Spencer Rattler, Brock Purdy Are on Manning Award Watch List
Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler and Iowa State’s Brock Purdy were two of five Big 12 quarterbacks named to the 2021 Sugar Bowl Manning Award Watch List, released on Thursday
The watch list revealed the 32 quarterbacks the New Orleans, Louisiana-based award is tracking for the 2021 season. The winner will be announced in January. The Manning is named for former the Manning family of quarterbacks — Archie, Peyton and Eli. The award is one of the few that takes into account bowl performances, as well as the regular season.
Rattler led the Sooners to the Big 12 Championship last year, despite losing back-to-back games early in the season to Kansas State and Iowa State. After winning the Big 12 title, the Sooners went on to drum Florida in the Cotton Bowl. In many preseason polls, the Sooners are considered a Top 5 team this year. Rattler was an O’Brien semifinalist last season.
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Purdy led the Cyclones to one of their best seasons in history, winning nine games and ending up at the top of the Big 12 standings in the regular season. Despite losing to OU in the Big 12 title game, the Cyclones went on to defeat Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl. In most preseason polls the Cyclones are in the Top 10. Purdy is a two-time O’Brien Award semifinalist.
The other two Big 12 quarterbacks on the preseason watch list are TCU’s Max Duggan and Kansas State’s Skylar Thompson, the latter of which is coming off a season-ending injury.
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2021 Sugar Bowl Manning Award Watch List
(Big 12 Players in Bold)
Cornelious Brown, So., Georgia St.
Sean Clifford, Jr., Penn St.
Matt Corral, Jr., Ole Miss
Dustin Crum, Sr., Kent St.
Malik Cunningham, Sr., Louisville
Jayden Daniels, Jr., Arizona St.
JT Daniels, Jr., Georgia
Max Duggan, Jr., TCU
Kaleb Eleby, Jr., Western Michigan
Dillon Gabriel, Jr., UCF
Chase Garbers, Sr., Cal
Frank Harris, Sr., UTSA
Layne Hatcher, Jr., Arkansas St.
Sam Howell, Jr., North Carolina
Phil Jurkovec, Jr., Boston College
D’Eriq King, Sr., Miami
Levi Lewis, Sr., UL Lafayette
Grayson McCall, So., Coastal Carolina
Graham Mertz, So., Wisconsin
Bo Nix, Jr., Auburn
Michael Penix, Jr., Indiana
Kenny Pickett, Sr., Pittsburgh
Drew Plitt, Sr., Ball St.
Michael Pratt, So., Tulane
Brock Purdy, Sr., Iowa St.
Spencer Rattler, So., Oklahoma
Desmond Ridder, Sr., Cincinnati
Kedon Slovis, Jr., USC
Nick Starkel, Sr., San Jose St.
Carson Strong, So., Nevada
Skylar Thompson, Sr., Kansas St.
Malik Willis, Jr., Liberty
