Named after TCU Horned Frogs legend Robert David O’Brien, the Davey O’Brien Award honors the best of all the NCAA quarterbacks. The award — formally the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award — has been awarded annually by the Davey O’Brien Foundation since 1981.
However, between 1977 and 1980, the award honored the best college football player playing in the southwestern United States under the title “Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy.” The full list of Davey O’Brien Award winners by year — including the Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy — can be found below.
Davey O’Brien Award Winners Listed by Year
- 2024 – Cam Ward, Miami (FL)
- 2023 – Jayden Daniels, LSU
- 2022 – Max Duggan, TCU
- 2021 – Bryce Young, Alabama
- 2020 – Mac Jones, Alabama
- 2019 – Joe Burrow, LSU
- 2018 – Kyler Murray, Oklahoma
- 2017 – Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
- 2016 – Deshaun Watson, Clemson
- 2015 – Deshaun Watson, Clemson
- 2014 – Marcus Mariota, Oregon
- 2013 – Jameis Winston, Florida State
- 2012 – Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
- 2011 – Robert Griffin III, Baylor
- 2010 – Cam Newton, Auburn
- 2009 – Colt McCoy, Texas
- 2008 – Sam Bradford, Oklahoma
- 2007 – Tim Tebow, Florida
- 2006 – Troy Smith, Ohio State
- 2005 – Vince Young, Texas
- 2004 – Jason White, Oklahoma
- 2003 – Jason White, Oklahoma
- 2002 – Brad Banks, Iowa
- 2001 – Eric Crouch, Nebraska
- 2000 – Chris Weinke, Florida State
- 1999 – Joe Hamilton, Georgia Tech
- 1998 – Michael Bishop, Kansas State
- 1997 – Peyton Manning, Tennessee
- 1996 – Danny Wuerffel, Florida
- 1995 – Danny Wuerffel, Florida
- 1994 – Kerry Collins, Penn State
- 1993 – Charlie Ward, Florida State
- 1992 – Gino Torretta, Miami (FL)
- 1991 – Ty Detmer, BYU
- 1990 – Ty Detmer, BYU
- 1989 – Andre Ware, Houston
- 1988 – Troy Aikman, UCLA
- 1987 – Don McPherson, Syracuse
- 1986 – Vinny Testaverde, Miami (FL)
- 1985 – Chuck Long, Iowa
- 1984 – Doug Flutie, Boston College
- 1983 – Steve Young, BYU
- 1982 – Todd Blackledge, Penn State
- 1981 – Jim McMahon, BYU
Davey O’Brien Memorial Trophy Winners by Year
Between 1977 and 1980, the Davey O’Brien Award was known as the Memorial Trophy, and the winners were players of any position who played football in the southwestern part of the United States. Remarkably, for what the award now celebrates, none of the winners played the quarterback position.
- 1980 – Mike Singletary, LB, Baylor
- 1979 – Mike Singletary, LB, Baylor
- 1978 – Billy Sims, RB, Oklahoma
- 1977 – Earl Campbell, RB, Texas
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