Howell Named O'Brien Award Semifinalist

FORT WORTH, Texas – Sam Howell has been named a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Award for the second year in a row.

Howell, the record-setting junior signal caller from Indian Trail, N.C., is enjoying a third successive standout season for the Tar Heels. Howell ranks sixth nationally averaging 345.1 yards of total offense per game and has accounted for 28 total touchdowns. He is 169 of 268 for 2,408 passing yards with 20 touchdown passes and has rushed for 698 yards and eight touchdowns.

Howell's 698 rushing yards rank second nationally among quarterbacks, trailing only Liberty's Malik Willis (755).

Howell is Carolina's program record holder in total offense, passing yards, passing touchdowns and total touchdowns accounted for.

In alphabetical order, the semifinalists are: Virginia's Brennan Armstrong, Stetson Bennett of Georgia, Oregon's Anthony Brown, Matt Corral of Ole Miss, Fresno State's Jake Haener, Frank Harris of UTSA, Wake Forest's Sam Hartman, Hendon Hooker of Tennessee, North Carolina's Sam Howell, Grayson McCall of Coastal Carolina, SMU's Tanner Mordecai, Kenny Pickett of Pitt, Cincinnati's Desmond Ridder, Will Rogers of Mississippi State, Nevada's Carson Strong, C.J. Stroud of Ohio State, Oklahoma's Caleb Williams, Malik Willis of Liberty, Alabama's Bryce Young and Bailey Zappe of Western Kentucky.

Four of the 20 quarterbacks–Corral, Howell, McCall and Ridder–are semifinalists for the second year in a row. None of the quarterbacks has previously been named a finalist.

"Due to the closeness in our voting, the Foundation decided to expand to 20 deserving semifinalists this year," Davey O'Brien Foundation executive director Kendall Cason Iles said. "The 2021 season has been fascinating, and our Fan Vote reflected that excitement as a record number of voters showed support for their favorite quarterback during our first round."

The semifinalist list is comprised of nine seniors, five juniors, four sophomores and two freshmen, and consists of players from nine FBS conferences as well as one football independent. The Southeastern Conference has the most honorees with five, followed by the Atlantic Coast Conference (four).

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 will 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. Each round of the selection process will offer two one-week voting periods for fans.

The three finalists will be tabbed on Tuesday, Nov. 23. The winner will be announced live on Thursday, Dec. 9 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. For more information, visit www.DaveyOBrien.org.

Remaining Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Timeline
Semifinalists Announced (Tuesday, Nov. 9)
Round 2 Fan Vote Open (Week #1 – Tuesday, Nov. 9-Sunday, Nov. 14)
Round 2 Fan Vote Open (Week #2 – Tuesday, Nov. 16-Sunday, Nov. 21)
Finalists Announced (Tuesday, Nov. 23)
Round 3 Fan Vote Open (Week #1 – Tuesday, Nov. 23-Sunday, Nov. 28)
Round 3 Fan Vote Open (Week #2 – Tuesday, Nov. 30-Sunday, Dec. 5)
Winner Announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards (Thursday, Dec. 9)

2021 Davey O'Brien Award Semifinalists
Brennan Armstrong, Virginia, Jr. 6-2, 215, Shelby, Ohio
Stetson Bennett, Georgia, Sr., 5-11, 190, Blackshear, Ga.
Anthony Brown, Oregon, Sr., 6-3, 226, Cliffwood, N.J.
Matt Corral, Ole Miss, Jr., 6-2, 205, Ventura, Calif.
Jake Haener, Fresno State, Sr., 6-1, 195, Danville, Calif.
Frank Harris, UTSA, Sr., 6-0, 200, Schertz, Texas
Sam Hartman, Wake Forest, So., 6-1, 208, Charlotte, N.C.
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee, Sr., 6-4, 218, Greensboro, N.C.
Sam Howell, North Carolina, Jr., 6-1, 220, Indian Trail, N.C.
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, So., 6-3, 210, Indian Trail, N.C.
Tanner Mordecai, SMU, Jr., 6-3, 218, Waco, Texas
Kenny Pickett, Pitt, Sr., 6-3, 220, Oakhurst, N.J.
Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati, Sr., 6-4, 215, Louisville, Ky.
Will Rogers, Mississippi State, So., 6-2, 210, Brandon, Miss.
Carson Strong, Nevada, Sr., 6-4, 215, Vacaville, Calif.
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, R-Fr., 6-3, 218, Empire, Calif.
Caleb Williams, Oklahoma, Fr., 6-1, 218, Washington, D.C.
Malik Willis, Liberty, Jr., 6-1, 225, Atlanta, Ga.
Bryce Young, Alabama, So., 6-0, 194, Pasadena, Calif.
Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky, Sr., 6-1, 220, Victoria, Texas

Players Mentioned

Sam Howell

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