The 30 best college football quarterbacks of the 21st century

• Heisman Trophy winner (2003)
• Heisman Trophy finalist (2004)
• Unanimous All-American (2003)
• Maxwell Award (2004), 2X Davey O’Brien Award (2003, 2004)

Jason White first arrived in Norman to play for Bob Stoops’ Oklahoma Sooners in 1999 but served merely as a backup during his time that season. White appeared in only three games that season and attempted only two passes in his freshman season. He then redshirted the 2000 season before getting ready to take the field in the 2001 campaign.

Thus, it’s safe to say that White’s beginning to his career was far from conventional but that only continued to prove true over the next two seasons. He lost a battle to be the starter in the 2001 season but eventually took the job due to an injury. Then, he suffered an ACL injury and was out for the rest of the season. He then tore his opposite ACL early in the following season after earning the starting job sidelining him after just three games.

After that tumultuous and injury-riddled start to his college football career, though, White finally got a healthy shot and made the most of it. White led the Sooners to a 12-1 mark to earn a berth in the BCS title game, throwing for 3,846 yards, 40 touchdowns and only 10 interceptions. That effort was enough to also earn him the Heisman Trophy.

The following season after earning another year of eligibility due to a medical hardship, White wasn’t quite as productive, throwing for 3,205 yards and 35 scores on the year, but still finished third in the Heisman voting. He again led the Sooners to the BCS title game (Oklahoma lost both championship games under White), however.

It was hardly a conventional college career for White but the hardware and success of the Sooners with him leading the way can’t be argued.