FORT WORTH, Texas - Fresno State redshirt sophomore quarterback Mikey Keene has been named to the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Class of 2023, the organization announced on Tuesday. Keene is one of 35 quarterbacks on the list, and one of two from the Mountain West with each member now an official candidate to win the 2023 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.
In seven games played this season, Keene has completed 186-of-273 pass attempts for 1,948 yards and 19 touchdowns. He is averaging 278.29 yards per game.
In his first season as a Bulldog after transferring from UCF, Keene leads the Mountain West in completion percentage (.681) and completions per game (26.57). He is second in passing touchdowns and passing efficiency, and within the Top 5 in passing yards, points responsible for and total offense.
Keene entered the season with no national preseason recognition, but has since garnered honors from the Davey O'Brien Award and the Manning Award. The Bulldog quarterback earned a Great 8 recognition by the award organization earlier this season.
Fresno State has had three quarterbacks recognized by the Davey O'Brien Award since 2018 in Keene, Jake Haener and Marcus McMaryion. McMaryion was a semifinalist for the award in 2018. Prior to McMaryion, both David Carr (2001) and Derek Carr (2013) were semifinalists. Kevin Sweeney finished as the runner-up for the 1986 Davey O'Brien Award.
The next step in the process will be to select the award's 16 semifinalists from the 35 quarterbacks. The semifinalists will be chosen based on voting from the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee as well as bonus ballots awarded from the first round of the Davey O'Brien Fan Vote.
For the fourth straight year, the Fan Vote will take place on the award's three social media platforms—Facebook,Instagram and Twitter (X)—and the top five vote getters on each platform will receive bonus committee member ballots which will be added to the votes cast by the National Selection Committee.
To participate in the Fan Vote, fans must like the original Davey O'Brien Award post highlighting their quarterback. The first round is open now until Friday, Nov. 10 at noon (CT). The semifinalists will be named on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Looking ahead, the three finalists will be tabbed on Tuesday, Nov. 28, while the winner will be announced live on Friday, Dec. 8, on The Home Depot College Football Awards on ESPN.
The Davey O'Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award was first issued in 1981. Over its time, the Davey O'Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.3 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.
In 1938, O'Brien, who was a star quarterback for TCU, became the first player ever to win the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award in the same year. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955.
The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 47th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will be held Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2023
Drew Allar, Penn State, So., 6-5, 242, Medina, Ohio
Carson Beck, Georgia, Jr., 6-4, 220, Jacksonville, Fla.
Davis Brin, Georgia Southern, Sr., 6-2, 210, Boerne, Texas
Brady Cook, Missouri, Jr., 6-2, 205, St. Louis, Mo.
Jayden Daniels, LSU, Sr., 6-4, 210, San Bernardino, Calif.
JT Daniels, Rice, Sr., 6-2, 237, Irvine, Calif.
Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss, Jr., 6-2, 220, Kaysville, Utah
Quinn Ewers, Texas, So., 6-2, 195, Southlake, Texas
Dequan Finn, Toledo, Jr., 6-2, 205, Detroit, Mich.
Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma, Sr., 5-11, 204, Mililani, Hawaii
Darren Grainger, Georgia State, Sr., 6-4, 225, Conway, S.C.
Frank Harris, UTSA, Sr., 6-0, 205, Schertz, Texas
Sam Hartman, Notre Dame, Sr., 6-1, 212, Charlotte, N.C.
Mikey Keene, Fresno State, So., 5-11, 198, Chandler, Ariz.
Zac Larrier, Air Force, Sr., 6-0, 195, Youngstown, Ohio
Drake Maye, North Carolina, So., 6-4, 230, Huntersville, N.C.
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, Sr., 6-3, 220, Indian Trail, N.C.
J.J. McCarthy, Michigan, Jr., 6-3, 202, La Grange Park, Ill.
Jordan McCloud, James Madison, Sr., 6-0, 199, Tampa, Fla.
Kyle McCord, Ohio State, Jr., 6-3, 215, Mt. Laurel, N.J.
Graham Mertz, Florida, Jr., 6-3, 215, Overland Park, Kan.
Jalen Milroe, Alabama, So., 6-2, 220, Katy, Texas
Bo Nix, Oregon, Sr., 6-3, 214, Pinson, Ala.
Michael Penix Jr., Washington, Sr., 6-3, 213, Tampa, Fla.
Michael Pratt, Tulane, Jr., 6-3, 220, Boca Raton, Fla.
Austin Reed, Western Kentucky, Jr., 6-2, 230, St. Augustine Beach, Fla.
Kaidon Salter, Liberty, So., 6-1, 200, Cedar Hill, Texas
Shedeur Sanders, Colorado, Jr., 6-2, 215, Dallas, Texas
Preston Stone, SMU, So., 6-1, 219, Dallas, Texas
Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland, Sr., 5-11, 208, Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Jordan Travis, Florida State, Sr., 6-1, 212, West Palm Beach, Fla.
DJ Uiagalelei, Oregon State, Jr., 6-4, 252, Inland Empire, Calif.
Tyler Van Dyke, Miami, Jr., 6-4, 230, Glastonbury, Conn.
Cameron Ward, Washington State, Jr., 6-2, 223, West Columbia, Texas
Caleb Williams, USC, Jr., 6-1, 220, Washington, D.C.