Spencer Rattler named Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist

Oklahoma's quarterback is on pace to challenge Sam Bradford's school record for passer efficiency

John E. Hoover | Dec 7, 2020

Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler was named to the Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist list on Monday.

Rattler is one of 17 semifinalists — and one of only two freshmen — for the award that goes to college football’s top quarterback.

Rattler, a redshirt freshman from Phoenix, has thrown for 2,512 yards while completing 69 percent of his passes (178-of-260) with 24 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for four scores.

His passer efficiency rating (174.7) is on pace to challenges Sam Bradford’s OU freshman record (176.53), set in 2007.

Rattler has thrown at least two touchdowns in eight of OU’s nine games, and has three games this season with four TD throws.

Rattler leads all FBS freshmen in TD passes (24), passing offense (279.1 yards per game), yards per pass (9.7) and total offense (290.6 yards per game). Among QBs who have played more than three games this season, Rattler ranks eight nationally in passing TDs, 10th in yards per pass, 12th in passer efficiency, 15th in completion percentage, 16th in yards per completion and 18th in passing offense.

Finalists will be named on Dec. 22.

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Published Dec 7, 2020

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.