Bailey Zappe has put the college football world on notice
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Whenever you look at the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, in particular their offense and what makes it go, look no further than starting quarterback Bailey Zappe.
Zappe (pronounced ZAP-ee), is a Houston Baptist transfer out of Victoria, Texas that transferred to WKU to join his offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Zach Kittley, as well as star wide receivers Ben Ratzlaff, Jerreth Sterns and Josh Sterns.
In 2019, his second season starting for Houston Baptist, Zappe started all 12 games, completing 357-of-560 passes (63.8%) for 3,811 yards with an FCS-best 35 touchdowns and only 15 INTs. He was also a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which recognizes the most outstanding offensive player in FCS football. In 2020 with Houston Baptist in a shortened Covid season, Zappe completed 141-of-215 passes (65.6%) for 1,833 yards, with 15 touchdowns and one INT. At 458.3 yards per game, Zappe’s average led all of college football.
In 2021 with the Hilltoppers, Zappe has been one of the most prolific passers in college football. Zappe has thrown for over 400 yards five times this season and over 500 yards once. He鈥檚 also thrown for at least three touchdowns in every game and has 48 touchdown passes on the season to only nine interceptions. With 48 touchdowns, Zappe is one shy of WKU鈥檚 single season record and a Conference USA record of 49 set by former WKU Hilltopper Brandon Doughty in 2014. Zappe is also 415 yards shy of breaking the school鈥檚 single season passing yardage record of 5,055, also set by Doughty. This season, Zappe currently leads all FBS in passing yards, passing touchdowns, points responsible for, passing yards per game and points responsible for per game.
Zappe is also top ten in FBS in passing efficiency, completion percentage, completions per game, and total offense. Zappe鈥檚 lowest yardage and touchdowns this season has been 281 yards and three touchdowns, some QB鈥檚 career high.
There has been ultimate praise for Zappe鈥檚 game since he鈥檚 arrived in Bowling Green. Tyson Helton, WKU鈥檚 head coach,聽聽called Zappe 鈥渁 generational quarterback鈥� and 鈥渢he best I鈥檝e been around.鈥�, following the UTSA game, in comments published by the聽. Mason Brooks, a starting junior offensive lineman said that Zappe鈥檚 composure is what makes him special, 鈥淗e doesn鈥檛 care if we鈥檙e down or up he wants to kick people鈥檚 asses and he wants to play his best. He鈥檚 a perfectionist without the crippling aspects. Makes for a great Q and a great leader.鈥� Brook also had mega praise for Zappe鈥檚 mobility, 鈥淣ot really his speed just like his sense of the pocket. He almost has eyes on the back of his head. Really makes things shake. Everyone talks about the numbers, but that鈥檚 one people don鈥檛 see.鈥�
Zappe also spoke of his own performance this year in a recent episode of聽stating 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think we鈥檝e played our best game yet. That鈥檚 kinda scary. We鈥檝e been able to put some crazy numbers up and we鈥檝e had a lot of mistakes in those games, and I think if we鈥檙e able to clean that stuff up, there鈥檚 nobody in our next few games that can really stop us on the offensive side.鈥�
Zappe鈥檚 performance this year has made him a semifinalist for the Davey O鈥橞rien Award, an award for being the best QB in college football. In addition, Zappe is also a semifinalist for the 2021 Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award presented to the best offensive player in college football with a Texas background.
With three games left, Zappe has accepted his national invite for The Senior Bowl. The Senior Bowl features some of the best senior football players college football has to offer, with high-quality talent from the biggest programs. If Zappe can be as consistent against them as he has been all season, he could get a huge rise from the Senior Bowl and wind up as a mid-round pick in the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft. While history and losses don鈥檛 look well for Zappe, there鈥檚 always some chance that the talented signal caller out of Victoria, Texas could shake the scene up. Zappe has produced a season and a collegiate career that the folks in Houston and Bowling Green will remember for a long time.
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.