Davey O’Brien Award Recognizes Week 2’s Great 8

FORT WORTH, Texas (Sept. 9, 2024) — The Davey O’Brien Foundation has selected its group of Great 8 quarterbacks for Week 2 of the college football season.

The quarterbacks on this week’s list are Iowa State’s Rocco Becht, Quinn Ewers of Texas, Northern Illinois’ Ethan Hampton, Blake Horvath of Navy, Clemson’s Cade Klubnik, John Mateer of Washington State, Texas State’s Jordan McCloud and Kyle McCord of Syracuse.

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week, selected from the Great 8 list, will be announced Tuesday at 11 a.m. (CT).

Hampton, Horvath and Mateer are now officially added to the Davey O’Brien Award’s Midseason Watch List. With the additions, that list now stands at 43 members. The other five players recognized in week two had previously been named to the Preseason Watch List.

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 $1.3 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 wore No. 8 as 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.

—www.DaveyOBrienAward.com—

Davey O’Brien Great 8 - Week 2

Rocco Becht, Iowa State, So., 6-1, 210, Wesley Chapel, Fla.

• Led the Cyclones to a final-minute comeback victory (20-19) at in-state rival and 21st-ranked Iowa by going 23-for-35 for 272 yards with two second-half touchdowns.

Quinn Ewers, Texas, Jr., 6-2, 210, Southlake, Texas

• Completed 24 of 36 passes for 246 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions in a 31-12 victory at No. 10 Michigan.

Ethan Hampton, Northern Illinois, Jr., 6-3, 216, Elburn, Ill.

• Guided the Huskies to the biggest win in program history, a 16-14 triumph at No. 5 Notre Dame by totaling 219 yards of offense (198 passing, 21 rushing) and a passing touchdown.

Blake Horvath, Navy, Jr., 6-2, 195, Hilliard, Ohio

• Rushed 15 times for 122 yards (8.1 per carry) and three touchdowns and added 112 passing yards with a touchdown (5-for-9) during a 38-11 win over Temple.

Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Jr., 6-2, 210, Austin, Texas

• Amassed seven total touchdowns (five passing, two rushing) in just one half of play and set a school record for pass efficiency rating (277.9), finishing 24 of 26 (.923) for 378 yards in a 66-20 win over App State.

John Mateer, Washington State, So., 6-1, 219, Little Elm, Texas

• Accounted for 312 total yards (197 rushing, 115 passing) and two total touchdowns (one rushing, one passing) as Washington State defeated Texas Tech, 37-16.

Jordan McCloud, Texas State, Sr., 6-0, 205, Tampa, Fla.

• Was 18-for-27 passing for 309 yards and two touchdowns and rushed six times for 30 yards and two additional scores in a 49-10 win over UTSA.

Kyle McCord, Syracuse, Sr., 6-3, 220, Mt, Laurel, N.J.

• Went 32-for-46 passing for 381 yards and four touchdowns and no interceptions as Syracuse upset No. 23 Georgia Tech, 31-28.