Awards Season Continues for OU Offense

NORMAN – Two major award announcements Monday featured members of the Oklahoma offense as offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley was revealed as a finalist for the Broyles Award and junior quarterback Baker Mayfield and sophomore running back Samaje Perine were each named semifinalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

Broyles Award

Riley is one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach.

In his first season with the Sooners, Riley has developed OU into one of the top offenses in the country. He has OU ranked third nationally in passing efficiency rating (172.85), third in scoring offense (45.8 points per game), seventh in yards per pass attempt (9.3) and total offense (542.9 yards per game) and 19th in passing offense (307.9 yards per game).

Riley is the fifth Oklahoma assistant to be a finalist for the award since its inception in 1996. OU has had two assistants go on to win the award, and both were offensive coordinators as Mark Mangino won in 2000 while Kevin Wilson was recognized in 2008.

Presented by The Rotary Club of Little Rock and Delta Dental, the 2015 Broyles Award winner will be announced on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 11:30 a.m. at the Marriott Hotel in Little Rock, Ark.

Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award

Mayfield and Perine are two of 16 semifinalists for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, which recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity.

In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or four-year D1 Texas college.

Mayfield, who is also a finalist for the Burlsworth Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award, has emerged as one of the most dynamic players in the country. The Sooners' signal-caller is second in the country in yards per pass attempt (9.57), third in pass efficiency (178.9), fourth in points responsible for (252), fifth in passing touchdowns (35), sixth in points responsible for per game (21.0), eighth in completion percentage (.686) and 15th in total offense per game (317.4).

He has thrown at least two touchdowns in 11 of 12 games this season and has accounted for at least four scores in seven contests. His other highlights this year include a school-record 572 yards of total offense against Tulsa, an OU record-tying five touchdown passes in the first half at Kansas State and four total touchdowns and 346 yards of total offense in a win at then-No. 4 Baylor that snapped the Bears' 20-game home winning streak.

Perine leads the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns (15) and is fifth in the conference in rushing yards per game (107.6). He's done his best work during the last six games, averaging 145.2 yards per contest and scoring 12 touchdowns during the stretch. He ran for a season-high 201 yards and four touchdowns against Texas Tech and has gained at least 131 yards in each of the last three contests.

In just two seasons, Perine has run for 3,004 yards on 474 carries to move into 10th place on OU's all-time rushing list. After previously getting to 2,000 yards faster than any running back in the Bob Stoops era, he also got to 3,000 yards quicker than any previous Stoops back, needing only 472 carries. He is one of just three Sooners ever to surpass 1,000 yards as both a freshman and a sophomore.

Finalists will be selected from the group and announced on Dec. 7, while the winner will be announced at the award banquet in Tyler, Texas, on Jan. 13, 2016.