Since there is no Clemson football this weekend, I thought we could take a deeper look at one of the advanced metrics that can be used to analyze quarterback performance.
What Is the NCAA Passer Rating?
Passer rating is a metric used to quantify how efficiently a college quarterback throws the ball. Instead of relying on basic stats like completions or raw yardage, passer rating blends multiple aspects of passing performance into one number. The NCAA introduced the formula in 1970s to standardize QB
evaluation across teams and eras, when QBs typically produced an efficiency of around 100 over a season. The goal was simple: measure how effectively a quarterback moved the ball and avoided mistakes.
The Formula
The NCAA passer rating combines four key elements of quarterback play:
– Passing yards
– Completions
– Touchdowns
– Interceptions
The formula is:
Rating = ((8.4 × Yards) + (330 × TD) + (100 × Completions) – (200 × INT)) / Attempts
It rewards accuracy, explosiveness, and ball security by normalizing each component across the quarterback’s attempts.
How to Interpret NCAA Passer Rating
The formula may look complex, but interpreting the result is straightforward:
– 200+ — Historic: Rare over a full season. Requires big-play success, elite accuracy, and minimal turnovers. Jayden Daniels (208 in 2023) is a modern benchmark.
– 175–199 — Elite: Championship-level efficiency. Typical of Heisman contenders leading well-designed, high-powered offenses.
– 160–175 — Excellent: Often All-Conference level. Strong accuracy and decision-making. Think Trevor Lawrence.
– 140–160 — Above Average to Strong: Solid, reliable play. Many veteran starters fall here. Deshaun Watson spent time at this level.
– 120–140 — Average to Inconsistent: Can win games but may struggle with explosive plays or turnovers. Cade Klubnik currently sits at the upper edge of this range.
– Below 120 — Inefficient or Struggling: Can signal broader offensive issues such as protection problems, receiver depth, or an inexperienced QB.
Passer rating captures efficiency, production, and ball security, but it doesn’t tell the entire story. It can’t measure how well a quarterback reads defenses, handles pressure, their addition to the running game or ability to perform in critical moments. Over a full season or career, however, the metric becomes more useful by smoothing out the noise of individual games.
Example: Clemson vs. South Carolina — Passer Rating in Context
To see the metric in action, consider this year’s Palmetto Bowl:
– Clemson — Cade Klubnik: 24-for-39, 268 yards, 0 TD, 1 INT → 114 rating
– South Carolina — LaNorris Sellers: 23-for-42, 381 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT → 137 rating
Sellers finished with the higher rating (137) — driven largely by more yards and two explosive touchdowns. Those big plays were South Carolina’s offensive output and kept the game somewhat competitive.
Klubnik’s rating (114) looks modest, but context matters. The metric doesn’t capture drops, pressure, field position, or game flow. Klubnik delivered a controlled performance, avoided major mistakes outside of one poor interception, and kept Clemson ahead by sustaining drives — all crucial in a rivalry game played behind a makeshift offensive line.
This example illustrates the metric’s value and limitations. It summarizes efficiency well, but it can understate a steady, winning performance. Over multiple games, though, passer rating becomes more reliable, revealing a quarterback’s true consistency.
Conclusion
NCAA passer rating is a useful tool for quickly summarizing a quarterback’s passing efficiency. It rewards accuracy, explosiveness, scoring, and ball security — and over a season or career, it offers meaningful insight into sustained performance.
But it’s only one piece of the puzzle. It can’t account for situational football, protection issues, or the context of a particular game. For fans, it’s best used as a lens on quarterback play, not a replacement for watching the game itself. And for Clemson fans, it helps explain why a calm, controlled outing might not look impressive on paper — yet still be exactly what’s needed to win.
