Jones, Weeden Named Finalists For Golden Arm Award

News9.com

BALTIMORE, Maryland – The list of finalists has been narrowed down and Oklahoma's Landry Jones and Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden have made the cut of the final 10 finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.

The award, which is named after legendary Baltimore Colt Johnny "The Golden Arm" Unitas is annually presented to the best quarterback in college football both on the field and in the classroom.

Candidates for the Golden Arm Award must be completing their college eligibility or be a fourth-year junior, on schedule to graduate with his class. Candidates are judged upon character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, leadership qualities, and athletic accomplishments.

The field was narrowed from 25 finalists to 10 and the final award will be presented Friday, Dec. 9 at the Intercontinental Harbor Court, in downtown Baltimore.

Jones, a senior from Artesia, New Mexico, has started all six games this season at Oklahoma and has completed 171-of-253 passes for 2,177 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Weeden an Oklahoma native from Edmond has started all six games for the Cowboys and ranks third nationally with 31.5 completions per game. So far this season Weeden has completed 189-of-260 throws for 2,098 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also ranks sixth nationally in passing yards per game with 349.7 as well as sixth in passing yards with 2,098.

The 10 finalists for the 2011 Golden Arm Award are:
Nick Foles, Arizona
Robert Griffin III, Baylor
Landry Jones, Oklahoma
Case Keenum, Houston
Andrew Luck, Stanford
Kellen Moore, Boise State
Ryan Tannehill, Texas A & M
Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State
Russell Wilson, Wisconsin
Tyler Wilson, Arkansas

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 one that may stand forever – throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games. Unitas was inducted into Pro Football's Hall of Fame in 1979.