Stanford's Luck captures Unitas Award
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Stanford's Andrew Luck has been named the recipient of the 2011 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award as the nation's top quarterback.
Luck threw for 3,170 yards and 35 touchdowns for a 167.5 passer rating in leading No. 4 Stanford to an 11-1 record and a berth in the Fiesta Bowl. He quarterbacked the Cardinal to back-to-back seasons of at least 11 wins for the first time ever, and ranks first on Stanford's all-time career list for touchdown passes (80), total offense (10,043 yards), and completion percentage (.664).
Beyond his numbers on the field, Luck carries a 3.48 cumulative grade-point average and was selected to the Pac-12 Conference's All-Academic First Team.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Andrew personifies everything that my father stood for," said John C. Unitas Jr., President of The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation. "He is an outstanding quarterback and an outstanding individual, a leader both on and off the field."
Other finalists for the award were Baylor's Robert Griffin III, Oklahoma's Landry Jones, Kellen Moore of Boise State and Brandon Weeden of Oklahoma State.
The award has been handed out since 1987 and is based upon on-field performance as well as character.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Wisconsin's Scott Tolzien was last year's winner.