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BYU's Max Hall, TCU's Andy Dalton Named Manning Award Finalists
Winner to be announced on January 14, 2009
Dec. 1, 2009 COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - BYU senior Max Hall and TCU junior Andy Dalton are among 10 finalists for the 2009 Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, it was announced today. The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that takes into consideration the candidates' bowl performances. The winner will be announced on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2009, and honored at a banquet in New Orleans. Dalton, the 2009 Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year, led the fourth-ranked Horned Frogs to a 12-0 regular-season record and their second MWC crown with a perfect 8-0 mark. The Katy, Texas, native, has thrown for 22 touchdowns with just five interceptions this season to rank second in the MWC and sixth nationally with a 159.6 pass efficiency rating. Dalton's 62.4 completion percentage is on pace to set a TCU single-season record. He also leads all MWC quarterbacks with 522 yards rushing, ranking 12th overall. Hall, who hails from Mesa, Ariz., guided the No. 14 Cougars to a 10-2 regular-season mark and runner-up finish in the MWC standings at 7-1. He leads the league in both passing yardage (280.7 ypg) and pass efficiency (160.9), ranking ninth and third in the country, respectively. Hall's 67.5 completion percentage is on pace to finish among the league's top five for a single season. This year's class of finalists includes five players from undefeated teams and a combined 102 victories with over 30,000 passing yards and 275 touchdowns. Below is the complete list of the 2009 Manning Award finalists: Jimmy Clausen, Notre Dame The first five winners of the Manning Award reads like a Who's Who list at the quarterback position. USC's Matt Leinart was the inaugural winner of the award in 2005, followed by Texas' Vince Young in 2006. Both went on to be top 10 NFL draft picks. In 2007, LSU's JaMarcus Russell earned the award and was the NFL's No. 1 draft pick. Boston College's Matt Ryan claimed the award in 2008 and was drafted No. 3, quickly becoming the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Last season's winner was Florida's Tim Tebow, who is making his bid to become the first two-time winner of the honor this year.
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