The best Hawekeye quarterback under Kirk Ferentz

This is the second in a series of stories leading into the Big Ten Football Media Days, July 27-28, that will run down the top three players at each position during Coach Kirk Ferentz's 10-plus seasons as Iowa's football coach. For more to this story, or to comment on Morehouse's choices, go "On Iowa" at www.gazetteonline.com

QUARTERBACKS

1) Brad Banks (2001-02)

Banks came to Iowa as a QB recruit, but he also was recruited out of Hinds (Miss.) Community College as a wide receiver. He showed something in 2001, but took a back seat to Kyle McCann down the stretch.

Then, in 2002, Banks put up one of the best and most celebrated seasons by an Iowa quarterback. He led the Hawkeyes to an 8-0 record in the Big Ten, a co-Big Ten championship and the school's only BCS bowl bid. He led the nation in pass efficiency (166.0) and threw 25 TDs to just four interceptions. He ended up second in Heisman voting. He's No. 8 on Iowa's career passing list with 3,155 yards.

2) Drew Tate (2003-06)

The 5-foot-11-ish, 200-ish Tate was a competitor incarnate. As a freshman, he burned his red-shirt as the No. 2 behind Nathan Chandler. He didn't play any significant minutes, but it set the stage for a magical 2004.

As a sophomore, Tate set the Big Ten on fire, whirling the Hawkeyes to a share of the conference title, earning first-team all-Big Ten and continuing a play at Michigan without a helmet. Of course, he threw one of the most memorable passes in Iowa history, lifting the Hawkeyes to a Capital One Bowl victory over LSU on the final play of the game - a 56-yard TD to Warren Holloway. That was the pinnacle.

The Hawkeyes limped into the Outback the next season and finished 6-7 in 2006 after losing a hard-fought game to Texas in the Alamo Bowl. Tate suffered torn ligaments in his thumb as a senior, but fought through it. He finished his career as Iowa's No. 2 passer with 8,292 yards.

3) Kyle McCann (1998-01)

McCann was a bit of a lightning rod in 2001, when the Hawkeyes were turning the corner. Fans loved Banks, who came off the bench and flashed. What fans don't remember is that Banks struggled a bit down the stretch in '01. He had just five completions in the final three games. McCann started Ferentz's first game at Iowa, a 42-7 loss to Nebraska.