New Mexico State's senior quarterback Chase Holbrook has been named a candidate for the 2008 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, announced by Transamerica Insurance and Investment Group on Friday afternoon.
Holbrook has been a member of the Aggie football program for the last three seasons. During his time as a starting quarterback for NMSU, Holbrook has racked up 8,412 yards of total offense, 8,485 yards passing and 60 touchdowns. He currently holds all of the Aggies passing and total offense records.
In 2007, Holbrook passed for 3,866 yards, 26 touchdowns and averaged 322.2 yards a game through the air. He also finished the season completing 70.2 percent of his passes. Holbrook finished fifth in the nation in passing yards per game (322), eighth in total passing yards (3,866), second in pass completions per game (31.75) and fourth in pass completion percentage (70.2). Holbrook finished second in the Western Athletic Conference in passing yards per game and total offense.
As a sophomore, Holbrook finished the year with 4,619 yards passing and 4,541 yards of total offense, both NCAA records for a sophomore and school records for a single-season. He ranked second in the nation in total offense with 378.4 per game, while leading the Aggie offense to a No. 2 ranking in the nation in passing offense per game with 399.3 yards, third in total offense with 475.1 yards per game, 12th in passing efficiency (155.06) and 15th in the country in scoring offense with 31.1 points per game.
Holbrook broke school records for most attempts in a single-season (566), attempts a single-game (73) versus UTEP (9/30), completions in a single-season (396), completions in a single-game (50) against No. 15 Boise State (10/15), yardage in a singe-season (4,619), most consecutive completions (16) versus No. 15 Boise State, touchdown passes in a season (34), 300-yard passing games in a single-season (10), 200-yard passing games in a single-season (12), consecutive 300-yard passing games for a career and season (7), consecutive games with a touchdown pass (12), completion percentage in a single-season (.700), passing yards per game in a single-season (384.9), passing efficiency in a single-season (155.06) and touchdowns responsible for in a single-season (38).
Twenty-six of the nation's top senior college quarterbacks have made the first cut to be considered for the award. The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the nation's top senior collegiate quarterback, by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. This prestigious award bears the name of who many refer to as the finest quarterback to ever play the game of football. Established in 1987, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award has previously honored 20 outstanding young men.
As part of a partnership with CN8, The Comcast Network, the announcement of the winner and the award presentation will be carried live exclusively on "Out of Bounds"
at 7 p.m. Throughout the fall, "Out of Bounds"
has provided a regular look at the award contenders, including game highlights and statistical updates on the "Golden Arm Award Watch List"
presented by Transamerica.
