Utah quarterback Devon Dampier has been recognized for his outstanding performance during the Las Vegas Bowl against Nebraska, earning him a finalist spot for the prestigious Manning Award. The award honors the legacies of Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning and takes into account players’ performances in bowl games and playoffs.
Notable Performances and Stats
Dampier’s impressive showing in the Las Vegas Bowl included a 19-of-31 passing accuracy, leading to 310 passing yards and two touchdowns. Additionally, he rushed for 148 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, earning game MVP honors.
This performance enabled him to establish several records, tying the mark for the most rushing touchdowns by a Utah player in a bowl game and surpassing Alex Smith’s previous record for total offensive yards in a bowl appearance.
Season Overview
During the 2023 season, Devon Dampier threw for 2,490 yards with 24 touchdowns and only five interceptions, completing 63.5% of his passes. He was also Utah’s second-leading rusher, amassing 835 yards and scoring ten rushing touchdowns.
His remarkable statistics made him the first Utah quarterback to exceed 2,000 passing yards and 600 rushing yards in a season since Alex Smith in 2004. For his efforts, Dampier received the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year accolade and was named to the third-team all-conference and Associated Press all-bowl team.
Manning Award Finalists
The Manning Award finalists include several standout quarterbacks from various colleges:
- Carson Beck (Miami): 3,313 yards, 27 touchdowns
- Kaleb Blaha (Wisconsin-River Falls): 4,971 yards, 41 touchdowns
- Trinidad Chambliss (Ole Miss): 3,660 yards, 21 touchdowns
- Arch Manning (Texas): 3,163 yards, 26 touchdowns
- Devon Dampier (Utah): 2,490 yards, 24 touchdowns
- CJ Carr (Notre Dame): 2,741 yards, 24 touchdowns
- Haynes King (Georgia Tech): 2,951 yards, 14 touchdowns
- Fernando Mendoza (Indiana): 3,172 yards, 36 touchdowns
- Drew Mestemaker (North Texas): 4,379 yards, 34 touchdowns
- Dante Moore (Oregon): 3,280 yards, 28 touchdowns
- Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt): 3,539 yards, 29 touchdowns
- Marcel Reed (Texas A&M): 3,169 yards, 25 touchdowns
- Julian Sayin (Ohio State): 3,610 yards, 32 touchdowns
- Ty Simpson (Alabama): 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns
- Gunner Stockton (Georgia): 2,894 yards, 24 touchdowns
A Bright Future Ahead
The winner of the Manning Award will be announced on January 19, following the College Football Playoff National Championship. Devon Dampier’s achievements this season not only highlight his skill on the field but also position him for a promising future in college football.
