10 college football Quarterbacks that turned out to be busts after 2024 regular season ft. DJ Uiagalelei

While college football ideally features powerful quarterbacks driving up and down the field, sometimes it doesn't work out that way. Across the 2024 season, for every star and transfer who shone in a new destination, there was a disappointment. Here are 10 of the quarterbacks who might be labeled busts. While each has complicating factors, a disappointing bottom line is common.

Top 10 college football quarterbacks who were busts after 2024 regular season

Michigan Quarterback Alex Orji didn't develop in the passing game and couldn't get the Wolverine QB job for the long-term. (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

10. Malachi Nelson, Boise State

Nelson is an unusual case. He could be considered a bust not because he played badly, but because he didn't play. Nelson was a five-star recruit grabbed in the portal by Boise State.

Expected to start, he has instead sat behind lightly regarded Maddux Madsen. It's worked out fine for Boise, but Nelson has two stops and no real playing time.

9. Isaac Wilson, Utah

On the other hand, sometimes it's the playing that is the problem. Wilson, who expected to back up eternal college QB Cam Rising, ended up playing after Rising predictably sustained a serious injury.

Wilson completed only 56% of his passes with 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as Utah stumbled to a losing season off predictions of a conference title.

8. Donovan Smith, Houston

Smith was regarded as a talented returning starter, but he struggled throughout 2024, finishing with just four touchdowns against eight interceptions. He didn't throw a pass after Oct. 19, and Houston struggled through a humbling season.

7. Noah Fifita, Arizona

Like Smith, Fifita was regarded as an outstanding returning starter. Instead, the 5-foot-10 passer regressed in 2024. Fifita went from 25 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2023 to 18 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 2024. Arizona also failed to make a bowl game despite having Fifita and Tetairoa McMillian.

6. Grayson McCall, NC State

McCall had a great career at Coastal Carolina and was expected to be the same star at NC State. Injuries forestalled his season, but when he did play, it wasn't going well. He had three touchdowns to two interceptions and averaged just 6.5 yards per pass.

5. Cade McNamara, Iowa

McNamara came over to Iowa from Michigan. In two seasons, he won a lot of games, but he did it almost despite awful offensive production. Back in 2021, McNamara threw 15 touchdowns to six interceptions for Michigan. In two years at Iowa, he totaled 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions and barely completed half of his passes in 2023.

4. Conner Weigman, Texas A&M

Weigman had showed genuine promise as a backup at A&M, throwing 16 touchdowns to two interceptions in playing time in 2022 and 2023. But taking the job in 2024 was something of a disaster. He was supplanted by freshman Marcel Reed after throwing three touchdowns and five interceptions.

3. Brock Vandagriff, Kentucky

Expected to star after being a backup at Georgia, Vandagriff had an awful season with 10 touchdowns to eight interceptions. He ultimately lost the starting quarterback job to a freshman. In his defense, Kentucky had a porous offensive line that nearly got Vandagriff knocked out of many games.

2. Alex Orji, Michigan

Regarded as a run-first QB for Michigan, the Wolverines tried to involve Orji but found that he was basically a run-only quarterback. Orji averaged an insane 3.4 yards per passing attempt on his 44 passes and lost the job back to former walk-on Davis Warren.

1. DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State

Uiagaleli had flopped at Clemson, but rebounded some there in 2022 before having a nice season at Oregon State in 2023. But 2024 was not his year. The Seminoles finished 2-10 and Uiagalelei threw four touchdowns and six interceptions before he was eventually forced to the bench.

Which quarterbacks do you think flopped hard as busts in 2024? Share your picks below in our comments section!