Texas QB Quinn Ewers named to Davey O’Brien Award watch list
For the second straight year, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers has been named to the preseason watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award, the Davey O’Brien Foundation announced Thursday. The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback. Ewers was selected as a semifinalist for the award during the 2023 season.
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The Southlake (Texas) Carroll product is a third-year signal-caller who has led Texas to 16 wins in 22 starts in his career. His 5,656 career passing yards rank eighth all-time in Texas history and his 37 career passing touchdowns are tied for seventh. In addition, Ewers was also named to the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
The Longhorns have had three players receive the Davey O’Brien Award in their history: Heisman Trophy winner Earl Campbell in 1977 when the O’Brien Award recognized the top player in the southwest, then Vince Young (2005) and Colt McCoy (2009) after the 2005 and 2009 seasons, respectively.
Last season, Ewers completed 272-of-294 passes (69 percent) for 3,479 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions, while he rushed 59 times for 75 yards and five touchdowns. His 3,479 passing yards were fourth-most in a season in UT history and his 272 completions rank sixth in 2023. Ewers had six 300-yard passing games, which is tied for the most in a season in program history.
He earned the Big 12 Championship’s Most Outstanding Player after he completed 35-of-46 passes for 452 yards and four touchdowns, breaking the Big 12 Championship Game record and establishing career-highs for completions and passing yards, while also equaling the Big 12 Championship Game and his personal best with four touchdown passes. Ewers put together a sensational performance in Texas’ 34-24 victory at No. 3 Alabama on Sept. 9, 2023, receiving Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, Maxwell Player of the Week, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week honors after connecting on 24-of-38 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns to top the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. In the College Football Playoff semifinals versus No. 2 Washington at the Sugar Bowl, Ewers completed 24-of-43 passes for 318 yards and a score. On the season, he had at least one passing touchdown in each of his 12 starts and recorded six games with multiple passing touchdowns. Ewers was tabbed a 2023 AP All-Big 12 Second Team selection.
In his first season on the Forty Acres in 2022, Ewers was named honorable mention Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year by the league’s coaches after playing in and starting 10 games. Ewers completed 172-of-296 passes (58.1%) for 2,177 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions while his 2,177 passing yards were the fifth-most for a Texas freshman QB and the 22nd-most in Texas history. His 15 touchdown passes were the fourth-most in a season by a Texas freshman.
The official Davey O’Brien midseason watch list will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and will contain active quarterbacks from the preseason watch list, players honored as weekly Great 8 recipients through the first eight weeks of the season and any additional quarterbacks approved by the selection committee.
The midseason watch list will be cut down to the 35-player Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2024 on Tuesday, Oct. 29. For the fourth-straight year, fan voting on social media (Facebook, Instagram and X) will earn players bonus selection committee votes during the semifinalist, finalist and winner voting rounds. First-round fan voting will begin Oct. 29 following the QB Class announcement.
The semifinalists selected from the quarterback class will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 12. The Foundation will announce three finalists two weeks later on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The 2024 Davey O’Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 12, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
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Ewers and Texas start the season at 2:30 p.m. CT Saturday, Aug. 31, at home against Colorado State. The game will air on ESPN from inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
(via Texas release)
