FORT WORTH, Texas - A pair of Conference USA signal-callers were named as semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award on Tuesday - UTSA
QB Frank Harris and WKU
QB Austin Reed. The pair are among a list of 21 semifinalists selected after tabulating the results of the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee's ballots as well as social media fan votes, courtesy of the Davey O'Brien Fan Vote.
In alphabetical order, the semifinalists are: Stetson Bennett of Georgia, LSU’s Jayden Daniels, Max Duggan of TCU, UTSA’s Frank Harris, Sam Hartman of Wake Forest, Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker, Drake Maye of North Carolina, Coastal Carolina’s Grayson McCall, J.J. McCarthy of Michigan, SMU’s Tanner Mordecai, Bo Nix of Oregon, Washington’s Michael Penix Jr., Austin Reed of WKU, Utah’s Cameron Rising, Will Rogers of Mississippi State, Ohio’s Kurtis Rourke, C.J. Stroud of Ohio State, UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Jordan Travis of Florida State, USC’s Caleb Williams and Bryce Young of Alabama.
Harris joins Bennett, Hartman, Hooker, McCall, Rogers, Stroud, Williams and Young as repeat semifinalists. Young won the 2021 Davey O’Brien Award.
Harris has guided UTSA to an 8-2 overall record and a perfect 6-0 start to Conference USA play this season. The Schertz Clemens High product has completed 246-356 passes (69.1%) for 3,039 yards and 22 touchdowns and he has added 401 yards and five scores on the ground. He has been named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week four times this fall and he owns five of the top six individual passing performances in UTSA's program annals with four occurring in the first five games this season. Harris currently ranks third in the nation in total offense with a league-best 344.0 yards per game, and he stands eighth in passing yards and completion percentage (69.1%), 11th in completions per game (24.6), 16th in passing efficiency (157.8) and points responsible for (166) and 18th in passing touchdowns.
Through 11 games this season, Reed has thrown for 3,548 yards and 31 touchdowns, while completing 68.0 percent of his passes. The Florida native ranks second in the country in passing yards, third in the country in points responsible for (234), third in passing touchdowns, fourth in passing yards per game (322.7), fifth in points responsible per game (21.3), fifth in completions per game (27.18) and fifth in total offense per game (338.3). Reed has also been a factor in WKU’s rushing attack as he leads the Hilltoppers with seven touchdowns on the ground.
The next step in the process will be to select the award’s three finalists based on voting from the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee as well as the second round of the Davey O’Brien Fan Vote, which will take place on the award’s three social media accounts—
Instagram,
Twitter and
Facebook. The top five vote getters on each platform receive bonus committee member ballots which will be added to the votes cast by the National Selection Committee.
To participate in the Fan Vote, fans must like the original Davey O’Brien Award post highlighting the quarterback. The three finalists will be tabbed on Tuesday, Nov. 29. The winner will be announced live on Thursday, Dec. 8 on
The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college quarterback award, was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O’Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.2 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.
In 1938, O’Brien, who was a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
Remaining Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Timeline
Semifinalists Announced (Tuesday, Nov. 15)
Round 2 Fan Vote Open (Tuesday, Nov. 15-Friday, Nov. 25)
3 Finalists Announced (Tuesday, Nov. 29)
Round 3 Fan Vote Open (Tuesday, Nov. 29-Friday, Dec. 2)
Winner Announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards (Thursday, Dec. 8)
2022 Davey O’Brien Award Semifinalists
Stetson Bennett, Georgia, Sr., 5-11, 190, Blackshear, Ga.
Jayden Daniels, LSU, Jr., 6-3, 200, San Bernardino, Calif.
Max Duggan, TCU, Sr., 6-2, 210, Council Bluffs, Iowa
Frank Harris, UTSA, Sr., 6-0, 205, Schertz, Texas
Sam Hartman, Wake Forest, Jr., 6-1, 210, Charlotte, N.C.
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, Sr., 6-4, 218, Greensboro, N.C.
Drake Maye, North Carolina, R-Fr., 6-4, 220, Huntersville, N.C.
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, Jr., 6-3, 215, Indian Trail, N.C.
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan, So., 6-3, 196, La Grange Park, Ill.
Tanner Mordecai, SMU, Sr., 6-3, 214, Waco, Texas
Bo Nix, Oregon, Sr., 6-2, 213, Pinson, Ala.
Michael Penix Jr., Washington, Jr., 6-3, 213, Tampa, Fla.
Austin Reed, WKU, Sr., 6-2, 230, St. Augustine Beach, Fla.
Cameron Rising, Utah, Jr., 6-2, 218, Ventura, Calif.
Will Rogers, Mississippi State, Jr., 6-2, 210, Brandon, Miss.
Kurtis Rourke, Ohio, Jr., 6-5, 216, Oakville, Ontario, Canada
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, So., 6-3, 218, Inland Empire, Calif.
Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA, Sr., 6-1, 205, Las Vegas, Nev.
Jordan Travis, Florida State, Jr., 6-1, 212, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Caleb Williams, USC, So., 6-1, 215, Washington, D.C.
Bryce Young, Alabama, Jr., 6-0, 194, Pasadena, Calif.