Utah’s Tyler Huntley Snubbed By Davey O’Brien Award Watch List

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – College football award watchlist season is in full swing. The award that goes to the nation’s best quarterback is the Davey O’Brien Award. Only one local player made the list, and it wasn’t a Ute.

Of the 30 quarterbacks included just one player is from the state of Utah made the cut – Jordan Love from Utah State.

Love had an amazing year in 2018. He was named the Mountain West second-team quarterback and led the Aggies to an 11-2 record.

Another award watch list … Another @jordan3love sighting!

Congrats on being named to the @daveyobrien Award Watch List.

➡️ https://t.co/84wF8EMVQS#AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/RInruA01qt

— USU Football (@USUFootball) July 16, 2019

Love is deserving of the mention as one of the best quarterbacks in the country, according to Scott Mitchell and Alex Kirry of KSL’s UnRivaled, but so is the University of Utah’s starter Tyler Huntley.

Huntley missed time last year with a broken clavicle but he is typically in the discussion as the third quarterback within the Pac-12.

The conference of champions has five players on the Davey O’Brien watchlist but in addition to Huntley not making the cut, neither did Washington quarterback Jacob Eason.

Congrats to the #Pac12FB student-athletes selected to the 2019 @daveyobrien Award Watch List, presented annually to the nation’s best quarterback. https://t.co/RUtN1dB7dH pic.twitter.com/vanSzAYuob

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) July 16, 2019

This doesn’t mean Huntley can’t be added later. These watchlists usually make adjustments based on performance.

The Case for Huntley

Mitchell was not happy that the Ute quarterback is nowhere to be seen on this list. He expressed his frustration last night on KSL’s UnRivaled.

“If Tyler Huntley stays healthy and the way he was playing last year because he was playing well. I feel I have to say this over and over again, and I am tired of defending him,” Mitchell said on KSL’s Unrivaled. “I can’t figure out these people… Steven Montez from Colorado – who has done what the past couple of years?!”

“I am bothered by JT Daniels of USC, if you are going to put those guys on there, fine. There is no reason why Tyler Huntley shouldn’t be on this list,” Mitchell went on.

So…. Utah RB Zack Moss did NOT make the Doak Walker watch list award?https://t.co/01i4xrqCvc

— KSL's UnRivaled (@KSLunrivaled) July 17, 2019

Mitchell’s argument to include Huntley stems from the success he had before getting hurt. When looking at per-game numbers, Huntley was eighth in yards, seventh in passer rating, in yards per attempt he came in at sixth and his completion percentage was fifth.

Those numbers are not amazing, in fact, they are just average in the Pac-12. However, when looking at the other conference quarterbacks who are on the list – like Arizona’s Khalil Tate – Huntley’s numbers are at worst comparable and some are even better.

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Mitchell thinks name recognition and potential play a large role in the selection.

“What are they basing J.T. Daniels on? That he was the top recruit in the country, he didn’t have a great year. What are they putting Stephen Montaz on there for what he has done in the past? Nothing,” Mitchell said. “You look at Khalil Tate, and I understand he was phenomenal for a period of time as a freshman.”

What seems to be the most frustrating thing about the Davey O’Brien watchlist is that there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to why quarterbacks make or don’t make this list, according to Mitchell.

“I would put Tyler Huntley on this list because I think Utah will be a very good football team. Why would you not put him on there, because he might get injured? It makes no sense to me and I don’t understand why Tyler Huntley is not better thought of,” Mitchell said.

Tyler Huntley, everyone! #goutes #USCvsUTAH pic.twitter.com/yLfni9l88Z

— Utah Athletics (@utahathletics) October 21, 2018

Utah is known for liking to play with a chip on its shoulder, so perhaps Huntley getting snubbed is some bulletin board material for him and his offensive teammates to be even better this year, Mitchell predicted.

“Tyler Huntley not being on the list shows to me shows that people do not really know who he is and maybe that is a good thing and the same goes for BYU’s Zach Wilson,” KSL’s Unrivaled co-host Alex Kirry said.

Mitchell ended the conversation by saying the people who create these watchlists “need to do their homework.”

Tune into KSL’s Unrivaled every Monday through Friday, 7-9 p.m., or download the KSL NewsRadio app and subscribe to the podcast.