Three players with Kentucky ties on watch list for Johnny Unitas award
Kentucky’s Stephen Johnson, Western Kentucky’s Mike White and former Franklin County High School standout Logan Woodside of Toledo were among 47 quarterbacks named Wednesday to the watch list for the 2017 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
The Golden Arm Award is based on a player’s accomplishments both on and off the field. Candidates must be a college senior or fourth-year junior on schedule to graduate with their class. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation.
Johnson went 5-4 as a starter last season after stepping in for the injured Drew Barker. He completed 145 of 265 passes for 2,037 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also carried the ball 97 times for 327 yards and three scores.
White completed 280 of 416 attempts for 4,363 yards and 37 touchdowns last season in leading WKU to an 11-3 record and a victory over Memphis in the Boca Raton Bowl.
Woodside completed 289 of 418 passes for 4,129 yards and a nation-leading 45 touchdowns in 2016. Toledo (9-4) lost to Appalachian State in the Camellia Bowl.
The Golden Arm Award committee will announce the top 15 finalists in September and the presentation to the winner will be Dec. 8.
2017 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list
Austin Allen, Arkansas
Kyle Allen, Houston
J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
Kurt Berkert, Virginia
David Blough, Purdue
Ahmad Bradshaw, Army
Max Browne, Pittsburgh
Christian Chapman, San Diego State
Keller Chryst, Stanford
Brandon Dawkins, Troy
Jason Driskel, Florida Atlantic
Jesse Ertz, Kansas State
Danny Etling, LSU
Luke Falk, Washington State
Riley Ferguson, Memphis
Ryan Finley, North Carolina State
Nick Fitzgerald, Mississippi State
Quinton Flowers, South Florida
Andrew Ford, UMass
Justice Hansen, Arkansas State
Brandon Harris, North Carolina
Kenny Hill, TCU
Stephen Johnson, Kentucky
Taylor Lamb, Appalachian State
Richard Lagow, Indiana
Tanner Lee, Nebraska
Matt Linehan, Idaho
Connor Manning, Georgia State
Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
Trace McSorley, Penn State
Ryan Metz, Texas El Paso
Hayden Moore, Cincinnati
Kent Myers, Utah State
Josh Rosen, Alabama
Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State
Nic Shimonek, Texas Tech
Bryant Shirreffs, UConn
Brandon Silvers, Troy
Wilton Speight, Michigan
Nick Stevens, Colorado State
Brent Stockstill, Middle Tennessee
Dalton Sturm, Texas San Antonio
Clayton Thorson, Northwestern
Mike White, Western Kentucky
Troy Williams, Utah
Logan Woodside, Toledo
Darius Wade, Boston College
This story was originally published July 19, 2017 at 1:18 PM with the headline "Three players with Kentucky ties on watch list for Johnny Unitas award."