"that first championship game he played all of one play!..."

Oh yeah. Pretty inauspicious start. I remember that one... <img border="0" alt="[Bang Head]" title="" src="graemlins/banghead.gif" />

I'm not so sure Lefty is any better a college QB than Chad. Just b/c Lefty is projected higher in the draft and is expected to be a better NFL QB doesn't mean a hill of beans in comparing who is the better college QB. Lefty's size and arm strength are why he is projected as a better NFL guy...attributes needed to combat much larger, faster players in the NFL and a longer season. However, does Lefty's size and arm strength really make him that much better than Chad while in college? I'm not so sure it makes that much of a difference. And as mentioned what Chad gives up in physical strength is made up in his mental attributes.
Excellent points about comparing Lefty's So/Jr years versus Chad's Jr/Sr years..perhaps Lefty will emerge as the better QB, but as of now he hasn't CLEARLY made that evident IMO. I'm not trying to downplay Byron's contributions, but at the same time I think folks are sometimes to quick to annoint the new guy as king and forget the talents of years gone by.
I still say Chad's performance in the '99MACC has yet to be matched by Byron. IMO, his poise in that final drive as well as the final drive versus Clemson earlier that season were indicitive of his mental toughness and leadership. Attributes Byron didn't show in last year's MACC as the Herd needed a late drive to win the title. IMO, there is no doubt Chad completes that final pass for a TD.
Anyhow, both are great QB's in their own right.
Go Herd!

Speaking of Pennington...

<a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news/ap/20020730/ap-jets-testaverde.html" target="_blank">Vinny gets a boo boo</a>

I would have to say that the 2001 GMAC comeback is every bit the equal of the 1999 MACC comeback. Both are great QB's, I would hate to have to put one over the other.

Both comebacks were from down 23-0. Although the Herd in '99 waited a little later in the game to start their comeback.

They were both great games.

Regarding Byron's interview, I'm impressed. The best two quotes, IMHO:

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif"> BL: Everybody's talking about the Heisman but I'm just thinking about next season. I just want to put our guys in a successful situation, but the Heisman isn't one of my goals. If it happens, that's cool but my goal is to lead this team to as many wins as possible.

BL: The thing is that our conference is so much better than it used to be four or five years ago. We've got some good ball clubs in the MAC and it's not the cakewalk everyone thinks it is for us. We've still got to go out there and find ways to win ball games. Look at last year how some of the teams in the MAC went out non-conference and beat a bunch of Big Ten and Big East teams. They're finally getting the credit they deserve and we have to work hard to get by them.
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Quote #1 is likely BS (the Heisman part), but it passes the Football Diplomacy litmus test and was absolutely the correct thing to say. #2 is the opposite of what UCF administrators have been doing, and it's positive exposure for the MAC.

Interesting thread so I couldn't resist weighing in. I agree with much of what has been said above.

To me Pennington had a certain mental toughness or will to win or what ever you want to call it that I have not seen in Leftwich (although BL did lead the amazing comeback in GMAC--with some help from the defense of all people). It seemed that sometimes Pennington could simply demand that the team win by the shear force of his intensity.

In fairness to Leftwich, Pennington didn't have to deal with a broken down offensive line (2000) or a shaky defense (2001). Leftwich definitely has the better pro profile, but I believe that I would give the overall nod (perhaps unfairly) to Pennington w/r to "college QB"

I think the key point made here is Steve's: Byron has one more year to prove how good he is. If he has the kind of year he is capable of having, I believe he will eclipse Pennington's achievements. I've gone on record before saying that Pennington is one of my all-time favorite college players, but Byron scares me more. And that's coming from a guy who hates Marshall! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="biggrin.gif" />

Oh, and for the record, Byron's statement of "We still have a lot of things to work on" contains a dangling preposition! I'm aghast! Dangling prepositions are something up with which I will not put. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Wink]" src="wink.gif" />

Of course, this argument is academic. Ben's going to break all of Leftwich's records, anyway! <img border="0" alt="[Cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/cheers.gif" />