So there we are, shootin’ the shit in the chat on Wednesday afternoon when Dillon Gabriel’s Senior Bowl helmet comes up.1 immediately pulled this 10/10 column idea from the ether:
I’m excited for the future when we get to have debates over which school CFB hall of fame inductees go in under.
What a hypothetical! The CFB Hall is not quite like the MLB Hall with caps on plaques, but the rotunda features large screens where players are shown in uniform. Sensible choice given the first 150 years of college football, but it’s a brave new world that calls for brave new solutions.
Enter: The Malcontents™.
What we’re looking for here are players who left real legacies at two (or more) schools, like Gabriel at UCF/Oklahoma/Oregon.2 Are all these guys gonna be hall of famers? Of course not. But if we had to be tethered to reality this site wouldn’t exist.
Let’s get to it:
DILLON GABRIEL
Career: 46-17, 18,722 Pass Yds., 190 Total TDs (1st All-Time), 156 Passing TDs (1st All-Time)Oregon: Heisman Finalist, 1st Team All-America, 1st Team All-B1G, B1G MVPOklahoma: 1st Team All-Big 12 UCF: 2nd Team All-AAC
Gabriel is maybe the ultimate college football compiler, playing five full seasons and part of a sixth between 2019 and 2024. He was a plausible follow-up act to the legend Mackenzie Milton at UCF. He threw for a billion yards on transitional, Venables-era Oklahoma teams. He finally hit the big time at Oregon, running off an undefeated regular season and heading to New York for the Heisman Ceremony.
Verdict: Oregon
BO NIX
Career: 43-18, 19,965 Total Yds., 151 Total TDsOregon: Heisman Finalist, 77.4% Comp. ('23, 1st All-Time), 45/3 TD/INT ('23)Auburn: 2019 Iron Bowl Victory, SEC Freshman of the Year, his dad played there
Alright I fully admit this one is silly. Bo is 1) not making the hall and 2) was not good at Auburn. But! He was famous at both so here we are.
Verdict: Oregon
MICHAEL PENIX
Career: 37-8, 13,741 Pass. Yds., 109 Total TDsWashington: Heisman Runner-Up, 2023 Nat’l Runner-Up, 1st Team All-America, Pac-12 ChampIndiana: #12 Ranking ('20), that 2pt conversion vs. Penn State
The Husky counterpart to Nix’s Duck, Penix led Washington to a playoff appearance and semifinal win over Texas. His performances in Seattle were consistently impressive, with that game against the Longhorns the clear highlight. But come on now, just look at this art:
Verdict: Indiana3
JALEN HURTS
Career: 38-4, 12,751 Total Yds., 123 Total TDsOklahoma: Heisman Runner-Up, 1st Team All-Big 12, 191.2 Pass Eff. (2nd All-Time)Alabama: 26-2, 2017 Nat’l Champ, 2016 + 2018 Nat’l Runner-Up, 2x SEC Champ,
Jalen Hurts set the world on fire at Oklahoma, but the world first learned his name with the Tide. While Tua famously replaced him to win the 2017 title game, Hurts returned the favor to win the 2018 SEC title game in relief. He rides for both schools to the extent that he won’t pick a favorite on SNF. Maybe it doesn’t even matter because they wear all but the same uniform.4 But we must choose…
Verdict: Alabama
RUSSELL WILSON
Career: 31-19, 13,147 Total Yds., 132 Total TDsWisconsin: 2011 B1G Champ, 1st Team All-B1G, 3,175 Pass Yds., 33 TDs… AT WISCONSINNC State: #25 Ranking ('10), Champs Sports Bowl Victory, 9-4 (as is tradition)
Perhaps the earliest instance of this problem, at least since postwar recruiting shenanigans. I dunno about you, but I wouldn’t run off Russ for… Mike Glennon? Says here the next guy was Mike Glennon? No wonder Tom O’Brien didn’t see 2012.
Verdict: Wisconsin
SCOTT FROST
UCF: 2017 Nat’l Champ (Coach)Nebraska: 1995 + 1997 Nat’l Champ (QB)
Now for something a litte different: a coach/player conundrum! What do we do with Scott Frost? For help we went to Malcontent Nebraska Cornespondent , who offered "put him in a UCF hat, fuck him" which just about settles that.
Verdict: UCF
WILL HOWARD
Career: 29-14, 10.943 Total Yds., 109 Total TDs, punchable faceOhio State: 2024 Nat’l Champ, 3rd Team All-B1GKansas State: 2nd Team All-Big 12
Back to the present, we have reigning national champion and CFP Offensive MVP Will Howard. A weird case because he will always be “that K-State quarterback” in hearts and minds but accomplished basically everything of note during his one season in Columbus.
Verdict: Ohio State
CAM WARD
Career: 35-22, 18,137 Pass Yds., 178 Total TDsMiami: Heisman Finalist, Consensus All-America, ACC PoY, Davey O’Brien WinnerWashington State: He was really fun idkIncarnate Word: Jerry Rice Award (most outstanding freshman)
Along with Gabriel, Cam Ward is the poster child for the current era of college football player movement. FCS to low-P5 to high-P4 across five seasons is exactly the trajectory transfer QBs shoot for. His final season at Miami was amazing, but for me he’s that young hotshot slingin’ it in Texas forever.
Verdict: Incarnate Word
CARSON BECK
Miami: Signed $4m NIL dealGeorgia: 24-3, 2023 Nat’l Champ, drove a Lamborghini
Like I said, it’s a brave new world.
Verdict: ???
BRYCE UNDERWOOD
Michigan: Flipped for $10mLSU: Was committed for a while
Suck it, Brian Kelly.