Zach Wilson’s Career Completion Rate On Pace To Be Among Best In BYU History

PROVO, Utah – The BYU Cougars have roared to a 3-0 start this season behind the arm of quarterback Zach Wilson. Wilson has been phenomenal this season, completing 83% of his passes for 949 yards and 11 touchdowns, 5 of those on the ground.

QB Zach Wilson has 949 passing yards, 11 TD’s (5 rushing) and an 83% completion percentage thru three games this season. #BYUvsLaTech #BYUFootball

— Dallen Graff (@lilthoint) October 3, 2020

After an up and down start to his tenure at BYU, that saw him go 8-8 through his first 16 starts, the junior quarterback seems to be emerging as one of the most talented signal-callers the Cougars have had in a while.

One thing that has always been true about Wilson has been his accuracy. With 573 pass attempts to his name, Wilson currently touts a 66.1% completion percentage. If he continues to play at this level, he will undoubtedly join the top of BYU’s career pass completion percentage list.

BYU has a minimum of 700 pass attempts to be considered. Here are the current Top 5 BYU quarterbacks in career pass completion percentage as we discussed in this week’s “Top 5” segment on Cougar Sports Saturday (KSL Newsradio, Noon-3pm).

Who is Zach Wilson chasing? Top 5 BYU QBs in Career Pass Completion %

Minimum 700 pass attempts

5) Ty Detmer (1988-1991)

The 1990 Heisman winner had a career percentage of 62.6%, good for fifth on the list. Detmer is BYU’s all-time leader in almost every passing statistic except for pass completion percentage. Still an impressive 62% for Detmer, whose most accurate season in 1989 had him completing passes at 64.3%.

4) Robbie Bosco (1981-1985)

Bosco completed 64% of his passes at BYU, including a season-high 66.1% in 1985. Bosco helped lead BYU to a National Championship in 1984 and finished third in Heisman voting in 1984 and 1985.

3) Steve Young (1980-1983)

The two-time NFL MVP was one of BYU’s most accurate passers, boasting a career pass completion percentage of 65.3%. Young also has credit for the best individual season for pass completion percentage when he completed 71.3% of his passes in 1983 and finished as the Heisman runner-up.

This is the best #BYU football team since 2009. It’s a shame they don’t have the Power 5 opponents, but this team is good and it starts with QB Zach Wilson.#BYUFootball @kslsports

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) October 3, 2020

2) Max Hall (2006-2009)

BYU’s winningest quarterback of all-time had a career completion percentage of 65.3%, just ahead of Steve Young. Hall had two seasons over 67% completion percentage, in 2008 and 2009.

1) Steve Sarkisian (1995-1996)

The current Alabama Offensive Coordinator leads BYU all-time in career pass completion percentage at 66.9%. His best season was 1996, when he completed 68.8% of his passes, leading the Cougars to 14 wins, a Cotton Bowl victory, and a No. 5 ranking in the final polls.

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Start talking up #BYU QB Zach Wilson NOW, look real smart next April… 60-of-71 thru 3 games & making💰💰with each appearance

— Rich Cirminiello (@RichCirminiello) October 3, 2020

Zach Wilson is receiving a lot of attention after this hot start and deservedly so when you’re putting up the numbers he is and winning in such a dominant manner week after week. The season is long, and Wilson and BYU will have to continue to win like this if they want to be in any major conversations at the end of the college football season (New Year’s Six, etc.). Wilson’s 66.1% career completion percentage would be good for second all-time at BYU right now, but a consistent 2020 season could see Wilson not only sit on the career list but lead it.

Listen to the entire segment from Cougar Sports Saturday discussing Wilson and BYU’s best QBs in completion rate.