University of Southern Mississippi Athletics

Photo by: Joe Harper
Jack Abraham Added to Manning Award Watch List
10/24/2019 4:36:00 PM | Football
NEW ORLEANS – The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, announced 16 additions to its 2019 Watch List on Thursday, including Southern Miss junior from Oxford, Mississippi, Jack Abraham. Finalists for the honor will be determined by a selected panel of national media covering college football, as well as each of the Mannings. That list will be released on Thursday, December 5 and the winner is scheduled to be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship in New Orleans on January 13.
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 includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
After announcing 30 quarterbacks to watch during the preseason, the Manning Award opted to increase its focus players based on the many outstanding performances during the first half of the year. While these players have been added to the Watch List, every quarterback in the nation remains eligible to win the honor.
2019 Manning Award Watch List Midseason Additions
Jack Abraham, Southern Miss
Kelly Bryant, Missouri
Shane Buechele, SMU
Jack Coan, Wisconsin
Sean Clifford, Penn State
Jacob Eason, Washington
Dan Ellington, Georgia State
Justin Fields, Ohio State
Dillon Gabriel, UCF
Anthony Gordon, Washington State
Sam Howell, North Carolina
Tyler Huntley, Utah
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
Jamie Newman, Wake Forest
Malcolm Perry, Navy
The additions to the Watch List come from eight different conferences with the Big Ten leading the way with four quarterbacks. The AAC and the Pac-12 each had three recognized, while the ACC added two quarterbacks to the list. The newcomers include six seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen.
In its first 15 years, the Manning Award has recognized the top names in college football. It has honored quarterbacks from 12 different schools and from four different conferences. The Big 12 Conference (Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Vince Young, Colt McCoy and Robert Griffin III) leads the way with five Manning Award honorees, while the Southeastern Conference (Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton, JaMarcus Russell and Tim Tebow) and the Atlantic Coast Conference (Deshaun Watson twice, Matt Ryan and Jameis Winston) have four Manning Award wins each. Oklahoma (Murray and Mayfield) joins Texas (McCoy and Young) as the only schools with two different winners.
Statistically, the Manning Award has seen a wide-range of quarterbacks. Twelve of the Manning Award men threw for over 3,000 yards in their winning campaign, including 4,000-yard seasons from Murray, Mayfield, Griffin III, Marcus Mariota, Ryan, Watson (twice) and Winston. On the other hand, Murray, Watson (in 2015), Young, Manziel and Newton were all 1,000-yard rushers during their Manning years.
Perhaps most impressive among the statistics of the quarterbacks recognized by the Manning Award is touchdowns scored. Ten of the winners accounted for over 40 touchdowns during their successful seasons – Mariota tallied a Manning Award-best 58 touchdowns during his winning campaign in 2014.
One of the more unique aspects of the Manning Award is the fact that it takes account of the quarterbacks' bowl performances, in addition to the regular season. Manning Award winners won bowl games in 12 of the 15 seasons they won the honor. Ten Manning Award honorees led their teams to the CFP Semifinals or a BCS Championship game appearance (Matt Leinart, Mariota, Mayfield, McCoy, Murray, Newton, Tebow, Watson, Winston and Young). Six won national championships (Leinart, Newton, Tebow, Watson, Winston and Young).
Previous Manning Award winners have also factored prominently in the NFL Draft as they all heard their names called on Draft Day. Five honorees were selected No. 1 overall (Murray, Mayfield, Newton, Russell and Winston), while four others went No. 2 or No. 3 (Griffin, Mariota, Ryan and Young).
All the Manning Award winners follow in the footsteps of the Mannings themselves. In college, Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning combined for over 25,000 passing yards and 201 touchdowns while playing in 10 bowl games and earning four bowl MVP awards. Archie was the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, while both Peyton and Eli were selected No. 1 overall.
In addition to the Manning Award's yearly honor, each week during the regular season, eight quarterbacks are recognized as Manning Quarterbacks of the Week. Sixty players from 59 different schools were honored during the 2018 season.
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 includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
After announcing 30 quarterbacks to watch during the preseason, the Manning Award opted to increase its focus players based on the many outstanding performances during the first half of the year. While these players have been added to the Watch List, every quarterback in the nation remains eligible to win the honor.
2019 Manning Award Watch List Midseason Additions
Jack Abraham, Southern Miss
Kelly Bryant, Missouri
Shane Buechele, SMU
Jack Coan, Wisconsin
Sean Clifford, Penn State
Jacob Eason, Washington
Dan Ellington, Georgia State
Justin Fields, Ohio State
Dillon Gabriel, UCF
Anthony Gordon, Washington State
Sam Howell, North Carolina
Tyler Huntley, Utah
Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
Jamie Newman, Wake Forest
Malcolm Perry, Navy
The additions to the Watch List come from eight different conferences with the Big Ten leading the way with four quarterbacks. The AAC and the Pac-12 each had three recognized, while the ACC added two quarterbacks to the list. The newcomers include six seniors, five juniors, three sophomores and two freshmen.
In its first 15 years, the Manning Award has recognized the top names in college football. It has honored quarterbacks from 12 different schools and from four different conferences. The Big 12 Conference (Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield, Vince Young, Colt McCoy and Robert Griffin III) leads the way with five Manning Award honorees, while the Southeastern Conference (Johnny Manziel, Cam Newton, JaMarcus Russell and Tim Tebow) and the Atlantic Coast Conference (Deshaun Watson twice, Matt Ryan and Jameis Winston) have four Manning Award wins each. Oklahoma (Murray and Mayfield) joins Texas (McCoy and Young) as the only schools with two different winners.
Statistically, the Manning Award has seen a wide-range of quarterbacks. Twelve of the Manning Award men threw for over 3,000 yards in their winning campaign, including 4,000-yard seasons from Murray, Mayfield, Griffin III, Marcus Mariota, Ryan, Watson (twice) and Winston. On the other hand, Murray, Watson (in 2015), Young, Manziel and Newton were all 1,000-yard rushers during their Manning years.
Perhaps most impressive among the statistics of the quarterbacks recognized by the Manning Award is touchdowns scored. Ten of the winners accounted for over 40 touchdowns during their successful seasons – Mariota tallied a Manning Award-best 58 touchdowns during his winning campaign in 2014.
One of the more unique aspects of the Manning Award is the fact that it takes account of the quarterbacks' bowl performances, in addition to the regular season. Manning Award winners won bowl games in 12 of the 15 seasons they won the honor. Ten Manning Award honorees led their teams to the CFP Semifinals or a BCS Championship game appearance (Matt Leinart, Mariota, Mayfield, McCoy, Murray, Newton, Tebow, Watson, Winston and Young). Six won national championships (Leinart, Newton, Tebow, Watson, Winston and Young).
Previous Manning Award winners have also factored prominently in the NFL Draft as they all heard their names called on Draft Day. Five honorees were selected No. 1 overall (Murray, Mayfield, Newton, Russell and Winston), while four others went No. 2 or No. 3 (Griffin, Mariota, Ryan and Young).
All the Manning Award winners follow in the footsteps of the Mannings themselves. In college, Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning combined for over 25,000 passing yards and 201 touchdowns while playing in 10 bowl games and earning four bowl MVP awards. Archie was the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, while both Peyton and Eli were selected No. 1 overall.
In addition to the Manning Award's yearly honor, each week during the regular season, eight quarterbacks are recognized as Manning Quarterbacks of the Week. Sixty players from 59 different schools were honored during the 2018 season.
Players Mentioned
2026 National Signing Day Press Conference with Blake Anderson
Wednesday, February 04
Southern Miss 2026 National Signing Day
Wednesday, February 04
Christian Ostrander Preseason Press Conference
Monday, January 19
Blake Anderson Introductory Press Conference
Monday, December 15





