University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew Smith
Ferguson Named a Finalist for Unitas Golden Arm Award
Nov 01, 2017 | Football
Memphis senior quarterback among nation’s elite
BALTIMORE, Md. – Memphis senior quarterback Riley Ferguson has been named among the nation's elite, as one of the 10 finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm. Ferguson is one of two quarterbacks from the American Athletic Conference, joining USF's Quinton Flowers.
Finalists for the 2017 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
• J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
• Riley Ferguson, Memphis
• Ryan Finley, NC State
• Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi St.
• Quinton Flowers, South Florida
• Kenny Hill, TCU
• Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
• Trace McSorley, Penn St.
• Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
• Logan Woodside, Toledo
Ferguson has completed 191-of-320 passes for 2,583 yards and 23 TD this season. His 322.9 passing yards per game is seventh in the nation and the 23 TD is tied for the fifth-most in the FBS.
The Matthews, N.C. native, set the Tigers single-game record with 471 passing yards (33-of-53 passing) in the win over Houston. The 400-yard passing performance was the third of his career, a program record. It was also the 11th 300-yard passing game of his career, which is second only to Paxton Lynch's 12. He moved into the No. 3 spot on the Tigers all-time passing yardage chart, with 6,281 yards.
Ferguson also tied the program's single-game record with seven passing TD in the win over UConn. He sits in third with 55 career passing TD. Ferguson set the single-season passing TD record with 32 last season.
Candidates for the Golden Arm Award – which has been presented at the end of each college football season since 1987 – must be college seniors or fourth-year juniors on schedule to graduate with their class. In addition to the accomplishments on the field, candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities.
The 2017 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, December 8th, in Baltimore, MD. For the 2017 Golden Arm Award ceremony, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. will be returning to the beautifully renovated Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & The Grand for the presentation.
Past standout winners of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Brady Quinn (Notre Dame, 2006); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009), Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011), Marcus Mariota (Oregon, 2014) Connor Cook (Michigan State, 2015) Last year's winner Deshaun Watson, Clemson.
Finalists for the 2017 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
• J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
• Riley Ferguson, Memphis
• Ryan Finley, NC State
• Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi St.
• Quinton Flowers, South Florida
• Kenny Hill, TCU
• Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
• Trace McSorley, Penn St.
• Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
• Logan Woodside, Toledo
Ferguson has completed 191-of-320 passes for 2,583 yards and 23 TD this season. His 322.9 passing yards per game is seventh in the nation and the 23 TD is tied for the fifth-most in the FBS.
The Matthews, N.C. native, set the Tigers single-game record with 471 passing yards (33-of-53 passing) in the win over Houston. The 400-yard passing performance was the third of his career, a program record. It was also the 11th 300-yard passing game of his career, which is second only to Paxton Lynch's 12. He moved into the No. 3 spot on the Tigers all-time passing yardage chart, with 6,281 yards.
Ferguson also tied the program's single-game record with seven passing TD in the win over UConn. He sits in third with 55 career passing TD. Ferguson set the single-season passing TD record with 32 last season.
Candidates for the Golden Arm Award – which has been presented at the end of each college football season since 1987 – must be college seniors or fourth-year juniors on schedule to graduate with their class. In addition to the accomplishments on the field, candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities.
The 2017 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award will be presented at a ceremony on Friday, December 8th, in Baltimore, MD. For the 2017 Golden Arm Award ceremony, The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. will be returning to the beautifully renovated Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & The Grand for the presentation.
Past standout winners of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Brady Quinn (Notre Dame, 2006); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009), Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011), Marcus Mariota (Oregon, 2014) Connor Cook (Michigan State, 2015) Last year's winner Deshaun Watson, Clemson.
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