FORT WORTH, Texas — Defending Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award winner Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M highlighted the list of 16 semifinalists for the 2013 award announced by the Davey O’Brien Foundation on Monday.
Narrowed down from the starting quarterbacks from all 125 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision schools, semifinalists were selected by the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee, with the Fan Vote accounting for five percent of the total vote. The committee was asked to consider the following criteria: quarterback skills, athletic ability, academics, character, leadership and sportsmanship.
Manziel, a sophomore from Kerrville, Texas, leads the Southeastern Conference in passing yards, passing efficiency, passing touchdowns, total offense and touchdown responsibility as he seeks to surpass his electrifying freshman season that saw him win the O’Brien Award, the Heisman Trophy and the Manning Award and be named the Associated Press College Player of the Year.
Manziel is seeking to become the fourth two-time winner of the Davey O’Brien Award, which has been won twice by Ty Detmer of BYU (1990, 1991), Danny Wuerffel of Florida (1995, 1996) and Jason White of Oklahoma (2003, 2004)
Manziel is generating 381.2 yards of total offense per game, including 318.6 passing yards and 62.7 rushing yards, and he has passed or rushed for 34 touchdowns. Manziel is completing over 70 percent of his pass attempts while throwing for 2,867 yards and 26 touchdowns. Also the team’s top rusher, Manziel has gained 564 yards and eight scores on 96 carries.
The SEC leads the way with five quarterbacks among the semifinalists. The SEC signal callers joining Manziel on the elite list are A.J. McCarron of Alabama, Zach Mettenberger of LSU, Aaron Murray of Georgia and Conner Shaw of South Carolina.
Fans may now help determine which three quarterbacks will advance as finalists by voting as often as once daily at www.VoteOBrien.org. Fan voting will close at noon (CT) on Nov. 24.
The three Davey O’Brien finalists will be announced on Monday, Nov. 25 and the 2013 Davey O’Brien winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards airing Thursday, Dec. 12 on ESPN. The 37th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner will be held on Feb.17, 2014 in Fort Worth, Texas.
2013 Davey O’Brien Semifinalists
Blake Bortles, UCF, AAC
Tajh Boyd, Clemson, ACC
Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville, AAC
Derek Carr, Fresno State, MWC
Brett Hundley, UCLA, Pac-12
Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois, MAC
Sean Mannion, Oregon State, Pac-12
Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, SEC
Marcus Mariota, Oregon, Pac-12
A.J. McCarron, Alabama, SEC
Zach Mettenberger, LSU, SEC
Braxton Miller, Ohio State, Big Ten
Aaron Murray, Georgia, SEC
Bryce Petty, Baylor, Big 12
Connor Shaw, South Carolina, SEC
Jameis Winston, Florida State, ACC
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics