Harrell Among Manning Award Finalists

Texas Tech quarterback leads nation with 5,298 passing yards and 46 touchdowns.

Athletics

Written by Chris Cook

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell (Ennis, Texas) has been named one of ten finalists for the 2008 Manning Award, the Allstate Sugar Bowl announced Thursday. The award is presented annually to the nation’s top quarterback.

Harrell has led the nation in passing yards from start to finish this season, amassing 5,298 yards and becoming only the sixth quarterback in NCAA history to eclipse the 5,000-yard mark. He also leads with 46 touchdown passes, 441.5 passing yards per game and 436.2 yards of total offense per outing. Earlier this week, Harrell was selected to the Big 12 Conference Coaches’ Second Team and named the recipient of the Sammy Baugh Trophy by the Touchdown Club of Columbus.

Joining Harrell on the finalist list are Erik Ainge (Tennessee), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Colt Brennan (Hawaii), Chase Daniel (Missouri), Dennis Dixon (Oregon), Matt Ryan (Boston College), Tim Tebow (Florida), Patrick White (West Virginia) and Andre Woodson (Kentucky).

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie Manning and his sons, Peyton and Eli. The winner will be announced following the holiday bowl season. The finalists were determined by a selected panel of national media covering college football, as well as each of the Mannings.

The first three winners of the Manning Award read like a Who’s Who list. USC’s Matt Leinert was the inaugural winner in 2005, followed by Texas’ Vince Young and LSU’s Jamarcus Russell, respectively. All three players are currently in the NFL.

Visit the official Texas Tech football Web site.