Numbers Never Lie: Using Stats to Determine the SEC’s Best Returning Quarterback

Total Yards per Game

Passing

• Allen 263.8
• Fitzgerald 186.4
• Hurts 185.3

Rushing

• Fitzgerald 105.8
• Hurts 63.6
• Allen -9.7

Overall

• Fitzgerald 292.2
• Hurts 254.2
• Allen 248.9

As you can probably infer from these numbers, Allen is purely a pocket passer.  He was light-years ahead of both Fitzgerald and Hurts in the passing game, but he didn’t have the running ability to overcome the losses from sacks.  Because overall yards per game is the focus, that “sub” is worth 0.5 while passing and rushing are both valued at 0.25.  Fitzgerald takes this one.

Current Standings: Fitzgerald 0.75, Allen 0.25, Hurts 0

Total Offense in 2016

• Fitzgerald 3798
• Hurts 3734
• Allen 3304

Running stats sure do help, don’t they?  The interesting thing here is that Fitzgerald still finished ahead of Hurts despite playing two fewer games.

Current Standings: Fitzgerald 1.75, Allen 0.25, Hurts 0

Total Touchdowns

Passing

• Allen 25
• Hurts 23
• Fitzgerald 21

Rushing

• Fitzgerald 16
• Hurts 13
• Allen 2

Overall

• Fitzgerald 37
• Hurts 36
• Allen 27

Again, overall is the focus here, so its value is more than both passing and rushing.  Don’t worry Bama fans.  Hurts’s points are coming.

Current Standings: Fitzgerald 2.5, Allen 0.5, Hurts 0