The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Ehlinger named Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist
11.13.2019 | Football
Texas QB Sam Ehlinger is also a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award and Wuerffel Trophy this year.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football quarterback Sam Ehlinger was named a semifinalist for the 2019 Davey O'Brien Award, it was announced Wednesday. Three Longhorns have previously won the Davey O'Brien Award, including a pair of All-American QBs (RB Earl Campbell, 1977; QB Vince Young, 2005; QB Colt McCoy, 2009).
Ehlinger, a native of Austin, Texas, has started all nine games for the Longhorns this season. He has thrown for 2,641 yard (No. 13 nationally/No. 3 Big 12) and tossed 24 touchdowns (No. 9/No. 1). The junior has amassed 3,042 yards of total offense, the seventh-best mark of any FBS competitor this season. He and Colt McCoy (2008) are the only players in school history to record 3,000 yards of total offense in fewer than 10 games.
This season, Ehlinger has matched his career high with four touchdown passes against Louisiana Tech, now-No. 1 LSU, Oklahoma State and Kansas. He is the only QB in Texas history to throw for at least four touchdowns on four separate occasions in a single season. He is also one of only five FBS quarterbacks to throw four-or-more touchdown passes on at least four occasions so far in 2019.
The Texas QB has put in a number of impressive performances so far this season, highlighted by a 401-yard, four-TD effort against LSU back on Sept. 7. That night, Ehlinger became the first quarterback throw for more than 400 yards against LSU since 2011. It was also his first career 400-yard game and the first by a Longhorn since Colt McCoy vs. UCF in 2009.
He nearly added a second 400-yard game to his resume when he threw for 399 yards and four TDs against Kansas on Oct. 19. Much of Ehlinger's production against the Jayhawks came in the decisive fourth quarter, where he completed 11-of-15 passes for 204 yards and two scores. Ehlinger also rushed for 91 yards to total 490 yards of offense – the third-best single-game mark in school history, and a career high. His outing against Kansas made him, at the time, one of just four Power Five QBs in the last 20 seasons to throw for at least 390 yards and rush for at least 90 against a conference opponent. Two of the other three were Heisman Trophy winners during their careers.
Ehlinger led the Longhorns on three scoring drives in the final 10 minutes of their victory over Kansas, including the game-winning 10-play, 60-yard drive that ended with Cameron Dicker's first walk-off field goal of the year. On Texas' game-winning drive, Ehlinger completed 5-of-7 passes for 57 yards. He also picked up a crucial first down with his legs, as he moved the chains on 3rd and 6 with an 8-yard rush that moved the Horns out to midfield.
In UT's next outing at Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium against No. 16 Kansas State, Ehlinger led the Longhorns on a 13-play, 67-yard drive that melted the final 6:45 off the clock and, again, ended with a Cameron Dicker walk-off field goal. On that drive, the Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist completed 4-of-4 passes for 53 yards, including an 18-yard connection with WR Devin Duvernay that moved the chains on 3rd and 14. Ehlinger also rushed for 14 yards and helped center the ball for Dicker's game-winning kick.
Fan voting for the 2019 Davey O'Brien Award is open now, and fans can vote at DaveyOBrienAward.com. Fan voting counts as five percent of the balloting, while the remainder of the votes will come from the Davey O'Brien Foundation's selection committee. The fan vote will remain open until Sunday, Nov. 24, at 9 p.m. CT. Fans may vote once daily per email address.
The three finalists for the 2019 Davey O'Brien Award will be announced on Monday, Nov. 25, with the winner to be revealed live on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 12, on the Home Depot College Football Awards Show in Atlanta, Ga.
