If we really want to be truthful. Cato is the only solid long term QB we have had in the last ten years, but even he underachieved and blew it when it mattered. Those 2013 and 2014 teams WERE STACKED with talent on both sides of the ball. One conference title (in that league) during his four years and pissed away the chance at a special undefeated season (at home at that) by throwing pic after pic.
We haven't had that special QB that takes the team where it should go since Chad and Bryon.
That's laughably harsh on Cato. You can say the team blew some chances, but it's ridiculous to say
he "blew it when it mattered."
2011: It was an absolute miracle we made it to a bowl with the schedule we had (@ WVU, VT, @ Louisville, @10-4 Ohio, 12-2 USM, @ 12-0 Houston, @ Tulsa whose only conference loss was Houston). Don't know what else you could ask for from a true freshman.
2012: Rippon gave us one of the worst defenses in the country and Cato was the league MVP. Also, C-USA was still full strength until after this season.
2013: Continued to ball out. Lost to Ohio because the D couldn't stop Tettleton. Lost to VT because the ball slipped through Roberts' and later Allen's fingers. Lost to MTSU because the D gave up 51 and a TD on the final play. His stats were fine in the title game loss, that one was also on the defense getting run through like butter by McHargue. Epic performances against ECU to win the division and against Maryland in the bowl. Clutch drive to set up the win at FAU.
2014: Yeah he threw 4 INT's, most of them early, against WKU but also threw 7 TD's and scored 66 points, including the game-tying drive and his only drive in overtime. Hard to say he "blew" a 13-1 season, especially when he was clutch on the final drive against LT and dominant in the bowl.