University of Utah senior quarterback Tyler Huntley has been named one of the five finalists for the 2019 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given annually to the top senior quarterback by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Foundation.
The award acknowledges performance on the field, as well as character, citizenship, integrity and those who honor the game. The award will be presented to the winner on Dec. 11 in Baltimore.
The last time Utah had a quarterback as a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award was in 2008 when Brian Johnson was named as one of the five finalists.
Along with being a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Huntley is one of 16 semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien Award (national quarterback award) and is on the Watch List for the Manning Award.
The Davey O’Brien Award will be presented on the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 12 while the Manning Award will include the candidates’ bowl performances in its balloting and will be presented following the completion of bowl season.
He ranks fifth overall in ESPN’s Total QBR Rating (89.5) and is second in the FBS and first in the Pac-12 in completion percentage (.738). He also ranks in the top 10 in the FBS in pass efficiency (No. 6, 182.5), yards per pass attempt (No. 4, 10.80), passing yards per completion (No. 10, 14.46) and passes had intercepted (tied for No. 2, 1).
Huntley holds a 20-8 all-time record as the starting quarterback at Utah, ranking fourth all-time. This season, Huntley is 141-of-191 passing (1 INT, 11 TD) for 2,062 yards through nine games, adding 56 carries for 235 yards (4 TD).
Huntley has six games this season passing for over 200 yards. He has 11 touchdown passes this year with seven being for 20 yards or longer, including his career-long 82-yarder against Idaho State on Sep. 14.
He has earned Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week twice this season, including for his 334-yard performance (21-of-30, 0 INT, 2 TD) against Washington State, adding 31 yards rushing and two rushing scores to his stat line. He also won player of the week honors after leading the Utes past Washington with his 19-of-24 passing (79%) for 284 yards with a passing and rushing touchdown in the game.
Huntley has 18 games in his career where he has thrown for 200 yards or more, ranking fourth in program history. He has also moved up into the top five in school history in career passing yards (6,321), career completions (495) and career total offensive yards (7,412).