The 5 Greatest Quarterbacks In Penn State History

At Penn State, the quarterback position has almost always been overshadowed by dominant defense - there's a reason it's called 'Linebacker U', not 'Quarterback U'. Still, quite a few world-class QBs have called Happy Valley home - these are the top five.

5. Daryll Clark (2006-2009)

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Clark's 22-4 record as a Penn State starter and his sustained effort and consistency are what earned him the #5 spot on our list. Always positive and optimistic, Clark scored 60 total touchdowns in his Penn State career.

4. John Hufnagel (1969-1972)

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Hufnagel was the first Penn State QB to pass for over 2,000 yards in a season, and he had a stellar 26-3 record as PSU's starting quarterback. After graduation, Hufnagel went on to become a legend in the Canadian football league - first as a player, then as a coach. If (God forbid) anything ever happens to James Franklin, keep a very close eye on the two-time CFL Coach of the Year.

3. Todd Blackledge (1979-82)

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While RB Curt Warner gets a lot of the credit for PSU's first ever National Championship in '82, it couldn't have happened without Blackledge under center. Cool, collected and intelligent on the field, Blackledge went 31-5 as a starter and won the Davey O'Brien award as a senior.

2. Kerry Collins (1991-1994)

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Kerry Collins was so good, we're expecting plenty of angry emails about him landing anywhere but #1. Penn State's most successful NFL QB was a lightning rod for the Nittany Lions, and won the Maxwell and Davey O'Brien Awards as a senior while leading Penn State to a dominant win over Oregon in the 1995 Rose Bowl.

1. Chuck Fusina (1976-1979)

29-3 as a starter, it's almost scary to imagine what Fusina could have done with a different offense in a different era. At a time when Joe Paterno still had his suspicions about the whole 'forward pass' thing (not really, but you get our point), Fusina managed to finish second in Heisman voting, the closest a PSU QB has ever come to the prestigious award. He also won the Maxwell award as a senior, and while his NFL career was nothing to write home about, his three-year stint in the USFL saw him become arguably the best player in the league's brief history.

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