Nov. 4, 2013

University of South Carolina senior quarterback Connor Shaw has been selected as one of 16 semifinalists for the 2013 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, it was announced today.

Shaw, a 6-1, 209-pound senior from Flowery Branch, Ga., has completed 62.9 percent (122-for-194) of his passes this season for 1,655 yards with 18 touchdowns and just one interception. His quarterback efficiency rating of 164.13 ranks 11th in the country. In addition, he is the Gamecocks’ second-leading rusher with 375 yards on the ground and three touchdowns.

Shaw is 23-5 as the Gamecocks’ starting quarterback, just one win shy of Todd Ellis’s school record of 24 career wins. He is a perfect 14-0 as a starter at Williams-Brice Stadium. Shaw is the school’s career leader in passing completion at 65.6 percent, is second in touchdown passes with 50, is fourth in total offense with 6,782 yards, is seventh in career passing yards with 5,282, and is the only player in Carolina history to throw for more than 5,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards.

Narrowed down from the starting quarterbacks from all 125 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision schools, semifinalists were selected by the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee, with the Fan Vote accounting for five percent of the total vote. The committee was asked to consider the following criteria: quarterback skills, athletic ability, academics, character, leadership and sportsmanship.

The 2013 Davey O’Brien Semifinalists represent schools from the following conferences: SEC (5), Pac-12 (3), AAC (2), ACC (2), Big Ten (1), Big 12 (1), Mid-American (1) and Mountain West (1).

2013 Davey O’Brien Semifinalists:

Blake Bortles, UCF, AAC

Tajh Boyd, Clemson, ACC

Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville, AAC

Derek Carr, Fresno State, MWC

Brett Hundley, UCLA, Pac-12

Jordan Lynch, Northern Illinois, MAC

Sean Mannion, Oregon State, Pac-12

Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M, SEC

Marcus Mariota, Oregon, Pac-12

A.J. McCarron, Alabama, SEC

Zach Mettenberger, LSU, SEC

Braxton Miller, Ohio State, Big Ten

Aaron Murray, Georgia, SEC

Bryce Petty, Baylor, Big 12

Connor Shaw, South Carolina, SEC

Jameis Winston, Florida State, ACC