TicketsCINCINNATI - University of Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder (Louisville, Kentucky/St. Xavier) was named to the 30-player watch list for the 2019 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List, the Davey O'Brien Foundation announced Tuesday.
Compiled by a subset of the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee, this year's list was selected based on player performance during the previous year and expectations heading into the 2019 college football season. All nominees are required to have previously started at least one game at their current institution.
The 2018 American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, Ridder burst onto the scene in 2018, starting 11 games, completing 62.4 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,445 yards and 20 TDs while adding another 583 yards rushing along with five more scores. He came onto the field for the third offensive series in the opener against UCLA and started the rest of the way, showing a knack for making big plays. Pro Football Focus lists him with a 7.9% big-time throw rate, which ranks No. 6 among all returning FBS signal callers. Ridder threw for 250 or more yards on four occasions, including a career-best 352 yards at SMU. His four TD affair against ECU was one of seven games with multiple TD passes.
He was tabbed as a Second-Team All-AAC Selection by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele's Preseason College Football Magazine.
The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. Appearing on the watch list is not a requirement for a player to win the award. Quarterbacks from all NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools are eligible.
Sixteen semifinalists for the award will be named on Wednesday, Nov. 13. From that list, the Foundation will announce the three finalists on Monday, Nov. 25. The 2019 Davey O'Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN Thursday, Dec. 12, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The 2019 season marks the 13th year that fans will be invited to participate in the voting process on VoteOBrien.org. Results from the Davey O'Brien fan vote will be combined with the ballots from the selection committee.
The 43rd Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner will be held Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Bearcats, picked second in the AAC preseason media poll, finished 2018 with 11 or more wins for the third time in program history (2008, 2009) and knocked off Virginia Tech in the 2018 Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman. Entering 2019, UC is set to return more than 85% of its roster, over 5,000 yards of total offense, 10 of its Top-15 tacklers and 14 starters from the 2018 squad.
UC will report for training camp later this month to begin preparations for the 2019 season which opens in primetime on ESPN against UCLA on Thursday, Aug. 29 in Nippert Stadium. Anyone who has yet to renew their tickets for this season and new season ticket holders should contact the athletics ticket office at 1-877-CATS-TIX or online at GoBEARCATS.com/tickets.
HONORING THE 2009 BEARCATS
The Bearcats will honor the 10th Anniversary of the 2009 perfect regular season throughout the campaign with all season ticket holders set to receive an exclusive dual bobblehead commemorating one of the greatest plays in UC history, the 29-yard TD strike from Tony Pike to Armon Binns in UC's come-from-behind win over Pitt on Dec. 5, 2009.
All 2019 UC football season-ticket holders will receive the dual bobblehead, one per ticket purchased. The only way to guarantee receiving one of the limited-edition items is to purchase 2019 season tickets. The season-ticket book, also exclusive to season-ticket holders, features a dual 2009-2019 season-ticket design showcasing Bearcats stars of past and present.
Click HERE for more information.
TICKETS
Prices start at $99 in the Aquafina Family Section for an exciting six-game home schedule in Nippert Stadium which includes primetime matchups under the lights against UCLA and two-time defending American Athletic Conference Champion UCF, along with the annual Battle for the Victory Bell against Miami (OH), the 2009 team recognition against Tulsa, a homecoming matchup against UConn and senior day against Temple.
Check out the newly launched football season tickets hub by clicking HERE.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.
Compiled by a subset of the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee, this year's list was selected based on player performance during the previous year and expectations heading into the 2019 college football season. All nominees are required to have previously started at least one game at their current institution.
The 2018 American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year, Ridder burst onto the scene in 2018, starting 11 games, completing 62.4 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,445 yards and 20 TDs while adding another 583 yards rushing along with five more scores. He came onto the field for the third offensive series in the opener against UCLA and started the rest of the way, showing a knack for making big plays. Pro Football Focus lists him with a 7.9% big-time throw rate, which ranks No. 6 among all returning FBS signal callers. Ridder threw for 250 or more yards on four occasions, including a career-best 352 yards at SMU. His four TD affair against ECU was one of seven games with multiple TD passes.
He was tabbed as a Second-Team All-AAC Selection by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele's Preseason College Football Magazine.
The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. Appearing on the watch list is not a requirement for a player to win the award. Quarterbacks from all NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools are eligible.
Sixteen semifinalists for the award will be named on Wednesday, Nov. 13. From that list, the Foundation will announce the three finalists on Monday, Nov. 25. The 2019 Davey O'Brien Award winner will be unveiled live on ESPN Thursday, Dec. 12, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
The 2019 season marks the 13th year that fans will be invited to participate in the voting process on VoteOBrien.org. Results from the Davey O'Brien fan vote will be combined with the ballots from the selection committee.
The 43rd Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner will be held Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Bearcats, picked second in the AAC preseason media poll, finished 2018 with 11 or more wins for the third time in program history (2008, 2009) and knocked off Virginia Tech in the 2018 Military Bowl presented by Northrop Grumman. Entering 2019, UC is set to return more than 85% of its roster, over 5,000 yards of total offense, 10 of its Top-15 tacklers and 14 starters from the 2018 squad.
UC will report for training camp later this month to begin preparations for the 2019 season which opens in primetime on ESPN against UCLA on Thursday, Aug. 29 in Nippert Stadium. Anyone who has yet to renew their tickets for this season and new season ticket holders should contact the athletics ticket office at 1-877-CATS-TIX or online at GoBEARCATS.com/tickets.
HONORING THE 2009 BEARCATS
The Bearcats will honor the 10th Anniversary of the 2009 perfect regular season throughout the campaign with all season ticket holders set to receive an exclusive dual bobblehead commemorating one of the greatest plays in UC history, the 29-yard TD strike from Tony Pike to Armon Binns in UC's come-from-behind win over Pitt on Dec. 5, 2009.
All 2019 UC football season-ticket holders will receive the dual bobblehead, one per ticket purchased. The only way to guarantee receiving one of the limited-edition items is to purchase 2019 season tickets. The season-ticket book, also exclusive to season-ticket holders, features a dual 2009-2019 season-ticket design showcasing Bearcats stars of past and present.
Click HERE for more information.
TICKETS
Prices start at $99 in the Aquafina Family Section for an exciting six-game home schedule in Nippert Stadium which includes primetime matchups under the lights against UCLA and two-time defending American Athletic Conference Champion UCF, along with the annual Battle for the Victory Bell against Miami (OH), the 2009 team recognition against Tulsa, a homecoming matchup against UConn and senior day against Temple.
Check out the newly launched football season tickets hub by clicking HERE.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati football, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati football (@GoBearcatsFB) and Coach Fickell (@CoachFick) on Twitter. You can also find the Bearcats on Instagram and Facebook.