The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee Narrows Watch List to Top 15

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation alongside presenting partner, A. O. Smith, has pared-down the original 2020 Watch List to the nation’s Top 15 quarterbacks. The quarterbacks that remain in the hunt for this season’s coveted Golden Arm Award represent seven of the 10 conferences.

The Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the top upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. The semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Golden Arm Award Selection Committee, a group of prominent football journalists, former coaches and players, general managers, commentators, announcers, and other former award recipients.

Top 15 Golden Arm Award Candidates presented by A. O. Smith

  • Ian Book, Notre Dame
  • Shane Buechele, SMU
  • Sam Ehlinger, Texas
  • Justin Fields, Ohio State
  • Feleipe Franks, Arkansas
  • Mac Jones, Alabama
  • D’Eriq King, Miami
  • Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
  • Kellen Mond, Texas A & M
  • Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
  • Brock Purdy, Iowa State
  • Zac Thomas, Appalachian State
  • Kyle Trask, Florida
  • Brady White, Memphis
  • Zach Wilson, BYU

This pandemic has forced all sports across the country to adjust their schedules and season format, and college football has been no different. The No. 1, 3, 5, 12, and 24 college football teams in the national Associated Press rankings are not playing scheduled games this weekend due to COVID-19.

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Education Foundation’s charitable mission is to promote the game of football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young scholar athletes. The award acknowledges performance on the field, but it goes beyond completion percentage and touchdown strikes. The award values character, citizenship, integrity and those who honor the game.

In addition to honoring the top college quarterback, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc., has awarded more than $750,000 in scholarships to scholar-athletes from local area high schools both in Maryland and Kentucky. During one of the most unprecedented years of youth and college athletics, the Foundation remains committed to providing scholarships and financial aid to deserving athletes through 2020.

The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

Sharing a tradition of innovation with Johnny Unitas, who invented football’s two-minute drill, A. O. Smith has been an innovator in its industry for more than a century. A. O. Smith offers its customers an additional advantage in that the company designs, builds, distributes and supports the world’s broadest and deepest line of residential and commercial water heaters, as well as commercial boilers. This single-source concept simplifies ordering, installation and service and is backed by 80 years of research and innovation.

To learn more about the Golden Arm Award, please visit: Golden Arm Foundation or Golden Arm Award. Additionally, please follow the conversation throughout the college football season on Twitter (@GoldenArmAward) and use the hashtags #GoldenArmAward and #InnovationLeaders.

Golden Arm Award Season Timeline

November 23, 2020
Golden Arm Award Selection Committee to determine Top 10

 December 7, 2020
Golden Arm Award Selection Committee to determine Top 5

 December 19, 2020
Conference Championship Games

 December 21, 2020
2020 Golden Arm Award Winner announcement

*Subject to change

 About the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the season’s top upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on and off the field – the award values character, citizenship, integrity and those who honor the game. The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation is an independent, 501 (c) (3) non-profit charitable organization that was founded in 1987 by Hall of Fame quarterback, Johnny Unitas. In addition to honoring a player with the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Foundation has awarded more than $750,000 in scholarships to deserving scholar-athletes from local area high schools both in Maryland and Kentucky and strives to promote the game of football on all levels.

About A. O. Smith

O. Smith Corporation is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of residential and commercial water heaters. A. O. Smith offers its customers an additional advantage in that the company designs, builds, distributes and supports the world’s broadest and deepest line of residential and commercial water heaters, as well as commercial boilers. This single source concept simplifies ordering, installation and service and is backed by 80 years of research and innovation. For the most up-to-date A. O. Smith news, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and visit http://www.hotwater.com/.

 Proud Golden Arm Award Sponsors

MedStar Sports Medicine, The Babe Ruth Museum, Century Engineering, Comcast, Dunbar Security Solutions, Dunbar Protective Services, Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, Haddock Investments, Harvey Agency, HMS Insurance Associates, Inc., Milwaukee Tool, PSAV, TRAY, AE2 Creative, Wolf Professional Security, and ZBest Executive & Global Transportation Services.