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USF quarterback Quinton Flowers has been named a semifinalist for the Walter Camp Award, given to the best overall college football player. Here is the press release from USF:
TAMPA, NOV. 17, 2016 – USF junior quarterback Quinton Flowers (Miami) has been named to the semifinalist watch list for the 2016 Walter Camp Player of the Year award, the fourth-oldest college football award in the nation.
A front-runner for American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Flowers is in the midst of what could rank as the greatest offensive season in USF football history and among the greatest in Florida collegiate history. The three-time American Conference Player of the Week broke the USF single game total offense record with 473 yards and five TD in the Bulls’ win at Memphis in his last outing, becoming just the 14th FBS player to run and pass for 200 yards in the same game.
Flowers is the only American Conference player and one of eight quarterbacks on the 15-player semifinalist watch list announced Thursday. The list includes: Jonathan Allen (DL, Alabama), J.T. Barrett (QB, Ohio State), Jake Browning (QB, Washington), Dalvin Cook (RB, Florida State), Luke Falk (QB, Washington State), D’Onta Foreman (RB, Texas), Jalen Hurts (QB, Alabama), Lamar Jackson (QB, Louisville), Baker Mayfield (QB, Oklahoma), Raekwon McMillan (LB, Ohio State), Jabrill Peppers (DB, Michigan), Donnel Pumphrey (RB, San Diego State), Deshaun Watson (QB, Clemson) and Dede Westbrook (WR, Oklahoma).
The first 2,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher in the same season in state of Florida collegiate history, Flowers joined Louisville Heisman candidate Lamar Jackson as the only two players to achieve the feat so far in 2016. Flowers is in the midst of a USF record-breaking season that has him ranked in the top 15 nationally in eight different statistical categories. He has accounted for 32 touchdowns on the year to rank ninth in the FBS in points responsible for with 192. Flowers’ 1,131 rushing yards rank 12th nationally and he has passed for 2,204 yards and 19 touchdowns. He is 13th nationally in total offense (333.5 ypg) and ranks fourth in the nation in ESPN’s Total QBR. With 3,335 yards of total offense, he is on pace to shatter USF’s season record of 3,542 set by Matt Grothe in 2007.
The Walter Camp Player of the Year is voted on by the 128 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors. A list of five finalists will be announced on Wednesday, November 30, and the winner broadcast live on ESPN SportsCenter on Thursday, December 8.
Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp – a former Yale University athlete and football coach – is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation (www.waltercamp.org,@WalterCampFF) – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team. The Foundation is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA).
USF is 5-1 in The American and tied atop the East Division with Temple. The Bulls head to SMU (5-5; 3-3) on Saturday, Nov. 19 for a 7 p.m. kick on CBS Sports Network.
Flowers is the first quarterback in USF history to run for 1,000 yards in a season, and he’s now on pace to break Marlon Mack’s single-season rushing record of 1,381 yards, set last season. He is one of only two players outside the Power 5 conferences to make the list.
If Flowers is making this list... could he be the first USF player to ever receive Heisman votes? Are we going to start a campaign for him next year and put up billboards and send flowers to voters and stuff? That would be a lot of fun.
Congratulations, Q. Keep it rolling.
