Brandon Cox
Encyclopedia
Brandon Cox is a former American football
quarterback
, who played collegiately
for Auburn University
. As Auburn
's starting Quarterback
from 2005
–2007
he guided the Tigers to a 29–9 record and was a member of the winningest Senior class in Auburn history, winning 50 games during their time on the Plains.
Cox attended Hewitt-Trussville High School
, the same school as Jay Barker
,former quarterback for arch rival University of Alabama
. He was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis
in his 10th grade year in high school, but fought the disease and continued to play football. Cox, a left-hander, was recruited to Auburn in 2003 but redshirted
his freshman year.
After serving one season as backup, Cox stumbled to begin the 2005 season before leading the Tigers to a 9–3 finish. Cox returned his Junior year to lead Auburn to an 11–2 finish, including a victory over Nebraska in the 71st annual Cotton Bowl Classic.
He began the season as the starter for the third season for the Tigers
in 2007. Prior to the season, Cox was one of 35 quarterbacks named to the 2007 Manning Award
Watch List. For much of the 2007 season, Cox struggled to find consistency behind an offensive line starting three freshman. He was briefly benched in favor of true freshman quarterback Kodi Burns
during the Mississippi State game. Cox rebounded from being benched to lead Auburn to victories over undefeated Florida, Arkansas and Alabama.
In winning the 2007 Iron Bowl
over Alabama, 17–10, the team set a school record for 6-consecutive wins over its rival. Cox became only the second Auburn quarterback to be 3–0 against Alabama, with his predecessor, Jason Campbell
, being the other quarterback to record this feat.
Cox's last win came in the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl
when he led Auburn past Clemson, 23–20 (OT). Cox completed a career high 25 passes, but it was Burns who ended the game with a touchdown run in overtime.
Cox finished the regular season of his senior year with a 117.58 passer rating
. As of the 2007 Iron Bowl, Cox has 6,748 career passing yards, a 59.12% completion percentage (525/888), 42 touchdowns on 31 interceptions for a career NCAA passer rating of 131.58.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
, who played collegiately
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for Auburn University
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
. As Auburn
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
's starting Quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
from 2005
2005 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 2005 NCAA Division I-A football season ended with the least amount of controversy surrounding the Bowl Championship Series title game in many years.To an extent it was a return to classic football...
–2007
2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 30, 2007, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in New Orleans, Louisiana on January 7, 2008, where the top...
he guided the Tigers to a 29–9 record and was a member of the winningest Senior class in Auburn history, winning 50 games during their time on the Plains.
Cox attended Hewitt-Trussville High School
Hewitt-Trussville High School
Hewitt-Trussville High School is a high school located in Trussville, Alabama. The school was named after Robert Hewitt, who was school superintendent in 1869. Hewitt-Trussville has several varsity sports teams, including baseball, football, basketball, soccer, golf, wrestling, cross-country,...
, the same school as Jay Barker
Jay Barker
Jay Barker is a former professional American football quarterback, and a current Birmingham radio personality.- Football career :...
,former quarterback for arch rival University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
. He was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis
Myasthenia gravis is an autoimmune neuromuscular disease leading to fluctuating muscle weakness and fatiguability...
in his 10th grade year in high school, but fought the disease and continued to play football. Cox, a left-hander, was recruited to Auburn in 2003 but redshirted
Redshirt (college sports)
Redshirt is a term used in American college athletics that refers to a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen his or her period of eligibility...
his freshman year.
After serving one season as backup, Cox stumbled to begin the 2005 season before leading the Tigers to a 9–3 finish. Cox returned his Junior year to lead Auburn to an 11–2 finish, including a victory over Nebraska in the 71st annual Cotton Bowl Classic.
He began the season as the starter for the third season for the Tigers
Auburn Tigers football
Only Mohamed Amin Abughadir set the record with 1,890 yards in 1 season. He was the QB for Auburn in 1998.The Auburn Tigers football team represents Auburn University in college football as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, competing in the Western Division of the...
in 2007. Prior to the season, Cox was one of 35 quarterbacks named to the 2007 Manning Award
Manning Award
The Manning Award has been presented annually since 2004 to the collegiate American football quarterback adjudged by the Sugar Bowl Committee to be the best in the United States...
Watch List. For much of the 2007 season, Cox struggled to find consistency behind an offensive line starting three freshman. He was briefly benched in favor of true freshman quarterback Kodi Burns
Kodi Burns
Kodi Burns is an American football Wide Receiver for the Auburn University Tigers football team.As a high school senior in 2006, Burns accounted for 2,738 yards 36 touchdowns, rushing and passing. He was named All-State by the Arkansas Activities Association and was ranked as the nation's #8...
during the Mississippi State game. Cox rebounded from being benched to lead Auburn to victories over undefeated Florida, Arkansas and Alabama.
In winning the 2007 Iron Bowl
Iron Bowl
The Iron Bowl is an American college football rivalry game played annually by the Alabama Crimson Tide football team of the University of Alabama and the Auburn Tigers football team of Auburn University. The series is considered one of the best and most hard-fought rivalries in all of sports...
over Alabama, 17–10, the team set a school record for 6-consecutive wins over its rival. Cox became only the second Auburn quarterback to be 3–0 against Alabama, with his predecessor, Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
, being the other quarterback to record this feat.
Cox's last win came in the 2007 Chick-fil-A Bowl
Chick-fil-A Bowl
The Chick-fil-A Bowl, formerly called the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, and before that simply called the Peach Bowl, is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. The first three Peach Bowls were played at Grant Field on the Georgia Tech campus in Atlanta....
when he led Auburn past Clemson, 23–20 (OT). Cox completed a career high 25 passes, but it was Burns who ended the game with a touchdown run in overtime.
Cox finished the regular season of his senior year with a 117.58 passer rating
Passer rating
Passer rating is a measure of the performance of quarterbacks or any other passers in American football and Canadian football. There are at least two formulae currently in use: one officially used by the National Football League and the Canadian Football League, and one used in college football...
. As of the 2007 Iron Bowl, Cox has 6,748 career passing yards, a 59.12% completion percentage (525/888), 42 touchdowns on 31 interceptions for a career NCAA passer rating of 131.58.