By Bane Rossi

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Davey O’Brien Foundation unveiled the 2023 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award Preseason Watch List today, a group that includes 35 of the nation’s top returning college quarterbacks with WKU quarterback Austin Reed featured on the list.

Reed is coming off a 2022 season in which he was the leading passer in all of college football with 4,746 yards. The Florida native also tossed 40 touchdowns while rushing for an additional eight. Reed’s biggest performance of the season came in WKU’s win over South Alabama in the New Orleans Bowl when he threw for 497 yards and four touchdowns, which led to him being named the bowl game’s MVP. Reed was also named Conference USA’s Newcomer of the Year at the end of the season.

Compiled by a subset of the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee, this year’s list was selected based on career player performance and expectations heading into the 2023 college football season. All nominees are required to have previously started at least one game at an NCAA Division I institution.

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 47th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

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COURTESY WKU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS