November 09, 2021

FORT WORTH, Texas – Cincinnati redshirt senior quarterback Desmond Ridder was named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award on Tuesday.
 
It’s the second straight year Cincinnati’s team leader has been named to the O’Brien semifinalist list.
 
He was named to the 2021 Maxwell Award semifinalist list last week, as well.
 
On Saturday, Ridder led the No. 2-ranked Bearcats to a 28-20 victory over Tulsa in Nippert Stadium by passing for 274 yards and two scores, while adding 43 yards and one touchdown on the ground, in the process becoming just the fifth FBS quarterback in history with 40 wins.
 
He also became the only active FBS quarterback with 9,000 career passing yards and 2,000 career rushing yards.
 
In 2021, Ridder has passed for 2,121 yards and 20 touchdowns to go along with 224 rushing yards and four scores. The Louisville, Ky., native has led Cincinnati to its fourth-ever 9-0 mark and the highest ranking in school history (No. 2, AP poll).
 
He was named the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week following is 323-yard, three-touchdown performance in the 24-13 win at No. 9 Notre Dame in October. It’s the only double-digit win against a CFP Top 10 team this season and the first-ever Top 10 road victory for UC.
 
Ridder was named the AAC Freshman of the Year in 2018 and collected AAC Offensive Player of the Year and AAC Championship MVP honors in 2020.
 
The next step in the Davey O’Brien process will be to select the award’s three finalists based on voting from the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee as well as the second round of the Davey O’Brien Fan Vote, which will take place on the award’s three social media accounts—Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. The top five vote getters on each platform will receive bonus committee member ballots which will be added to the votes cast by the National Selection Committee. 
 
To participate in the Fan Vote, fans must like the original Davey O’Brien Award post highlighting the quarterback. Each round of the selection process will offer two one-week voting periods for fans. 
 
The three finalists will be tabbed on Tuesday, Nov. 23. The winner will be announced live on Thursday, Dec. 9 on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN. 
 
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college quarterback award, was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O’Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.2 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. 
 
In 1938, O’Brien, who was a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. For more information, visit www.DaveyOBrien.org. 

COURTESY UC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS