Stanford football: 15 greatest quarterbacks in Cardinal history

Long before he was winning two Super Bowls as the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos, John Elway was a two-sport star for the Cardinal. The strong-armed signal-caller was one of the best players college football had ever seen at his position. He sits firmly within the top quarterbacks in the history of this illustrious program.

Elway was one of the more prolific passers the college football game had ever seen when he donned the No. 7 at Stanford, twice being named an All-American. Though he would finish up his career at the school with a sub-.500 record, that does not diminish all the excitement he brought to the fans who came to see him throw the football around on fall Saturdays.

A two-time Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year, Elway is still ranked No. 4 all time in school history in passing yards with 9,439 total. Also, his 3,242 yards in 1982 is still one of the best single-season marks of all time. His 77 career touchdown passes are second only to Andrew Luck.

Elway has two school marks that are still not touched, as he is the only player in school history account for six touchdowns in a game. Against the Oregon State Beavers in 1980, he tossed six touchdowns in a single game, while finding the end zone with his arm and his feet six times against the Washington State Cougars that same season. His No. 7 is retired by the university.