Davey O'Brien Award

Davey O'Brien Award. The award is presented annually to the best college football quarterback in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The award is named after Davey O'Brien, a former quarterback at Texas Christian University (TCU) who won the Heisman Trophy in 1938. The award is considered one of the most prestigious honors in college football, along with the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Award.

● Introduction

The Davey O'Brien Award is given to the nation's top quarterback, as determined by a selection committee composed of sports media members, former coaches, and past winners, including Archie Manning, Jim McMahon, and Vinny Testaverde. The award is presented at the end of each college football season, with the winner being announced at the ESPN College Football Awards show, which is broadcast on ESPN from Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The award is also sponsored by several organizations, including the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame, which is located in Atlanta, Georgia. Other notable sponsors include AT&T, Dr Pepper, and The Home Depot, all of which are based in the United States.

● History

The Davey O'Brien Award was first presented in 1981 to Jim McMahon, a quarterback at Brigham Young University (BYU). The award was established by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded by Bill Walsh, a former coach at Stanford University, and Tom Landry, a former coach of the Dallas Cowboys. The foundation is dedicated to recognizing and rewarding outstanding achievement in college football, particularly at the quarterback position, which has been played by notable athletes such as Joe Montana, Dan Marino, and John Elway. Over the years, the award has been presented to some of the greatest quarterbacks in college football history, including Ty Detmer, Charlie Ward, and Tim Tebow, who all went on to play in the National Football League (NFL) for teams like the Green Bay Packers, New York Jets, and New England Patriots.

● Selection_process

The selection process for the Davey O'Brien Award involves a combination of voting and evaluation by a selection committee, which includes members from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA), and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The committee considers a range of factors, including passing yards, touchdowns, completion percentage, and overall team performance, as well as the quarterback's leadership and clutch performances in big games, such as the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, and Fiesta Bowl. The selection process also involves input from coaches and players from around the country, including those from University of Alabama, University of Southern California (USC), and University of Texas at Austin (UT). Other notable programs that have been involved in the selection process include Ohio State University, University of Michigan, and University of Georgia.

● Winners

Some of the notable winners of the Davey O'Brien Award include Vinny Testaverde (1986), Troy Aikman (1988), Steve Young (1989), and Peyton Manning (1997), all of whom went on to have successful careers in the NFL with teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, and Indianapolis Colts. Other winners include Matt Leinart (2004), Vince Young (2005), and Sam Bradford (2008), who all played for top-ranked programs like University of Southern California (USC), University of Texas at Austin (UT), and University of Oklahoma. The award has also been presented to quarterbacks from smaller programs, such as Ty Detmer (1990) from Brigham Young University (BYU) and Eric Crouch (2001) from University of Nebraska–Lincoln (NU). Other notable winners include Robert Griffin III (2011) from Baylor University and Johnny Manziel (2012) from Texas A&M University.

● Impact_and_legacy

The Davey O'Brien Award has had a significant impact on college football, recognizing and rewarding outstanding achievement at the quarterback position, which is considered one of the most important positions in the sport. The award has also helped to promote the sport and increase interest in college football, particularly among fans of teams like the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Michigan Wolverines, and Florida State Seminoles. The award has also been recognized by the National Football League (NFL), with many winners going on to have successful careers in the league, including Joe Flacco, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees, who have all played for teams like the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, and New Orleans Saints. The award is also considered a key factor in determining the Heisman Trophy winner, with many Davey O'Brien Award winners also winning the Heisman, including Tim Tebow (2007) and Robert Griffin III (2011).

● Notable_recipients

Some of the most notable recipients of the Davey O'Brien Award include Troy Aikman (1988), Steve Young (1989), and Peyton Manning (1997), all of whom are members of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Other notable recipients include Vinny Testaverde (1986), Ty Detmer (1990), and Charlie Ward (1993), who all had successful careers in the NFL with teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns, and New York Jets. The award has also been presented to quarterbacks who have gone on to have successful careers in other fields, such as Jim McMahon (1981), who is a member of the Chicago Bears' Ring of Honor, and Doug Flutie (1984), who is a member of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Other notable recipients include Matt Leinart (2004), Vince Young (2005), and Sam Bradford (2008), who all played for top-ranked programs like University of Southern California (USC), University of Texas at Austin (UT), and University of Oklahoma.

Category:American football