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ACC Quarterbacks Lead the Way on Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Preseason Watch List

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference led the way with 13 quarterbacks named to the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award preseason watch list, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc., along with presenting sponsor A. O. Smith Corporation announced. This season’s list acknowledges 63 of the nation’s leading quarterbacks, representing all 10 FBS conferences, as well as football independent.
 
The award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. 
 
The ACC, which had the most quarterbacks on the list among all conferences, was represented by Thomas Castellanos of Boston College, Ashton Daniels of Stanford, Kyron Drones of Virginia Tech, Haynes King of Georgia Tech, Cade Klubnik of Clemson, Grayson McCall of NC State, Kyle McCord of Syracuse, Fernando Mendoza of California, Tyler Shough of Louisville, Preston Stone of SMU, DJ Uiagalelei of Florida State, Cam Ward of Miami and Nate Yarnell of Pitt.

The preseason watch list, semifinalists, finalists, and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers, and former players.
 
The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.

This year’s award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy at the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Friday, December 6, 2024.

Giving life to the commitment to give back, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. and presenting sponsor A. O. Smith continue to promote football on all levels by providing financial aid to deserving young scholar-athletes. 
 
ACC Representatives on the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Preseason Watch List:
 
Name, School, Class, Position
Thomas Castellanos, Boston College, Junior, QB
Fernando Mendoza, Cal, Redshirt Sophomore, QB
Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Junior, QB
DJ Uiagalelei, Florida State, Redshirt Senior, QB
Haynes King, Georgia Tech, Redshirt Junior, QB
Tyler Shough, Louisville, Redshirt Senior, QB
Cam Ward, Miami, Senior, QB
Grayson McCall, NC State, Graduate Student, QB
Nate Yarnell, Pitt, Redshirt Junior, QB
Preston Stone, SMU, Redshirt Junior, QB
Ashton Daniels, Stanford, Junior, QB
Kyle McCord, Syracuse, Senior, QB
Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech, Redshirt Junior, QB
 
ACC Football Notes
  • The ACC is the Conference of Quarterbacks, with the return of full-time starters Thomas Castellanos at Boston College, Cade Klubnik at Clemson, Grayson Loftis at Duke, Haynes King at Georgia Tech, Preston Stone at SMU, and Kyron Drones at Virginia Tech, and transfers DJ Uiagalelei at Florida State, Tyler Shough at Louisville, Cam Ward at Miami, Grayson McCall at NC State, and Kyle McCord at Syracuse among others.
    • ACC had 13 quarterbacks named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award preseason watch list, the most of any conference.
    • ACC had 10 quarterbacks named to the Maxwell Award preseason watch list, no other conference had more.
    • ACC had eight quarterbacks named to the Davey O’Brien Award preseason watch list, no other conference had more.
    • ACC has the top-ranked group of quarterback transfers in 2024 by CBS Sports.
    • 13 QBs in the league enter the 2024 season with over 20 career touchdown passes and 3,500 career passing yards.
    • Eight quarterbacks from ACC schools are projected to start Week 1 in the 2024 NFL season — 25 percent of NFL teams.
    • Since 2018, the ACC has had at least one quarterback drafted in the first round in five different drafts — the only conference to do that.
  • The ACC’s non-conference schedule continues to be the most challenging in the country.
    • 27 games against Power 4 opponents, including Notre Dame, the most of any conference.
    • Nine non-conference games against teams ranked in the final 2023 Associated Press Top 25 Poll, the most of any conference.
    • 10 non-conference games against teams in ESPN’s 2024 Way-Too-Early Top 25, the most of any conference.
  • ACC Features Elite Coaching Leadership
    • Six ACC head coaches were named to the 2024 Dodd Trophy Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and the Peach Bowl, no other conference had more.
    • Two of the three active coaches to win a national title reside in the ACC - Dabo Swinney led Clemson to national titles in 2016 and 2018. North Carolina’s Mack Brown won a national title at Texas in 2005.
  • The 2024 ACC Football Championship Game will kick off in primetime at 8 p.m. ET on ABC on Saturday, Dec. 7, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
About the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually in the United States to the nation's top upperclassman quarterback in college football. Candidates are judged on accomplishments on the field as well as on their character, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities. The award was established in 1987 and named after Johnny Unitas, who was nicknamed "The Golden Arm". Unitas played his college career at the University of Louisville and set many records in the National Football League while playing for the Baltimore Colts.
 
About the A.O. Smith
Celebrating its 150th year of business, A. O. Smith is a leading global water technology and manufacturing company that proudly employs more than 12,000 people who together provide water heating and water treatment solutions. A. O. Smith offers its customers an advantage in that the company designs, builds, distributes and supports the world’s broadest and deepest line of residential and commercial water heaters as well as commercial boilers. This single-source concept simplifies ordering, installation and service and is backed by decades of research and innovation. For the most up-to-date A. O. Smith news, like us on Facebook, follow us on LinkedIn and visit www.hotwater.com. 
 
About the ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference, in its 72nd year and 18 members strong, stands as one of the most competitive and revered intercollegiate conferences in the nation. ACC members including Boston College, Cal, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Notre Dame, Pitt, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Wake Forest are dedicated to upholding the league's founding values of academic excellence, athletic competition at the highest level, and integrity. The ACC supports 28 NCAA sports, with 15 for women and 13 for men, and its member institutions span 12 states. In August 2019, the ACC and ESPN partnered to launch ACC Network (ACCN), a 24/7 national network exclusively devoted to ACC sports and original programming. For more information, visit theACC.com and follow the ACC on Instagram (@accsports), Twitter (@theACC) and Facebook (facebook.com/theACC).