Davey O’Brien Foundation
FORT WORTH, Texas — The Davey O’Brien Foundation has announced the eight quarterbacks who make up the Davey O’Brien Great 8 list for week one of the 2021 college football season.
The quarterbacks on the season’s inaugural Great 8 list are: Notre Dame’s Jack Coan, Matt Corral of Ole Miss, UTSA’s Frank Harris, Tanner Mordecai of SMU, Charlotte’s Chris Reynolds, Desmond Ridder of Cincinnati, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young of Alabama. The eight players combined for account for 32 touchdowns.
Any player named to a Great 8 list during the season who was not previously named to the Davey O’Brien Award’s Preseason Watch List is officially added to the Midseason Watch List and becomes eligible for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award. Following this week’s additions of Coan, Mordecai, Reynolds, Stroud and Young, 35 players now comprise the current list.
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college quarterback award, was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O’Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.2 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.
In 1938, O’Brien, who wore No. 8 as a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. For more information, visit www.DaveyOBrien.org.
Jack Coan, Notre Dame, Sr., 6-3, 214, Sayville, N.Y.· Led the Irish to a 41-38 overtime win at Florida State by completing 26 of 35 passes for a program season opener-record 366 yards and four touchdowns.
Matt Corral, Ole Miss, Jr., 6-2, 205, Ventura, Calif.· Amassed 436 total yards (381 passing, 55 rushing) and had both rushing and passing scores in a 43-24 victory over Louisville.
Frank Harris, UTSA, Sr., 6-0, 200, Schertz, Texas· Was 20-for-32 passing for 280 yards and a touchdown and added 33 rushing yards and a score on eight carries in a 37-30 win at Illinois.
Tanner Mordecai, SMU, Jr., 6-3, 218, Waco, Texas· Tied school and American Athletic Conference records with seven touchdown passes, and was 24 of 30 for 317 yards, in a 56-9 win versus Abilene Christian.
Chris Reynolds, Charlotte, Sr., 5-11, 192, Mocksville, N.C.· Guided Charlotte to its first-ever win over a Power 5 opponent by completing 19 of 30 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 37 yards and a TD in a 31-28 win over Duke.
Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati, Sr., 6-4, 215, Louisville, Ky.· Accounted for five touchdowns (four passing, one rushing), was 20-for-25 overall for 295 yards and carried six times for 31 yards as Cincinnati defeated Miami (OH), 49-14.
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State, R-Fr., 6-3, 218, Empire, Calif.· Connected on 13 of 22 pass attempts for 294 yards and four second-half scores in his first collegiate start, a 45-31 victory at Minnesota.
Bryce Young, Alabama, So., 6-0, 194, Pasadena, Calif.· Made his first start for the Crimson Tide and collected 344 passing yards and four touchdowns while completing 27 of 38 attempts in a 44-13 win over No. 14 Miami.