Oklahoma football: Spencer Rattler, Gabe Brkic national award semifinalists
By Chip Rouse
Oklahoma football players Spencer Rattler and Gabe Brkic have been name 2020 national award semifinalists.
Rattler is one of 17 semifinalists and only two freshman who are being considered for the 2020 Davey O’Brien Award, which annually recognizes the best quarterback in college football. Brkic is one of 20 semifinalists for the 2020 Lou Groza Award, honoring the most outstanding college football placekicker.
Rattler, a redshirt freshman from Phoenix, Arizona, and the No. 1 QB prospect in the 2019 class, has completed 178 of 260 passes (69 percent completion rate) this season for 2,512 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also has four rushing touchdowns.
The Sooner quarterback has thrown at least two touchdown passes in eight of Oklahoma’s nine games this season. Among freshman quarterbacks, Rattler’s 24 TD passes leads the nation, and he also ranks first in passing offense (279.1 yards per game), yards per pass attempt (9.7), and total offense (290.6 ypg).
Among all college quarterbacks at the FBS level, Rattler is eighth nationally in passing TDS, 10th in yards per pass attempt, 15th in completion percentage and 18th in passing offense.
Brkic has connected on 16 of 21 field-goal attempts this season and has been successful on all 40 of his extra-point tries. He had made three field goals of at least 50 yards and is 6 of 10 from 40 yards or longer.
A redshirt sophomore from Chardon, Ohio, Brkic leads the nation, averaging two field goals per game. His 88 total points this season ranks 13th in the country and his 10.6 points per game is 13th best. In two seasons at OU, Brkic is 33 of 38 in field-goal attempts, and he is 92 for 92 in extra points.
Four former Sooner quarterbacks, all Heisman Trophy winners, are past recipients of the Davey O’Brien Quarterback Award (Jason White in 2003 and 2004; Sam Bradford in 2008; Baker Mayfield in 2017, and Kyler Murray in 2018).
No Oklahoma kicker has ever won the Lou Groza Award.