Johnny Unitas Award Release

BALTIMORE –  Appalachian State redshirt junior quarterback Zac Thomas and ULM senior quarterback Caleb Evans were named among the 20 finalists for the 2019 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which narrowed its list Tuesday after beginning the season with 49 candidates.
 
Presented by A.O. Smith, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the top senior or fourth-year junior quarterback.
 
Thomas has completed 71.9 percent of his passes this season for 802 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. The Mountaineers have won their last 15 games with him as the team's primary quarterback. Thomas has moved forward from a redshirt sophomore season in which he was named the Sun Belt Conference's Offensive Player of the Year.

Evans has accounted for 1,458 yards total offense and 15 touchdowns through five games. He ranks as one of four NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks to post multiple games with at least two passing and two rushing touchdowns (at Florida State and vs. Memphis), joining Ohio State's Justin Fields, Oklahoma's Jalen Hurts and Iowa State's Brock Purdy.

The award will be presented on Dec. 11 in Baltimore.