KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A mere mention of the statistics left Gene Chizik wearing a thousand-yard stare.

In the fall of 2007, seven Big 12 quarterbacks established new single-season passing records for their respective programs. Six of those signal-callers have at least two years of eligibility left.

And that group doesn't even include Texas Tech senior Graham Harrell -- who simply passed for 48 touchdowns last season and nearly 439 yards per contest.

"It's the dangedest thing I've seen. It really is," said Chizik, Iowa State's second-year head coach.

"You want your eyes poked out or your nose cut off? Which do you want? Because it's, 'This week this guy's gonna throw for 500. This guy this week's gonna run for 100 and throw for 400.'

"The quarterbacks in this league are phenomenal," concluded Chizik, the only coach in the conference who saw last year's starting signal-caller graduate.

Unquestionably, the Big 12 features a rare collection of talent at the quarterback position, from Lawrence to Lubbock.

"There's a lot of guys that are impressive," said Kansas' Todd Reesing, who set a staggering 21 school records last season. "Watching film … there's a lot of guys making big plays."

Pick your poison; so many different passers can sting you in this league. Even guys the average college football fan has probably never heard of.

Did you know, for example, that Oklahoma State's Zac Robinson set a Cowboy record for single-season yards of total offense (3,671) in 2007? Or that Baylor incumbent Blake Szymanski -- one of six starting Big 12 quarterbacks who hail from Texas -- established four new school records in 2007, including TD passes (22)?

None of these triggermen minds having a bulls-eye on their back, either.

Missouri's Chase Daniel, who finished fourth in the Heisman voting and passed for 4,306 yards a year ago, bordered on cocky at the league's preseason gathering in Kansas City in July.

And listen to this quote from Kansas State QB Josh Freeman:

"I'd say I'm the best (passer in the Big 12) in my opinion," said a stone-faced Freeman. "With what I bring to the table, I have supreme confidence in my abilities."

Still, so many of these young men have the game to back up any bold statements -- including Freeman, who passed for a Kansas State single-season record 3,353 yards in 2007.

It's almost as if Big 12 coaches cloned their ideal quarterback, then turned him loose in their huddle. Take Sam Bradford, for instance. A year ago, the 6-foot-5, 213-pound Oklahoma Sooner threw for an NCAA freshman-record 36 scoring strikes.

"Everyone knows the great quarterbacks that are out there throughout this league," said Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops. "It's just amazing, and it's really challenging for defenses to limit them."

One main question remains as the 2008 season looms: Who's the best quarterback the Big 12 has to offer? Missouri's Daniel was asked recently if he was.

"I am," said Daniel, smiling. "What? Am I gonna say no?!"

Contact Kelly Beaton at (319) 291-1456 or kelly.beaton@wcfcourier.com