Ohio State Quarterback C.J. Stroud Named Manning Award Finalist

The redshirt freshman is looking to become the first signal-caller in program history to win the award.

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was named on Friday as one of 10 finalists for the Manning Award, which is presented annually to college football’s best quarterback and is the only quarterback award that takes a candidate’s bowl performance into consideration.

“This is definitely a year where we’re very pleased to have the opportunity to see how everyone plays for the full season, right through the bowl games & the playoff, before deciding who will be the winner.” - Archie Manninghttps://t.co/GC3HQrDwlA pic.twitter.com/vPOijLknMu

— Allstate Sugar Bowl (@SugarBowlNola) December 3, 2021

Stroud, a redshirt freshman from Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., has thrown for 3,862 yards and 38 touchdowns compared to just five interceptions in his first season as a starter.

He’s already been named the Big Ten’s offensive player, quarterback and freshman of the year, is a finalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award and is among the favorites for the Heisman Trophy.

Other finalists for the Manning Award include Virginia’s Brennan Armstrong, Ole Miss’ Matt Corral, Wake Forest’s Sam Hartman, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder, Mississippi State’s Will Rogers, Nevada’s Carson Strong, Alabama’s Bryce Young and Western Kentucky’s Bailey Zappe.

Altogether, the group has combined for nearly 40,000 passing yards and 353 touchdowns.

“There have been so many quarterbacks who’ve had outstanding seasons. They’re making this year’s competition for the Manning Award as wide-open as I can remember,” said Archie Manning, who – along with sons Peyton and Eli – founded the award in 2004. “This is definitely a year where we’re very pleased to have the opportunity to see how everyone plays for the full season – right through the bowl games and the playoff – before deciding who will be the winner.”

An Ohio State quarterback has never won the award, though Troy Smith (2006), Terrelle Pryor (2010), Braxton Miller (2012), J.T. Barrett (2014, 2016 and 2017), Dwayne Haskins (2018) and Justin Fields (2019-20) were all finalists for the award.

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