Colorado's spring camp has wrapped up and we enter a slow period in Colorado football as the Buffs' players don't report for fall camp until August 1.
For the next few weeks, CUSportsNation.com members will be voting on the best quarterback in Colorado history. Last week, members gave their nominations, and based on the amount of nominations, we put together the seeding for "The Great 8: Best CU Quarterback of All Time Tournament."
This matchup between Hagan and Anderson is the first in the semifinals. In the first round, Hagan received 98% of votes against John Hessler, and Anderson received 81% of votes against Sefo Liufau.
Below is the updated bracket.
The Great 8, Round 2 Matchup: No. 1 Darian Hagan vs No. 4 Bobby Anderson
*** To vote for the winner of this round, click here ***
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The Hagan Profile (stats/records below as of 2002)
- Quarterbacked CU to three Big Eight titles and a 20-0-1 league record
- Fifth in the 1989 Heisman Trophy balloting as a sophomore
- First and only player to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in a single season
- All-American (1989), Two-time All-Big Eight (1989, 1990)
Darian Hagan is arguably the most talented player to ever put on a CU football uniform. The multi-dimensional quarterback, who actually was also the team’s top punt return man as a senior, piloted CU to three consecutive Big Eight titles In 1989, 1990 and 1991. He led the Buffaloes to a 20-0-1 mark in conference play during that span, as well as a 30-5-2 record overall as the starter. He finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy balloting as a sophomore, when he became the only player in CU history to rush and pass for over 1,000 yards in the same season.
In his career, he rushed for 2,007 yards and passed for 3,801, numbers that still rank 12th and sixth, respectively, at Colorado. An All-American in 1989 when he was the runaway choice as the Big Eight offensive player-of-the-year, Hagan was a two-time all-Big Eight selection in 1989 and 1990. He returned to CU in the mid-1990s and earned his degree, and would then work for two years as CU’s Alumni C Club director. His jersey number, 3, was previously honored in 1999.
The Anderson profile (stats/records below as of 2006)
- All-American (1969)
- Two-time All-Big Eight (1968, 1969)
- Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (1982)
- CU All Century Team (1989)
- College Football Hall of Fame (2006)
Anderson will become CU’s fourth player to be enshrined into the College Football Hall of Fame this December. A consensus first-team All-American at tailback as a senior in 1969 (Associated Press, United Press International, NEA, Sporting News), the AP named him an honorable mention All-American his sophomore year when he played quarterback; he earned first-team All-Big Eight honors at both positions (QB in 1968, TB in 1969). He moved to tailback for the third game of his senior year (versus Indiana), rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns and remained there the rest of the season. He set 18 single-game, single-season, and career records during his CU career, including 4,565 yard of total offense, a Big Eight record at the time. He also exited as CU’s all-time leading rusher (2,367 yards) and scorer (212 points), finished 11th in the 1969 Heisman Trophy voting and is one of three CU players to have his jersey number retired (#11). In his final game for CU, accounted for 295 yards of total offense in the 1969 Liberty Bowl in Memphis, and was voted the game’s MVP (his 254 yards and three TDs rushing led CU to a 47-33 win over Alabama). He was also the MVP in Colorado’s 31-21 win over Miami, Fla., in the ’67 Bluebonnet Bowl. A member of CU’s All-Century team (second-leading vote getter, 5,636 of a possible 6,265), the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (inducted 1982) and the Big Eight Hall of Fame (inducted 1980); he previously had his jersey honored in a 1998 ceremony. A first-round selection in the 1970 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos (11th overall), he played in 54 NFL games with Denver (1970-74), New England (1975) and Washington (1975).
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