterback Jake Browning faces stiff competition from the Pac-12 this year. While national eyes turn to USC, the real story is much more complicated. How does Browning stack up in the conference?

The Washington Football team can go as far as quarterback Jake Browning can take them. While he is currently under the radar, don’t ignore his performance so far. He’s as solid as they come. He can take a thumping, only to come back and toss a touchdown. But he is benefiting from the incredible long distance hands of wide receiver Dante Pettis.

So last year, the argument was that wide receiver John Ross was the reason for passing success. This year so far it’s Pettis. But at some point, the common denominator of Browning must be considered. And that brings us to this article.  How does quarterback Jake Browning stack up in the Pac-12 this year?

The Pac-12 certainly has some noteworthy athletes this year.  In fact, it’s tough to envision the Heisman Trophy in a non-Pac-12 player at season’s end. But that is a discussion for later in the year.  We have some ground to cover, so let’s dive right in, shall we?

Bottom third

12.  Arizona quarterback Brandon Dawkins
The Arizona Wildcats ranks last in the Pac-12 as far as passing offenses.  But that’s not as bad as it sounds, as quarterback Brandon Dawkins is one of the better rushers in the conference.  Averaging just over 200 yards passing per game so far, the temptation to run with the ball will not help his passing game improve much this season.

Stripe Hype

11. Oregon State quarterback Jake Luton
Oregon State is ranked 11th in the Pac-12 in passing offense. Having played three games, quarterback Jake Luton is averaging just under 225 yards per game.  Luton relies heavily upon that running game to get him on track.

More Pac-12 QBs

10. Stanford quarterback Keller Chryst
Not only is Stanford University ranked low in the Pac-12 in passing offense, but quarterback Keller Chryst has the worst accuracy at just 55.4 percent.  The trouble with the Stanford passing game is the lack of a true “go to” receiver.   The running game is outstanding. But if the team falls behind (as they did against USC), there simply are not enough horses in the passing game to pull out a win.

9.  Utah quarterback Tyler Huntley
While Utah’s passing offense is tied for eighth in the Pac-12, the passing game has only yielded one touchdown. Sophomore Tyler Huntley is quite accurate (73.5 percent), but he throws a short pass game.

Middle of the pack

8. Colorado quarterback Steven Montez
Colorado’s passing offense is a mixed bag. While the team is tied at eighth in yards, they have two touchdowns combined with two interceptions. That’s not bad for a team with a strong running game.

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• Pro Husky Shaq Thompson out for season with leg injury
• Washington Huskies begin conference play against Cal in Week 4
• Jack Westover is a breakout star for the Washington Huskies
• Washington football: Negatives and Positives in win over Michigan State
• Huskies offense slices through the Spartans in 41-7 win

7. California quarterback Ross Bowers
California’s passing game is surprisingly strong so far. Projected as the bottom of the Pac-12, the team has a respectable 281.5 yards passing plus 4 touchdowns. The schedule toughens up for quarterback Bowers in the weeks ahead.

Browning edges Darnold so far

6. USC quarterback Sam Darnold
While everyone loved to talk up USC sophomore Sam Darnold before the season, He has some weaknesses. While he averages over 300 yards passing per game, he also averages two interceptions per game as well. That’s the typical gunslinger template.  Darnold will be on the highlight reel all season. Some will be game winning passes. Others will be heartbreaking losses.  While I’m certain that Darnold has potential to improve, 4 TDs to 4 INTS is not a leading quarterback’s ratio.

5. Washington quarterback Jake Browning
Washington quarterback Jake Browning is not quite in his groove yet. While just under 300 yards/game passing, he has tossed four touchdowns to just one interception. He has not even gotten close to his best performance, so there is plenty of upside for the young man.
So far, he has been a rock steady performer on an offense which continues to search for a true identity and stars.

Top tier

4. Arizona State quarterback Manny Wilkins
Arizona State junior Manny Wilkins is a surprise for the team. In two games, he is jumping to a far better season out of the gates than a year ago. He is improved in TD/INT ratio, yards per game (YPG), and yards per pass (YPP).  So can he keep it up?  That’s the big question.

So far, so good.

More from The Husky Haul

• Pro Husky Shaq Thompson out for season with leg injury
• Washington Huskies begin conference play against Cal in Week 4
• Jack Westover is a breakout star for the Washington Huskies
• Washington football: Negatives and Positives in win over Michigan State
• Huskies offense slices through the Spartans in 41-7 win

Oregon quarterback

Justin Herbert

is putting up some impressive numbers so far, and few are talking about him. Standing at a tall 6-foot-6, he towers over offensive and defensive linemen alike. Already jumping out to a good start to the season, he could get even better as the season moves on.

Falk Rosen conference best (so far)

2.  Washington State quarterback Luke Falk
There should be little surprise to find Luke Falk‘s name mentioned in the top two.  Well, that is, unless you are a Washington State Cougars’ fan.  Last week found Falk pulled from a game and backup Tyler Hellinski came in for the win.

While Falk did struggle against Boise State, he still put up nearly 200 yards passing and a 70 percent completion rate in one half of play. Until someone surpasses him, he will remain in top discussion
1.  UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen
UCLA’s Josh Rosen is having a tremendous season so far.  He averages over 400 yards passing, and 4.5 touchdowns, per game. Nothing can trump his comeback for the win against the Texas A&M Aggies. Down by 34 points, UCLA scored the last 35 points in the game, including a 28 point fourth quarter, for the win.

How does Browning stack up?

While Browning is not leading the Huskies back from deep deficits, the Washington football team is not running behind many teams this season.  And Browning’s crisp throwing motion does not give room for many interceptions. In fact, Browning has plenty of positive intangibles

The season will go forward in Browning’s favor.  Many of the Pac-12’s best have yet to face the Washington defense, which is very good against the passing game.  As they face the stringent Husky pass defense, Browning will continue to put up steady, very good numbers all season long.

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In fact, he has tied Washington Football record holder Jake Locker with 16 straight games with a touchdown pass. Should he toss a TD pass against Fresno State, he will set a new school record.

Look to the Pac-12 for your next QB, NFL

The nation’s best quarterbacks certainly include those in the Pac-12. But the majority of Pac-12 quarterbacks have a definitive receiver(s) who threaten defenses for 100 yards receiving on any given week. So far this year, Browning has not benefited from such a performance.

Instead, his passing game is stitched together from twelve different players so far, each of whom has contributed something to that aerial attack. And that kind of passing success, with no clear dominating receiver, is a true testament to Browning’s passing ability.

Next: How to catch Washington Football as Huskies host Fresno State Bulldogs

Browning is not flashy enough to garner the spotlight. He’s not gunslinger material, so he won’t toss a spectacular TD pass with a foolish interception.  But Jake Browning is a fundamentally sound quarterback with better than expected range and accuracy.

There will be some shuffling among the rankings each week, and we will likely revisit the conference QB situation at month’s end. But this is where they stand today.