Murray wins Manning Award as nation’s top QB

Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray received the 2018 Manning Award, presented to the nation’s best quarterback, on Thursday, following Baker Mayfield as the Sooners’ second straight winner.

The award, presented annually since 2004 by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, was created to honor the college football accomplishments of Archie Manning and sons Peyton and Eli.

“When it comes to quarterbacks, no family is more accomplished than the Mannings, and I will cherish this honor the rest of my life,” Murray said in a statement.

Murray guided the Sooners to a 12-2 record, an appearance in the College Football Playoff and a No. 4 final ranking. The redshirt junior passed for 4,361 yards and 42 touchdowns and rushed for 1,001 yards and 12 scores. He led the nation in total yards, points responsible for, yards per pass attempt and yards per completion.

“Week in and week out, Kyler Murray made highlight-reel plays for one of the best teams in the country,” said Archie Manning in a statement. “Kyler proved to be a great leader and exceptional athlete and passer worthy of recognition as the top quarterback in the country this year.”

Murray’s lengthy list of awards includes the Heisman Trophy, Davey O’Brien Award, AP Player of the Year, USA Today Player of the Year and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Murray announced earlier this week that he was leaving Oklahoma early to enter the 2019 NFL Draft.

Other finalists for the award included Notre Dame’s Ian Book, Georgia’s Jake Fromm, West Virginia’s Will Grier, Ohio State’s Dwayne Haskins, Houston’s D’Eriq King, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, Missouri’s Drew Lock, UCF’s McKenzie Milton, Washington State’s Gardner Minshew and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa.

Voted on by a media panel and by each of the Mannings, the Manning Award is the only major quarterback award that takes into account a candidate’s bowl performance.

–Field Level Media