Steve McNair: Greatest College Football Quarterback?
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Steve McNair: Greatest College Football Quarterback?

Courtesy: Footballnation.com

For two years, I had the pleasure of watching Steve "Air" McNair slice and dice his way through the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) for the Alcorn State Braves.  There have been many dual threat quarterbacks in my time that were excellent, but none of them would even come close to McNair. 

For two years, at Alabama State University, I sat in the defensive film room to study film on Alcorn State.  Let me rephrase that - study film on Steve McNair.  McNair was Alcorn State.  As we watched film on this athlete, it was like watching someone not from this world.  I witnessed a quarterback with superhuman speed, strength, intelligence, and agility.  Our coaches used to get mad at us for being in awe of watching film.  It was like watching ESPN Top 10 greatest plays.  He was that good!

McNair introduced ESPN to the SWAC. During those days, ESPN never played any black college football games on television (now you can see them on ESPNU).   ESPN 2 to be exact started broadcasting his games as he pushed his way into the Heisman Trophy conversation.  In fact, Sports Illustrated had him on the cover with the title, "Hand Him the Heisman."  One particular game against the Southern Jaguars, Alcorn State was trailing by a few points and McNair led the "Drive II."  Injured, exhausted, beaten up, McNair willed the Braves down the field to Southern's one yard line.  Under center McNair, scored on a quarterback sneak and simply ran through the end zone ala Desmond Howard style and struck a Heisman pose.  It was then, that a true star was born. 

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