University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Grant Halverson
Howell Placed On Manning Award Watch List
August 5, 2021 | Football
NEW ORLEANS – Carolina quarterback Sam Howell has been included on the preseason watch list for The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The list includes 32 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2021 season. The winner will again be selected by a voting panel, which includes national media and each of the Mannings, after the bowls.
Howell enters his junior campaign as one of the top signal callers in college football. His 68 career passing touchdowns are tied for the most in UNC history and the the most ever by an ACC quarterback through a sophomore year.
After tossing an FBS true freshman record 38 touchdowns in 2019, the Indian Trail, N.C. native led the ACC and ranked sixth nationally with 30 touchdown passes in 2020. Additionally, Howell ranked fourth in the country and topped the league with 3,586 passing yards last fall in helping lead the Tar Heels to the Orange Bowl for the first time in program history.
Howell, who was named Preseason ACC Player of the Year, enters the 2021 campaign on additional watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
"We're really looking forward to a football season that has a little more sense of normalcy this fall," said Archie Manning. "There's so much talent among the returning quarterbacks with the super seniors and so many other top players returning. We have 32 outstanding quarterbacks on the preseason Watch List; and I'm expecting the midseason additions to be very impressive as well with a lot of young guys and transfers expected to make major contributions."
Inclusion on the Watch List is not necessary for the quarterbacks to be selected for the honor. Additional quarterbacks are expected to be added to the Watch List during the season. Finalists will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Six of last year's Manning Award finalists are included on this year's Watch List: Matt Corral (Ole Miss), Dillon Gabriel (UCF), Sam Howell (North Carolina), Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina), Brock Purdy (Iowa State) and Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati).
In addition to the Manning Award's yearly honor, each week during the regular season, eight quarterbacks are recognized as Manning Quarterbacks of the Week. Seventy-three players from 66 different schools were honored during the 2020 season and 424 different quarterbacks from 129 schools have been recognized since 2011.
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@TarHeelFootball), Instagram (@tarheelfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
Howell enters his junior campaign as one of the top signal callers in college football. His 68 career passing touchdowns are tied for the most in UNC history and the the most ever by an ACC quarterback through a sophomore year.
After tossing an FBS true freshman record 38 touchdowns in 2019, the Indian Trail, N.C. native led the ACC and ranked sixth nationally with 30 touchdown passes in 2020. Additionally, Howell ranked fourth in the country and topped the league with 3,586 passing yards last fall in helping lead the Tar Heels to the Orange Bowl for the first time in program history.
Howell, who was named Preseason ACC Player of the Year, enters the 2021 campaign on additional watch lists for the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
"We're really looking forward to a football season that has a little more sense of normalcy this fall," said Archie Manning. "There's so much talent among the returning quarterbacks with the super seniors and so many other top players returning. We have 32 outstanding quarterbacks on the preseason Watch List; and I'm expecting the midseason additions to be very impressive as well with a lot of young guys and transfers expected to make major contributions."
Inclusion on the Watch List is not necessary for the quarterbacks to be selected for the honor. Additional quarterbacks are expected to be added to the Watch List during the season. Finalists will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.
Six of last year's Manning Award finalists are included on this year's Watch List: Matt Corral (Ole Miss), Dillon Gabriel (UCF), Sam Howell (North Carolina), Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina), Brock Purdy (Iowa State) and Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati).
In addition to the Manning Award's yearly honor, each week during the regular season, eight quarterbacks are recognized as Manning Quarterbacks of the Week. Seventy-three players from 66 different schools were honored during the 2020 season and 424 different quarterbacks from 129 schools have been recognized since 2011.
For up-to-date information on Carolina football, visit GoHeels.com/Football and follow us on Twitter (@TarHeelFootball), Instagram (@tarheelfootball) and Facebook (Facebook.com/TarHeelFootball).
Players Mentioned
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