Personal
- Born in San Marcos, Texas
- Recruited by Miami, UCLA, Michigan, Texas A & M and BYU
- Married to the former Kim Herbert in July, 1991
- Earned a bachelor's degree in recreation administration from BYU
Career Highlights
- Selected in the 1992 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers
- 1990 Heisman Trophy winner (finished ninth in voting 1989 and third in 1991)
- Two-time Davey O'Brien Award winner ('90,'91)
- Broke 59 NCAA records and tied three others
- Third in NCAA with 15,031 career passing-yards
- Had 14,665 career yards in total offense
- The Cougars were invited to four bowl games with him and compiled a record of 37-13-2 during the Detmer years, including a 28-21 victory over top-ranked Miami(Florida) on September 8, 1990 in Provo, one of the biggest wins in BYU history
- During the nationally-televised victory over the Hurricanes, Detmer threw for 406 yards and earned National Player-of-the-Week honors
Before BYU
- Texas Player of the Year and prep All-America at Southwest High
- Committed to BYU in the fall of senior year
- Coached by his father
- Lettered three times in football,basketball, baseball and golf, plus once in track
- All-state in baseball and all-district in basketball
After BYU
- Selected in the 1992 NFL draft by the Green Bay Packers
- Signed with the Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed with the San Francisco 49ers in 1998, joining fellow Cougar quarterback Steve Young
- Acquired by the expansion Cleveland Browns in 1999
Post BYU Honors and Societies
- Was the top backup behind All-Pro quarterback Brett Favre
- Finished the 1996 season with 2,911 yards passing and 15 touchdowns
- His quarterback rating was 80.8, fourth best in the NFC that season (1996)
- Started on game for the 49ers and completed the season with 312 yards passing, four touchdowns and a 63.2 completion percentage
- Started two games and saw action in three others for the Browns
- Finished the season with 548 yards passing
- Inducted into the BYU Hall of Fame in 2000
- Was BYU's offensive coordinator from 2016-17
Stats
DETMER'S CAREER STATS YR GM ATT-CMP-INT PCT YDS TD LNG AVG/G 1988 10 153-83-1 54.2 1252 13 71t 125.2 1989 12 412-265-15 64.3 4560 32 76t 380.0 1990 12 562-361-28 64.2 5188 41 69t 432.3 1991 12 403-249-12 61.8 4031 35 97t 335.9 *statistics do not include bowl games
2000 BYU Hall of Fame
In 1990 BYU quarterback Ty Detmer had a year most college football players dream of. By the end of his senior year in 1991, he had numbers big enough to do even his home state of Texas proud.
As a junior in 1990, the 6-foot, 175-pound San Marcos, Texas, native finished the season with 5,188 yards passing and 41 touchdowns. This offensive onslaught earned Detmer the coveted Heisman Trophy, given to the top collegiate football player in the country. He was the first and only BYU player to win the award and was also the first recipient from the Intermountain West.
By the end of his collegiate career, Detmer had broken 59 NCAA records and tied three others. He finished his career with an NCAA-record 15,031 yards passing. He also had 14,665 career yards in total offense, another NCAA best. The Cougars were invited to four bowl games and compiled a record of 37-13-2 during the Detmer years, including a 28-21 victory over top-ranked Miami (Florida) on September 8, 1990, in Provo, one of the biggest wins in BYU history. During the nationally televised victory over the Hurricanes, Detmer threw for 406 yards and earned National Player of the Week honors.
As a freshman, Ty came off the bench to lead the Cougars to a 20-17 Freedom Bowl victory against the Colorado Buffaloes, and a star was born.
He was the first BYU football player to be voted a captain as a sophomore. Detmer set the NCAA record for passing by a sophomore with 4,560 yards and nearly broke the NCAA record for pass efficiency in a season.
Detmer has seen more action in a Cougar uniform than any other player. He still holds the school record for most plays (1,795), most pass attempts (1,530), and most pass completions (958) in his career.
After finishing his record-setting career at BYU and earning a bachelor's degree in recreation administration, Detmer was selected in the 1992 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers. He was the top backup behind All-Pro quarterback Brett Favre before signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. He finished the 1996 season with 2,911 yards passing and 15 touchdowns. His quarterback rating was 80.8, fourth best in the NFC that season.
In 1998 he signed with the San Francisco 49ers, joining fellow Cougar quarterback Steve Young. Detmer started one game and completed the season with 312 yards passing, four touchdowns, and a 63.2 completion percentage.
In 1999 he was acquired by the expansion Cleveland Browns, where he started two games and saw action in three others for the new team. He finished the season with 548 yards passing. He missed the entire 2000 season because of an Achilles tendon tear. Ty is married to the former Kim Herbert.
- Came off the bench to lead the Cougars to a 20-17 Freedom Bowl victory against the Colorado Buffaloes to earn MVP honors
- Started against New Mexico and led Cougars to a 65-0 win
- Against the Lobos he hit 24 of 35 passes for 333 yards and five TD's
- Relieved in second half several times as he shared duties with Sean Covey
- Was 10 of 20 for 238 yards against Utah
- Connected on 16 of 27 for 212 yards at Miami
- Threw four interceptions in the season opener at Wyoming
- First team All-Western Athletic Conference (Coaches) and first team All-WAC (writers)
- Honorable mention All-America by UPI and The Sporting News
- CNN Player of the Week vs. San Diego State
- WAC Offensive Player of the Week vs. UTEP
- Chevrolet Player of the Game vs. Air Force
- Voted a team captain
- His 594 yards total offense in the Holiday Bowl against Penn State established new records for all-time bowl performances in the NCAA
- Was co-MVP of the Holiday Bowl
- Broke 11 NCAA records
- Selected as team MVP
- Heisman Trophy Winner
- Winner of the Maxwell Trophy and the Davey O'Brien Award
- First team All-America, Associated Press, UPI, Football Writers, Walter Camp, Football News, Scripps Howard and The Sporting News
- Named Player of the Year by UPI, CBS, Scripps Howard and Football News
- Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year
- First team unanimous All-WAC
- Deseret News Athlete of the Year
- Player of the Week against Miami by CNN, Football News, Athlon and WAC
- WAC Offensive Player of the Week against San Diego State when he was also named Chevrolet Player of the Game and selected for the CBS Toyota Leadership Award
- WAC Offensive Player of the Week against the Air Force Academy
- Selected as the Amateur Athlete of September by the U.S. Sports Academy
- Broke 31 NCAA records
- Threw five TD's in a game against Washington State and New Mexico
- Selected as team co-captain and voted MVP
- Had his throwing hand in a removable cast before and after the Oregon game
- Suffered a slight shoulder injury against Utah
- Suffered two separated shoulders in the Holiday Bowl against Texas A & M
- Davey O'Brien Trophy winner
- Third in the Heisman Trophy voting
- First team All-America by Kodak (Coaches), Football Writers, Associated Press, United Press International, The Sporting News and College & Pro Football Newsweekly
- Third team All-America by Football News
- UPI Back of the Year
- Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year
- First team All-WAC
- WAC Offensive Player of the week against Colorado State
- Co-WAC Offensive Player of the Week vs. San Diego State
- Sports Illustrated Offensive Player of the Week against San Diego State
- Toyota Leadership Award vs. SDSU
- AT&T Long Distance Player of the Year
- MVP of the Thrifty Car Rental Holiday Bowl
- Played in the Japan Bowl
- Had surgery on his right shoulder in January and did not play in spring practice
- ImageFootball | Dec, 17
From the archives: the 52-52 tie of 1991 at San Diego State
- ImageFootball | Dec, 04
Ty Detmer Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
- ImageFootball | Dec, 04
Ty Detmer Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
- ImageFootball | May, 14
Detmer Headlines 2012 NFF College Hall of Fame Class
- ImageFootball | May, 14
Detmer Headlines 2012 NFF College Hall of Fame Class
- ImageFootball | Jul, 12
Media Day Highlights and Quotes