NEW ORLEANS – The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, announced its 10 finalists for this year’s award on Monday. The winner will be announced after the bowls in January and will be honored at a ceremony in New Orleans. 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 takes the candidates’ bowl performances into consideration in its balloting.
The finalists for this year’s Manning Award are:
Andy Dalton, TCU
Colin Kaepernick, Nevada
Andrew Luck, Stanford
Ryan Mallett, Arkansas
Kellen Moore, Boise State
Cameron Newton, Auburn
Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State
Denard Robinson, Michigan
Darron Thomas, Oregon
Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
This year’s finalists are an outstanding class which is characterized by winning and big-time statistics. Nine of the 10 finalists are from teams with 10 or more wins. Overall, they have combined to throw for over 28,000 yards and 257 touchdowns. This year’s class of Manning Award finalists is likely the most versatile group of quarterbacks ever honored – as a group, they have combined to rush for 5,840 yards, including three 1,000-yard rushers, with 70 touchdowns on the ground.
“What a year it’s been for quarterbacks in college football, “Archie Manning said. “We have seen so many outstanding performances all over the country. There are five or 10 more guys who could easily have been among our finalists, but we are very pleased by this group of 10 players. We’re very excited to follow these 10 young men through the bowl season and then decide which one is the best in the nation.”
The winner will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 19.
The Manning Award will be recognizing its seventh winner this year. USC’s Matt Leinart was the inaugural winner of the award in 2005, followed by Texas’ Vince Young in 2006. Both went on to be top 10 NFL draft picks. In 2007, LSU’s JaMarcus Russell earned the award and was the NFL’s No. 1 draft pick. Boston College’s Matt Ryan claimed the award in 2008 and was drafted No. 3, quickly becoming the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. In 2009, Florida star Tim Tebow earned the honor – he also went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Last year’s winner was Texas signal-caller Colt McCoy, the winningest quarterback in college football history. McCoy was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL Draft.
