Hurts Named Unitas Golden Arm Award Finalist

NORMAN — Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts was named one of five finalists Friday for the 2019 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

The Golden Arm Award Selection Committee chose the finalists based on performance on and off the field. Candidates must be a college senior or fourth-year junior on schedule to graduate with their class.

Looking to join Jason White (2004) as OU winners of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Hurts is accompanied on the list of 2019 finalists by Joe Burrow (LSU), Justin Herbert (Oregon), Tyler Huntley (Utah) and Brady White (Memphis).

Hurts, who is averaging 304.7 passing yards per game and 96.6 rushing yards per contest, leads the country in passing efficiency rating (219.7; FBS single-season record is 199.4), yards per pass attempt (13.3; FBS single-season record is 11.6), yards per completion (18.2; FBS single-season record is 17.5) and points responsible for per game (26.2). He ranks second nationally in total offense (401.2 yards per game), third in completion percentage (73.3), fourth in yards per rush (7.0), fifth in rushing touchdowns (15) and ninth in passing touchdowns (24).

The senior from Houston, who recorded a 148.8 passing efficiency rating over his three seasons at Alabama, has produced five ratings of at least 245.0 this year and is the only FBS player since at least 1996 to record more than three such outings (min. 15 attempts) in a season. He owns five of the nation's top 21 figures this year (national-best 308.5 vs. West Virginia, 253.6 vs. South Dakota, 251.3 vs. Houston, 249.0 vs. Texas Tech and 245.9 at UCLA).

Hurts is a big reason why the Sooners lead the nation in total offense (587.3 ypg; next highest average is 545.8 by Clemson) and yards per play (would-be FBS record of 9.3; next highest average this year is 7.8 by Alabama). OU also paces the country in yards per pass attempt (12.6; FBS record is 11.7) and ranks second in yards per rush (6.86; Clemson averages 6.87).

Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played collegiately at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His NFL career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns. He threw a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

Unitas was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. The Hall of Fame, in commemorations of the NFL's 25th, 50th, and 75th anniversaries, selected Unitas as the top quarterback of all-time. In turn-of-the-century listings, he was named to Sports Illustrated's list of top 10 athletes, Time Magazine's list of 10 most influential athletes, and ESPN's series on the 50 greatest athletes of the century.

The 2019 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award will be presented Wednesday, Dec. 11, in Baltimore.