Ole Miss’ Ta’amu Named to Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List

Jordan Ta’amu standing in the pocket. Photo by Randall Haley

Ole Miss senior quarterback Jordan Ta’amu has been named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. announced Tuesday.

Named after one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, the prestigious award has been presented annually since 1987 to the nation’s top college quarterback.
 
Candidates must be a college senior or fourth-year junior on schedule to graduate with their class. Criteria to be considered for the award include character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, leadership qualities and athletic accomplishments.

Last season, the Pearl City’s Hawaii native played in eight games for the red and blue, starting the last five. Ta’amu threw for 1,682 yards and 11 touchdowns, including three-straight, starts with 365 yards or more passing to start his Ole Miss career.

Ta’amu became the only Ole Miss QB to ever throw for 350 yards or more in back-to-back SEC games, as he put up a 368-yard outing vs. Arkansas, followed by 382 yards passing on the road at Kentucky.
 
It was recently announced that A. O. Smith will be presenting the 2018 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award®, which will be hosted on December 7 at the Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel & The Grand. Proceeds from the event help support the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, which provides assistance to underprivileged and deserving student-athletes throughout Maryland and Kentucky.

Some notable standout winners of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® include: Peyton Manning (Tennessee, 1997); Carson Palmer (USC, 2002); Eli Manning (Ole Miss, 2003); Brady Quinn (Notre Dame, 2006); Matt Ryan (Boston College, 2007); Colt McCoy (Texas, 2009); Andrew Luck (Stanford, 2011); Marcus Mariota (University of Oregon, 2014); Connor Cook (Michigan State, 2015); Deshaun Watson (Clemson, 2016) and the 2017 winner, Mason Rudolph (Oklahoma State).
 

HottyToddy.com staff report