FORT WORTH, Texas — For the second time this season, BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier has been named to the Davey O'Brien Award's Great 8, recognizing his play in BYU’s 44-13 win over TCU as one of the top quarterback performances from week 12 of the season.
Last week, the Davey O’Brien Foundation announced Bachmeier had been named one of 20 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award. The annual award honors candidates who exemplify Davey O’Brien’s enduring character while exhibiting teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership in both academics and athletics.
Bachmeier, a 6-2, 230-pound true freshman from Murrieta, California, completed 23 of 33 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown in No. 12 ranked BYU’s 44-13 win over TCU. He also scored his 10th rushing TD of the year tying a BYU season record for rushing TDs by a QB, held by Steve Young, Taysom Hill and Zach Wilson.
Through 10 games, Bachmeier has completed 172 of 272 passes (63.2 percent) for 2,177 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is averaging 217.7 yards per game passing, with an efficiency rating of 143.3. In addition, Bachmeier is second on the team in rushing, with 115 carries for 479 yards (4.2 yards per carry) and 10 additional touchdowns.
With multiple touchdowns versus TCU, Bachmeier now has seven games with both a passing and rushing touchdown. It's the second highest total in BYU history only behind All-American QB Virgil Carter who accomplished the feat in eight games in 1966.
The other quarterbacks joining Bachmeier on the week 12 Great 8 list are Caden Creel (Jax State), Dru DeShields (Kent State), Brad Jackson (Texas State), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Marcel Reed (Texas A&M), Jeff Sims (Arizona State) and Gunner Stockton (Georgia).
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977, and the National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college quarterback award, was first presented in 1981 to BYU Hall of Fame quarterback Jim McMahon. Since the inaugural award, two other BYU signal callers have won the prestigious award, including Steve Young (1983) and Ty Detmer (1990 and 1991). Only Oklahoma, with five, has won more Davey O'Brien Awards than BYU. Detmer is one of only four players to have won the award more than once.
In 1938, O’Brien, 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.