Yet another standout season for UNC junior quarterback Sam Howell is earning him more accolades. The Davey O’Brien Award, which honors the top quarterback in the country, announced Wednesday that Howell and 19 other quarterbacks were among the award’s semifinalists.

This is the second consecutive year Howell has been named a semifinalist for the O’Brien Award. He is currently averaging 345.1 yards of total offense per game this season, which is the sixth-best mark in the nation. Through the air, Howell has thrown for 2,408 yards and 20 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 698 yards and eight touchdowns. His rushing numbers are only eclipsed by Malik Willis of Liberty.

Howell was named to the Davey O’Brien Award’s Great 8 list following his Week 2 performance in a win over Georgia State.

The field of O’Brien Award semifinalists is normally 16, but the committee expanded it to 20 for this season.

“Due to the closeness in our voting, the Foundation decided to expand to 20 deserving semifinalists this year,” Davey O’Brien Foundation executive director Kendall Cason Iles said in a release. “The 2021 season has been fascinating, and our Fan Vote reflected that excitement as a record number of voters showed support for their favorite quarterback during our first round.”

The semifinalist field will be pared down to three finalists on November 23. Finalists will be selected through voting by the O’Brien National Selection Committee as well as fan voting, which will take place on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Carolina fans can place their votes for Howell by liking the O’Brien Award’s social media posts featuring the quarterback.

The winner of the Davey O’Brien Award will be announced Thursday, December 9.

 

Featured image via The News & Observer

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