Alabama QB Mac Jones Wins 2020 Davey O'Brien Award
University of Alabama signal caller Mac Jones made school history on Thursday evening and became the Crimson Tide's first-ever winner of the Davey O'Brien Award.
He took home the honor of the nation's top quarterback over Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and Florida's Kyle Trask. Jones also finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting earlier in the week.
Jones, a junior from Jacksonville, Fla., leads the nation in passing efficiency (203.3), total quarterback rating (95.6) and completion percentage (.770). He is second in the nation in both passing yards (4,036) and passing TD’s (36). Jones has guided top-ranked Alabama (12-0) into the College Football Playoff National Championship with four 400-yard games and eight over 300, just missing it with 297 yards in last week’s Rose Bowl semifinal win over Notre Dame. Jones is only the eighth Davey O'Brien Award winner from the SEC.
"We've obviously always had a tremendous amount of respect for Mac in terms of how he viewed his development as a player," Alabama coach Nick Saban said. "He never was ever discouraged or really ever talked about leaving or transferring. I think he had a different mentality that I've got to work hard to try to earn a spot here, and by doing that over several years improved pretty dramatically and used the opportunity to play behind the good players to actually enhance his development. See how they did things. And consequently, I think when he got his opportunity after being here for several years, he's played pretty well.
"And I think development is something that all players at every position, whether they got to college or when they go to the NFL, is something that they need to be focused on whether than just how much am I gonna play immediately."
Davey O'Brien Award Winners
Year Player School
2020 Mac Jones Alabama
2019 Joe Burrow LSU
2018 Kyler Murray Oklahoma
2017 Baker Mayfield Oklahoma
2016 Deshaun Watson Clemson
2015 Deshaun Watson Clemson
2014 Marcus Mariota Oregon
2013 Jameis Winston Florida State
2012 Johnny Manziel Texas A&M
2011 Robert Griffin III Baylor
2010 Cam Newton Auburn
2009 Colt McCoy Texas
2008 Sam Bradford Oklahoma
2007 Tim Tebow Florida
2006 Troy Smith Ohio State
2005 Vince Young Texas
2004 Jason White Oklahoma
2003 Jason White Oklahoma
2002 Brad Banks Iowa
2001 Eric Crouch Nebraska
2000 Chris Weinke Florida State
1999 Joe Hamilton Georgia Tech
1998 Michael Bishop Kansas State
1997 Peyton Manning Tennessee
1996 Danny Wuerffel Florida
1995 Danny Wuerffel Florida
1994 Kerry Collins Penn State
1993 Charlie Ward Florida State
1992 Gino Louis Torretta Miami
1991 Ty Detmer BYU
1990 Ty Detmer BYU
1989 Andre Trevor Ware Houston
1988 Troy Aikman UCLA
1987 Don McPherson Syracuse
1986 Vinny Testaverde Miami
1984 Doug Flutie Boston College
1983 Steve Young BYU
1982 Todd Alan Blackledge Penn State
1981 James Robert McMahon BYU
1885 Chuck Long Iowa
1998 Michael Bishop Kansas State
1997 Peyton Manning Tennessee
1996 Danny Wuerffel Florida
1995 Danny Wuerffel Florida
1994 Kerry Collins Penn State
1993 Charlie Ward Florida State
1992 Gino Torretta Miami
1991 Ty Detmer BYU
1990 Ty Detmer BYU
1989 Andre Ware Houston
1988 Troy Aikman UCLA
1987 Don McPherson Syracuse
1986 Vinny Testaverde Miami
1985 Chuck Long Iowa
1984 Doug Flutie Boston College
1983 Steve Young BYU
1982 Todd Blackledge Penn State
1981 Jim McMahon BYU
