This is how BYU QBs compared to other Heisman candidate QBs. McMahon's numbers in 1980 were insane for the era:

1974
4th place - Tom Clements (Notre Dame) - 122 Cmp, 215 Att, 1549 Yds, 8 TD, 11 Int
5th place - Dave Humm (Nebraska) - 106 Cmp, 187 Att, 1451 Yds, 12 TD, 12 Int
8th place - Gary Sheide (BYU) - 181 Cmp, 300 Att, 2174 Yds, 23 TD, 19 Int
10th place - Steve Bartkowski (Cal) - 182 Cmp, 325 Att, 2580 Yds, 12 TD, 7 Int

1976
5th place - Tommy Kramer (Rice) - 269 Cmp, 501 Att, 3317 Yds, 21 TD, 19 Int
6th place - Gifford Nielsen (BYU) - 230 Cmp, 406 Att, 3401 Yds, 30 TD, 23 Int
7th place - Ray Goff (Georgia) - 18 Cmp, 29 Att, 322 Yds, 4 TD, 1 Int
9th place - Joe Roth (Cal) - 154 Cmp, 295 Att, 1789 Yds, 7 TD, 18 Int
10th place - Jeff Dankworth (UCLA) - 66 Cmp, 120 Att, 866 Yds, 4 TD, 7 Int

1979
3rd place - Marc Wilson (BYU) - 250 Cmp, 427 Att, 3720 Yds, 29 TD, 15 Int
4th place - Art Schlichter (Ohio State) - 105 Cmp, 200 Att, 1816 Yds, 14 TD, 6 Int
6th place - Paul McDonald (USC) - 164 Cmp, 264 Att, 2223 Yds, 18 TD, 6 Int
8th place - Mark Herrmann (Purdue) - 203 Cmp, 348 Att, 2377 Yds, 16 TD, 19 Int
10th place - Steadman Shealy (Alabama) - 45 Cmp, 81 Att, 717 Yds, 4 TD, 5 Int

1980
4th place - Mark Herrmann (Purdue) - 242 Cmp, 368 Att, 3212 Yds, 23 TD, 17 Int
5th place - Jim McMahon (BYU) - 284 Cmp, 445 Att, 4571 Yds, 47 TD, 18 Int
6th place - Art Schlichter (Ohio State) - 122 Cmp, 226 Att, 1930 Yds, 15 TD, 9 Int

1981
3rd place - Jim McMahon (BYU) - 272 Cmp, 423 Att, 3555 Yds, 30 TD, 7 Int
4th place - Dan Marino (Pitt) - 226 Cmp, 380 Att, 2876 Yds, 37 TD, 23 Int
5th place - Art Schlichter (Ohio State) - 183 Cmp, 350 Att, 2551 Yds, 17 TD, 10 Int
9th place - Reggie Collier (Southern Miss) - 81 Cmp, 139 Att, 1004 Yds, 6 TD, 4 Int

1983
2nd place - Steve Young (BYU) - 306 Cmp, 429 Att, 3902 Yds, 33 TD, 10 Int
3rd place - Doug Flutie (BC) - 177 Cmp, 345 Att, 2724 Yds, 17 TD, 15 Int
4th place - Turner Gill (Nebraska) - 94 Cmp, 170 Att, 1516 Yds, 14 TD, 4 Int
7th place - Jeff Hostetler (West Virginia) - 163 Cmp, 286 Att, 2247 Yds, 14 TD, 10 Int
9th place - Walter Lewis (Alabama) - 144 Cmp, 256 Att, 1991 Yds, 14 TD, 15 Int
10th place - Boomer Esiason (Maryland) - 163 Cmp, 294 Att, 2322 Yds, 15 TD, 8 Int

1984
1st place - Doug Flutie (BC) - 246 Cmp, 423 Att, 3634 Yds, 30 TD, 13 Int
3rd place - Robbie Bosco (BYU) - 283 Cmp, 458 Att, 3875 Yds, 33 TD, 11 Int
4th place - Bernie Kosar (Miami) - 262 Cmp, 416 Att, 3642 Yds, 25 TD, 16 Int
7th place - Chuck Long (iowa) - 216 Cmp, 322 Att, 2871 Yds, 22 TD, 13 Int

1985
2nd place - Chuck Long (Iowa) - 231 Cmp, 351 Att, 2978 Yds, 26 TD, 15 Int
3rd place - Robbie Bosco (BYU) - 338 Cmp, 511 Att, 4273 Yds, 30 TD, 24 Int
5th place - Vinny Testaverde (Miami) - 216 Cmp, 352 Att, 3238 Yds, 21 TD, 15 Int
6th place - Jim Everett (Purdue) - 285 Cmp, 450 Att, 3651 Yds, 23 TD, 11 Int
9th place - Brian McClure (Bowling Green) - 226 Cmp, 371 Att, 2674 Yds, 18 TD, 16 Int

1989
1st place - Andre Ware (Houston) - 365 Cmp, 578 Att, 4699 Yds, 46 TD, 15 Int
3rd place - Major Harris (West Virginia) - 142 Cmp, 245 Att, 2058 Yds, 17 TD, 11 Int
4th place - Tony Rice (Notre Dame) - 68 Cmp, 137 Att, 1122 Yds, 2 TD, 9 Int
5th place - Darian Hagan (Colorado) - 48 Cmp, 85 Att, 1002 Yds, 4 TD, 4 Int
6th place - Dee Dows (Air Force) - 67 Cmp, 140 Att, 1285 Yds, 7 TD, 4 Int
9th place - Ty Detmer (BYU) - 265 Cmp, 412 Att, 4560 Yds, 32 TD, 15 Int

1990
1st place - Ty Detmer (BYU) - 361 Cmp, 562 Att, 5188 Yds, 41 TD, 28 Int
4th place - Shawn Moore (Virginia) - 144 Cmp, 241 Att, 2262 Yds, 21 TD, 8 Int
5th place - David Klingler (Houston) - 374 Cmp, 643 Att, 5140 Yds, 54 TD, 20 Int
8th place - Craig Erickson (Miami) - 225 Cmp, 393 Att, 3363 Yds, 22 TD, 7 Int

1991
2nd place - Casey Weldon (Florida State) - 189 Cmp, 313 Att, 2527 Yds, 22 TD, 8 Int
3rd place - Ty Detmer (BYU) - 249 Cmp, 403 Att, 4031 Yds, 35 TD, 12 Int
5th place - Shane Matthews (Florida) - 218 Cmp, 361 Att, 3130 Yds, 28 TD, 18 Int
7th place - Jeff Blake (East Carolina) - 203 Cmp, 368 Att, 3073 Yds, 28 TD, 8 Int
10th place - Bucky Richardson (Texas A&M) - 79 Cmp, 156 Att, 1492 Yds, 8 TD, 10 Int