- Vince Young led the Longhorns to a BCS title in 2005, their first national championship since 1970.
- Colt McCoy won 45 games as a starting quarterback for Texas, the most in program history.
- James Street went 20-0 over his two-year career as the Longhorns’ quarterback.
The Texas Longhorns are one of the most storied programs in college football. Founded in 1893, the program has seen many quarterbacks come through the ranks, especially since 2000, who have left a significant impression.
Now, football betting on the Longhorns’ NCAAF odds at the BetMGM online sportsbook is available.
Speaking of their top quarterbacks, I’ll rank the five best below.
For more information on other top Texas legends, check out my list of the top Longhorns football players of all time.
5 Best Texas Longhorns Quarterbacks, Ranked
| Rank | Player | Longhorns Years |
| 1 | Vince Young | 2003-2005 |
| 2 | Colt McCoy | 2005-2009 |
| 3 | Bobby Layne | 1944-1947 |
| 4 | James Street | 1967-1969 |
| 5 | James Brown | 1994-1997 |
Texas Longhorns All-Time Greatest Quarterbacks
1. Vince Young
Young was with the Longhorns from 2003 to 2005 and had one of the best college careers in recent memory.
While there, he led Texas to a BCS title in 2005, its first national title since 1970.
That same year, he won the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, and Manning Award.
Young was also a consensus All-American and the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
He finished his career with 6,040 passing yards (eighth in program history), 44 passing touchdowns (seventh), 3,127 rushing yards (seventh), and 37 rushing touchdowns (fourth).
The Longhorns retired his No. 10, and he’s enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
2. Colt McCoy
From 2006 to 2009, McCoy played in 53 games for the Longhorns, compiling a 45-8 record.
He leads all Longhorns starting quarterbacks in wins, with Young the next closest with 30.
McCoy was a member of the 2005 BCS title-winning team, but he redshirted that season.
In 2009, McCoy won several awards, including the following:
- Maxwell Award
- Davey O’Brien Award
- Manning Award
- Chic Harley Award
- Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
- Walter Camp Award
He was also named the Sporting News College Athlete of the Year, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and was a unanimous All-American.
Other awards and accolades include the Walter Camp Award (2008) and being named a consensus All-American (2008).
The Longhorns retired his No. 12.
3. Bobby Layne
Due to World War II limiting the number of players college teams had, Layne was able to play on the varsity squad as a freshman, thus playing for the Longhorns for four seasons from 1944 to 1947.
He was first-team All-Southwest Conference in each of those seasons and was also a consensus and second-team All-American.
In those days, it wasn’t common for quarterbacks to rack up thousands of passing yards. However, Layne will always be remembered for the 1946 Cotton Bowl when Texas put up 40 points, and he was responsible for all of them.
His contributions to the program led to his enshrinement in the College Football Hall of Fame and the Longhorns retiring his No. 22.
4. James Street
While McCoy may have won the most games in program history as a starting quarterback, no player has more wins while also being undefeated than James Street.
Street played for the Longhorns in 1968 and 1969 and went 20-0.
In 1969, he was named the team’s MVP.
Additionally, Street was first-team All-SWC.
Street holds a few college records, too:
- Longest pass and longest touchdown pass by a Longhorns quarterback in a bowl game (79 yards).
- Most yards per pass attempt in the Cotton Bowl (15.4).
- Most yards on touchdown passes in the Cotton Bowl (157).
5. James Brown
Going 25-13-1 over his career at Texas from 1994 to 1997, Brown got his career up and running in 1994 as a redshirt freshman after Shea Morenz was injured.
That season, across seven games, Brown completed 69.6% of his passes for 1,037 yards, 12 touchdowns, and two interceptions.
Over his career, Brown threw for 7,638 yards (fifth) and 53 touchdowns (sixth). These were program records when he left Texas.
He was named the SWC Offensive Player of the Year, was first-team All-SWC, and was also a 1995 Southwest Conference and 1996 Big 12 champion.
Who Was the Best Quarterback Ever for the Texas Longhorns?
The best quarterback ever for the Texas Longhorns was Vince Young.
He led them to a BCS title in 2005, has had his No. 10 jersey retired, and is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.
Who Is the Winningest Quarterback in Texas Longhorns History?
The winningest quarterback in Texas Longhorns history, based on victories, is Colt McCoy with 45.
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