Not long after the Lombardi Award announced its 2014 semifinalists, an award that rewards outstanding play at the quarterback position has done the same.
The Davey O’Brien Award Tuesday released its list of 16 semifinalists for this year’s trophy. Eight different conference affiliations are represented (AAC, ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, C-USA, Independents, Pac-12 and SEC), with the Big 12 and SEC leading all leagues with four each.
The Big Ten and Pac-12, with two apiece, were the only other conferences with more than one semifinalist.
Class-wise, there are nine seniors and five juniors. There is just one sophomore (Florida State’s Jameis Winston) and one freshman (Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett).
Winston, of course, was last year’s winner of the O’Brien as he collected numerous pieces of major trophy hardware on the Seminoles’ road to the BCS title. Oregon’s Marcus Mariota and Baylor’s Bryce Petty join Winston as semifinalists from a year ago who are in that group for the second consecutive year. This is actually Mariota’s third consecutive year as a semifinalist, and he will be considered the favorite for the 2014 award.
Below are all 16 semifinalists, with brief bios provided by the O’Brien Award.
J.T. Barrett, Ohio State, Freshman, Wichita Falls, Texas, 6-1, 225
Lone freshman among the semifinalists; Fourth in the nation in passing efficiency (170.0) and points responsible for (174); Eighth in NCAA in touchdown passes (23)
Trevone Boykin, TCU, Junior, Dallas, Texas, 6-2, 205
Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week on Oct. 28; Fourth nationally in total offense (361.9) and eighth in points responsible for (156); Seven touchdown passes vs. Texas Tech
Shane Carden, East Carolina, Senior, Houston, Texas, 6-2, 221
Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week on Sept. 16; Third in the nation in total offense (362.0) and sixth in passing yards (2,791); 2014 Senior CLASS Award candidate
Rakeem Cato, Marshall, Senior, Miami, Fla., 6-1, 176
All-time NCAA record holder for consecutive games with a touchdown pass (40); Eighth in the nation in passing efficiency (160.1) and 10th in points responsible for (150)
Connor Cook, Michigan State, Junior, Hinckley, Ohio, 6-4, 218
Seventh in the nation in passing efficiency (163.1); 19 total touchdowns (17 passing); 19-2 career record as a starter; Semifinalist for 2014 Maxwell Award
Everett Golson, Notre Dame, Senior, Myrtle Beach, S.C., 6-0, 200
Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week on Oct. 21; Third in points responsible for (176) and 11th in touchdown passes (22); First Notre Dame player to throw and rush for three TDs in a game
Brett Hundley, UCLA, Junior, Chandler, Ariz., 6-3, 226
Second in nation in completion percentage (.710) and 12th in passing efficiency (156.5); Shares school’s all-time record for career TD passes (68); 2013 Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist
Marcus Mariota, Oregon, Junior, Honolulu, Hawaii, 6-4, 219
Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week on Sept. 9; First nationally in points responsible for (204) and passing efficiency (187.2); 2012 and 2013 Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist
Nick Marshall, Auburn, Senior, Pineview, Ga., 6-1, 210
Has 631 yards and nine touchdowns rushing and 1,357 yards and 13 scores passing; School quarterback record eight career 100-yard rushing games; 2014 Maxwell Award semifinalist
Bryce Petty, Baylor, Senior, Midlothian, Texas, 6-3, 230
Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week on Oct. 14; Seventh in points responsible for per game (19.7); Team leads nation in scoring offense (50.3); 2013 Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist
Dak Prescott, Mississippi State, Junior, Haughton, La., 6-3, 230
Two-time Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week (Sept. 23, Oct. 7); Sixth in points responsible for (162), seventh in total offense (343.8) and 10th in passing efficiency (157.8)
Blake Sims, Alabama, Senior, Gainesville, Ga., 6-0, 208
Third in the nation in passing efficiency (172.7) and 19th in completion percentage (.655); 20 total touchdowns (15 passing) with 2,034 yards passing and 250 yards rushing
Clint Trickett, West Virginia, Senior, Tallahassee, Fla., 6-2, 186
One of two multi-time winners of Davey O’Brien Quarterback of the Week (Sept. 16, Oct. 21); Fourth in NCAA in passing yards (2,925) and eighth in completion percentage (.675)
Bo Wallace, Ole Miss, Senior, Pulaski, Tenn., 6-4, 217
2014 Maxwell Award semifinalist; 2,416 yards passing and 20 touchdowns plus three rushing scores; Among NCAA’s top 20 in passer rating; Led Ole Miss to national top-5 ranking
Jake Waters, Kansas State, Senior, Council Bluffs, Iowa, 6-1, 210
Maxwell Award semifinalist; 404 rushing yards and seven touchdowns plus 1,878 passing yards and 11 TDs; Nine straight games passing for at least 200 yards
Jameis Winston, Florida State, Sophomore, Bessemer, Ala., 6-4, 230
21-0 career record as starting quarterback; Ninth nationally in total offense (331.9) and 10th in completion percentage (.672); 2013 Davey O’Brien Award winner