11/6/01

Simms named a Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist

Junior quarterback Chris Simms, who leads the Big 12 Conference in pass efficiency, was named a Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist on Tuesday.

AUSTIN, Texas -- University of Texas junior quarterback Chris Simms (Franklin Lakes, N.J.) is listed among 12 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award, presented annually to the nation's best quarterback, the Davey O'Brien Foundation announced on Tuesday. Three finalists will be announced on Tuesday, Nov. 27.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder has completed 173-of-288 passes (60.1%) for 2,051 yards (No. 10 on UT's single-season list) and 20 TDs (No. 2 on UT's single-season chart) in leading No. 5 Texas to an 8-1 record. He leads the Big 12 in pass efficiency (137.25) for the second year in a row. Simms also has rushed for six TDs (most by a UT QB since Donnie Little had seven in 1980) on the year. His 26 TDs accounted for in 2001 rank second only to Ricky Williams' 28 (27 rush/1 rec) in his Heisman Trophy-winning season of 1998 on the UT single-season list.

"We are really excited for Chris and our team that he is being considered as one of the top candidates for the Davey O'Brien Award," Longhorns head coach Mack Brown said. "Chris is playing as well as anybody in the country right now and certainly is deserving of his spot on the list. He's doing a great job of managing the game, the huddle and the clock right now and that all goes back to experience and confidence he has gained. He's worked so hard and that is paying off now."

Simms, who was tabbed as one of 10 "favorites" for the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year award on Oct. 25, has been one of the nation's hottest quarterbacks during the Horns' current four-game winning streak. During that stretch, he has completed 74-of-117 (63.2%) of his passes for 969 yards and 14 TDs (two INTs). His efficiency rating during that time is 169.89. Simms has led the Horns to points on 49 of 103 drives (47.6%) this season and is guiding an offense that ranks first in the Big 12 and fifth nationally in scoring (39.2 ppg).

"I'm really excited to be considered among such an unbelievably talented group of quarterbacks for the Davey O'Brien Award," Simms said. "It really is a credit to what our offense has been able to accomplish this season. With all of the weapons we have and our great coaches, it really has been fun to help us improve each and every week. We will work hard to continue to get better and any honors that we earn as a result of that will be a reflection on how well we play as a whole."

The Longhorns junior already ranks fourth on the UT all-time chart in TD passes (30), sixth in passing yards (3,338) and ninth in total offense (3,330). Since claiming Texas' starting job on a full-time basis 12 games ago, he has posted a 10-2 record.

Since the Davey O'Brien Award began honoring the nation's top quarterback in 1981, Texas has not had a winner. Earl Campbell won the inaugural award in 1977, but at that time, it was given to the outstanding player in the Southwest.

The winner of the Davey O'Brien Award will be announced during the 2001 Home Depot College Football Awards Show (Thursday, Dec. 6, 2001/8 p.m. CT). The winner and two runners-up will be honored at the 25th annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner on Feb 18, 2002, at The Fort Worth Club.

For more information, click here or call the Davey O'Brien Foundation at 817/338-3488.

2001 Davey O'Brien Award Semifinalists

David Carr, Fresno State
Eric Crouch, Nebraska
Woodrow Dantzler, Clemson
Brandon Doman, BYU
Ken Dorsey, Miami (Fla.)
Jason Gesser, Washington State
Rex Grossman, Florida
Joey Harrington, Oregon
Eli Manning, Mississippi
Kliff Kingsbury, Texas Tech
Kurt Kittner, Illinois
CHRIS SIMMS, TEXAS