July 16, 2015
FORT WORTH, Texas – Georgia Tech redshirt junior Justin Thomas is one of 24 quarterbacks on the 2015 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List, released Thursday by the Davey O’Brien Foundation.
Thomas is one of four ACC quarterbacks on the list, joining Miami’s Brad Kaaya, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, and North Carolina’s Marquise Williams.
As one of Tech’s three captains in 2014, the Prattville, Ala., native started all 14 games under center for the Yellow Jackets, leading them to an 11-3 record and the 2014 Capital One Orange Bowl title. The Orange Bowl MVP was named second-team All-ACC by the league’s head coaches and third-team by the media. In 2014, he rushed 190 times for a team- and career-best 1,086 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and eight TDs. He completed 96-of-187 passes (.513) for 1,719 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Earlier this summer, Thomas was included on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is given to the nation’s top college football player.
Georgia Tech great Joe Hamilton is the only Yellow Jacket to win the Davey O’Brien Award, taking home the nation’s top quarterback honors in 1999.
Appearing on the Watch List is not a requirement for a player to win the Davey O’Brien Award. Quarterbacks from all 128 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools are eligible for the award. The field will be narrowed to 16 semifinalists on Monday, Nov. 2. From that list, the Foundation and the Selection Committee will announce the three finalists on Tuesday, Nov. 24. The 2015 Davey O’Brien winner will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 10.
The 2015 season marks the ninth year that fans will be invited to participate in the voting process. The Davey O’Brien Fan Vote will be combined with the results from the Selection Committee. Voting will begin on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Previous winners include: Jim McMahon (BYU, 1981), Todd Blackledge (Penn State, 1982), Steve Young (BYU, 1983), Doug Flutie (Boston College, 1984), Chuck Long (Iowa, 1985), Vinny Testaverde (Miami, 1986), Don McPherson (Syracuse, 1987), Troy Aikman (UCLA, 1988), Andre Ware (Houston, 1989), Ty Detmer (BYU, 1990-91), Gino Torretta (Miami, 1992), Charlie Ward (Florida State, 1993), Kerry Collins (Penn State, 1994), Danny Wuerffel (Florida, 1995-96), Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997), Michael Bishop (Kansas State, 1998), Joe Hamilton (Georgia Tech, 1999), Chris Weinke (Florida State, 2000), Eric Crouch (Nebraska, 2001), Brad Banks (Iowa, 2002), Jason White (Oklahoma, 2003-04), Vince Young (Texas, 2005), Troy Smith (Ohio State, 2006), Tim Tebow (Florida, 2007), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma, 2008), Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009), Cam Newton (Auburn, 2010), Robert Griffin III (Baylor, 2011), Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M, 2012), Jameis Winston (Florida State, 2013) and Marcus Mariota (Oregon, 2014).
The 39th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner will be held Feb. 15, 2016, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Georgia Tech opens the 2015 season Sept. 3 against Alcorn State (7:30 p.m. ET, RSN). 2015 Georgia Tech season tickets are on sale now. Fans can purchase tickets in person at the Georgia Tech Ticket Office (M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m.), by phone at 888-TECH-TIX, or online at togetherweswarm.com. Season tickets for Tech’s seven-game home schedule start at just $245 – a value of $35 per game. Great lower-level seats are available from $350. There is no per-game ticket or Tech Fund price increase in 2015. The only difference is the addition of a seventh home game (Georgia).
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GeorgiaTechFB), Facebook (facebook.com/GTAthletics), and Instagram (@GTAthletics) or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
GEORGIA TECH YELLOW JACKETS PRESEASON HONORS
Trey Braun, OL
Preseason All-ACC, third team (Athlon)
Preseason All-ACC, fourth team (Phil Steele)
Freddie Burden, C
Rimington Trophy Watch List
Preseason All-ACC, second team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
Bryan Chamberlain, OL
Preseason All-ACC, second team (Athlon)
Preseason All-ACC, third team (Phil Steele)
P.J. Davis, LB
Preseason All-ACC, second team (Athlon)
Preseason All-ACC, third team (Phil Steele)
KeShun Freeman, DE
Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
Preseason All-ACC, third team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
Jamal Golden, DB/KR
Paul Hornung Award Watch List
Preseason All-ACC, second team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
Adam Gotsis, DT
Bednarik Award Watch List
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Outland Trophy Watch List
Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List
Preseason All-ACC, first team (Athlon, Phil Steele)
Jabari Hunt-Days, DL
Preseason All-ACC, second team (Phil Steele)
Paul Johnson
Dodd Trophy Watch List
Justin Thomas, QB
Davey O’Brien Award Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
Preseason All-ACC, first team (Phil Steele)
Preseason All-ACC, third team (Athlon)
D.J. White, DB
Allstate AFCA Good Works Team
Preseason All-ACC, third team (Athlon)
