The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
09.14.2020 | Football
Senior QB Sam Ehlinger was recognized by the Big 12 Conference, as well as the Davey O’Brien and Manning awards.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football senior QB Sam Ehlinger was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week, a Manning Award Star of the Week and was selected to the Davey O'Brien Award's Great 8 list on Monday. It is the second time that Ehlinger has received one of the Big 12's weekly honors in his career, and the fourth time he has been featured on the Great 8. The Davey O'Brien Award will announce the National Quarterback of the Week from the eight featured QBs on Wednesday, while the Manning Award will do so for its list on Thursday.
The Austin native completed 25-of-33 passes for 426 yards and five touchdowns, both career highs, in Texas' 59-3 season-opening win over UTEP. His 426 yards rank as the third-most prolific passing game in school history, while his five touchdown passes are tied for the second-best single-game output at UT. Ehlinger's performance placed him alongside West Virginia's Will Grier (2018) as the only Big 12 quarterbacks to throw for at least 420 yards and five touchdowns in a season opener since 2000. Overall, it was the 12th time (sixth in Power Five) that an FBS quarterback achieved the feat during that stretch.
A team captain for the second consecutive season, Ehlinger led the Longhorns to 45 points in the first half, Texas' best first-half output since scoring 47 points against UTEP in 2009. He directed the Longhorns to scores on seven of their eight first-half drives (6 TD, 1 FG) and put the offense in field goal range on the lone drive that Texas did not come away from with points (missed FG). Ehlinger started out Saturday's game with a 78-yard touchdown to sophomore WR Joshua Moore, marking the first time since 2004 (Cedric Benson 38-yard TD run vs. North Texas) that Texas scored on its first offensive play of the season.
In addition to his recognition from the Big 12, O'Brien and Manning awards on Monday, Ehlinger was also named the Walter Camp FBS Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in the season opener.
