The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award’s claim to fame is that it honors the nation’s top senior or fourth-year junior quarterback. But in actuality, the Unitas Golden Arm Award honors the nation’s top quarterback not in consideration for the Heisman Trophy.
Washington State’s Gardner Minshew was announced as the 2018 winner on Monday. Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa (a true sophomore) was not eligible, and neither was Ohio State’s redshirt sophomore Dwayne Haskins. But Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray is a redshirt junior and happens to lead the nation in passing efficiency while also becoming the first player in FBS history to average at least 300 passing yards and 60 rushing yards per game, making him the late frontrunner to win the Heisman.
But he wasn’t even a finalist for the Unitas.
Minshew beat out West Virginia’s Will Grier, UCF’s McKenzie Milton, Missouri’s Drew Lock and Michigan’s Shea Patterson. Like Murray, Patterson is a fourth-year junior who transferred to his current school.
In 2017, Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph was the Unitas winner while Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield won the Heisman as a fifth-year senior.
Minshew, a graduate transfer by way of East Carolina, was easily the nation’s leading passer this season. He averages 373.1 yards per game, nearly 20 yards ahead of second-place Haskins, with 36 touchdowns against nine interceptions on 70.6 percent passing.
Minshew has led No. 13 Washington State to a 10-2 record and an appearance against No. 24 Iowa State in the Alamo Bowl (Dec. 28, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN).