Behren Morton Named To Davey O'Brien Watch List
Add another preseason honoree to the board as Texas Tech’s Behren Morton was named to the 2025 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award preseason watch list on Thursday. This is the senior’s third preseason nod this season, joining his Maxwell and Wuerffel watch list honors.
Morton is no stranger to the Davey O’Brien Foundation. He earned his way onto the 2024 Midseason Watch List after his 273 yard four touchdown performance in just two quarters versus North Texas. In total, he finished the year third in the Big 12 with 3,335 yards passing while tossing 27 touchdowns.
“I was born in Lubbock,” Morton told ESPN at Big 12 media days earlier this offseason. “I got to see Graham Harrell, Michael Crabtree and all the greats play in that era at Texas Tech. To be in the position that I am today, it’s such an unreal feeling.”
He enters his final season closing in on some of those greats with 6,209 career passing yards, not far from eclipsing the likes of Zebbie Lethridge (6,789), Billy Joe Tolliver (6,756) and B.J. Symons (6,378) for No. 7 on Texas Tech’s list of all-time career passing yard leaders.
After an offseason shoulder surgery, Morton has been seen flinging it with his old zip again during fall camp. We have likely not seen a full healthy Morton since his redshirt-freshman season, something everyone on this roster and coaching staff is excited to see as well.
“Behren feels great,” said McGuire in an interview with Greg McElroy. “You can tell a big difference in the way he moves around…He hasn’t felt this good since his freshman year when he first got here. And he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder. He hears all the things that are being said.“
What Is the Davey O’Brien Award?
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college 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 wore No. 8 as 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.
For more information, visit www.daveyobrienaward.com. Compiled by a subset of the Davey O’Brien national selection committee, this year’s list was selected based on previous Division I career player performance as well as expectations heading into the 2025 college football season.
When Will The Award Be Handed Out?
The official Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List will be released on Tuesday, Oct. 21, and semifinalists on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The Davey O’Brien Foundation will announce three finalists two weeks later (Tuesday, Nov. 25) and the winner of the 2025 Davey O’Brien Award will be announced live on ESPN on Thursday, Dec. 11, during The Home Depot College Football Awards.
This is the eighth Red Raider to be named to a preseason Watch List this year, with a potential for more to come. The remaining two awards will announce their lists in the coming days: Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy (Aug 8) and Bednarik Award (Aug 11.)
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