Steve Young: The College Years - A Foundation for NFL Greatness

Jon Steven Young, born on October 11, 1961, in Salt Lake City, Utah, is hailed as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. However, before his professional accolades, Super Bowl victories, and Hall of Fame induction, Young established himself as a force to be reckoned with during his college career at Brigham Young University (BYU). This article delves into Steve Young's college career stats, exploring his journey from a raw talent to a record-breaking quarterback, setting the stage for his eventual NFL success.

Early Life and the Road to BYU

The oldest of five children, Steve Young, was raised in a Mormon family; his great-great-great-grandfather was Brigham Young, the iconic Mormon leader for whom BYU is named. Though his family never pushed him toward sports, Steve was a naturally gifted athlete. When the Young family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut, Steve showcased his athletic ability as the quarterback of his Greenwich High School football team. Interestingly, the team relied more on his running prowess than his passing skills.

Choosing a college, Steve decided on Brigham Young University (BYU) because of his family’s Mormon background. Despite his high school success, Young's initial prospects at BYU seemed uncertain. The BYU Cougars ran a wide-open, professional-style passing offense, and Young arrived in 1979 as the eighth-rated quarterback, far behind starter Jim McMahon, who was also destined for an outstanding professional career. Discouraged at the prospect of switching to defense, the raw left-hander was on the verge of quitting football until BYU quarterback coach Ted Tollner, sensing Steve’s intensity and capacity to learn, convinced BYU head coach LaVell Edwards to stick with the youngster as a possible successor to McMahon.

From Backup to Record-Breaking Quarterback (1981-1983)

Young played 31 games for Brigham Young from 1981 to 1983. Initially struggling with his throwing skills, he worked diligently to improve, eventually succeeding record-setting Jim McMahon as BYU's starting quarterback. In 1982, his total offense of 311.8 yards per game was second in the nation.

The Landmark 1983 Season

In 1983, Steve's senior year at BYU, he completed 71.3 percent of his passes, a then-National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) single-season record, and threw for 3,902 yards and 33 touchdowns. That year, he led the nation in total offense with 4,346 yards, 3,802 passing yards, 306 completed passes, 33 touchdown passes, and a pass completion percentage of .713. He broke 13 NCAA records. He also set seven Western Athletic Conference records, was 1983 WAC Player of the Year, and was a two-time All-WAC selection.

Read also: Steve Madden Style for Students

With Young at quarterback, BYU set an NCAA record by averaging 584.2 yards of total offense per game, with 370.5 of those yards coming from his passing and rushing. The Cougars finished the year with an impressive 11-1 record.

Individual Accolades and Recognition

For his efforts, Steve was selected as a consensus All-American. He won the Davey O'Brien and Sammy Baugh Awards as the nation's top quarterback. He was also recognized by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame as a top scholar-athlete. He also won NCAA scholar-athlete recognition and was Western Athletic Conference all-academic.

Young was runner-up for the Heisman Trophy behind Nebraska’s Mike Rozier. In 1984, when Steve graduated in international relations, the NCAA honored him with their Top Five Award and a postgraduate scholarship.

Memorable Plays

His most memorable play was in the Holiday Bowl vs. Missouri. He also set an NCAA record for most consecutive passes completed in a season: 22 (8 vs. Utah State and 14 vs. Air Force).

College Statistics Overview

Across his college career (1981-1983), Steve Young amassed impressive statistics:

Games Played: 31
Pass Completions: 592
Passing Yards: 7,733
Passing Touchdowns: 56
Total Touchdowns: 74 (56 passing and 18 running)
Rushing Yards: 1,048
Rushing Touchdowns: 18
Total Offense: 8,817 yards

USFL Career

Young was selected by the USFL Los Angeles Express in the first round (11th overall) of the 1984 draft held that January. After missing the first six games of his rookie season while taking some college classes in order to graduate on time, Young started the final 12 games. Despite a roster which included future NFL players such as Jojo Townsell, Mel Gray, and Kevin Nelson, and making the Western Conference title game in Young's first season, the Express were never able to create a sustaining fan base in Los Angeles. Near the end of the 1984 season, Express owner J. William Oldenburg was forced to give up control of the team after multiple reports revealed he had misrepresented his net worth. Houston Gamblers minority owner Jay Roulier was cleared to buy the team, only to be pushed out shortly before the 1985 preseason when it emerged that he too had lied about his finances. For all intents and purposes, the Express' 1985 season ended at that point. The league took over the team and cut the budget to the bare minimum. Notably, no money was allocated to replace injured players. This left the Express in a precarious position when a rash of injuries decimated the roster. Even before then, Young and the other young players concluded that the Express would not be around for the planned move to a fall schedule in 1986, even if the USFL survived. With this in mind, they played tentatively so as not to harm their NFL prospects. Before the Express' final home game - which had been moved to Los Angeles Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley - the bus driver refused to leave unless he was paid up front, in cash. Young contributed some money, as did the team trainer, and the driver took them to the game.

After leaving BYU he signed a multimillion-dollar contract and played two seasons with the Los Angeles Express.

NFL Career

Young left the fledgling USFL after the 1985 season to join the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers selected University of Miami quarterback Vinny Testaverde first overall in the 1987 NFL draft because Young was deemed a bust. Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on April 24, 1987, to serve as a backup to Joe Montana. Young played behind Montana for four years, but shone as a backup. Substituting for an injured Montana, early in the first quarter of a 1987 game against the Chicago Bears, Young threw four touchdown passes in a 41-0 victory.

San Francisco 49ers

In 1987 the 6-foot 2-inch (1.88-meter) Young was traded to the San Francisco 49ers, where he worked as a backup to future NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana. When an elbow injury sidelined Montana in 1991, Young became the starting quarterback for the 49ers. From 1991 to 1994, Young led the NFL in passing, earning league most valuable player (MVP) honors in 1992 and 1994. He finished the 1994 season with a 112.8 passer rating, a mark he achieved on a scale where 100 was meant to be the realistic maximum. He also led the league in yards per pass attempt, averaging a gain of 8.7 yards every time he released the ball. He capped this extraordinary run by leading the 49ers to victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX in 1995. Young threw a record-setting six touchdowns in a 24-for-36 performance that earned him recognition as the game’s MVP. In 1997 Young led the team to the National Football Conference (NFC) championship game, and two years later he was selected to his seventh Pro Bowl.

Young was voted NFL Most Valuable Player in 1992 and 1994 and was runner-up in 1993. In January of 1995, Steve led the 49ers to a victory over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. In that game, Steve threw a Super Bowl record six touchdown passes on his way to being named MVP.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Young grew increasingly dissatisfied with the disarray surrounding the Express. By this time, the Buccaneers were in the midst of what would be 12 consecutive 10-loss seasons. They posted identical 2-14 records in Young's two seasons with them, going 3-16 with him as a starter.

Impact and Legacy

Steve Young's college career at BYU was nothing short of remarkable. He set numerous records, earned All-American honors, and established himself as one of the most exciting quarterbacks in college football. These accomplishments served as a springboard for his professional career. Headlines have followed Steve from the time this great-great-great-grandson of Brigham Young arrived from Greenwich, Connecticut.

Life After Football

Even before his retirement, Steve was involved in a number of activities. He served as an international spokesperson for the Children’s Miracle Network, which has raised more than $1 billion worldwide for children’s hospitals. He also became a member of the board of directors of American Indian Services. In 1996, he published a children’s book, Forever Young, geared toward fourth-graders. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. Steve, who suffered numerous concussions throughout his career, has also spoken out about the dangers football players face from repeated hits they endure on the field. He also became involved with private equity and venture capitalist firms, cofounding HGGC in 2007. In 2016, he published his autobiography QB: My Life Behind the Spiral. After two decades working on ESPN’s NFL commentary programs, he was laid off in 2023.

Young set the NFL record for the highest single-game completion rate in 1991, completing 90 percent of his passes against the Detroit Lions. He held this record until 2023, when the San Francisco 49ers's Brock Purdy completed 95.2 percent of 21 passes against the Arizona Cardinals.

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