Discover the AMAZING Story Behind the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award!

Davey O'Brien, a prominent figure in college football history, was born on June 22, 1917, in Dallas, Texas. Raised by his mother after his parents divorced, O'Brien's early life in Dallas saw him excelling at Woodrow Wilson High School, where he gained recognition as an all-state football player. Following high school, he attended Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, starting as a backup for the legendary Sammy Baugh under Coach Leo Robert "Dutch" Meyer. Baugh and O'Brien's coach, Meyer, introduced an innovative spread formation that revolutionized the game by emphasizing passing, which set the stage for O'Brien’s future success.
O'Brien became TCU's starting quarterback in 1937, known as "Little Davey" due to his 5'7", 150-pound frame. Despite his size, he set a Southwest Conference passing record with 1,457 yards and led TCU to an undefeated season in 1938, culminating in a national championship victory over Carnegie Tech in the Sugar Bowl. His achievements included being the first player to win both the Heisman and Maxwell Awards in the same year, making him a significant figure in college football history.
In 1939, O'Brien entered the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles as the fourth overall pick. Despite a challenging career in the NFL, where he led the league in passing yards during his rookie season, O'Brien retired after just two seasons to join the FBI. His career as an FBI agent was marked by notable contributions, including serving as a firearms instructor and member of the FBI’s national pistol team.
After leaving the FBI, O'Brien ventured into private industry, particularly in land development and oil. His legacy in college football history was solidified posthumously when the Davey O'Brien Award was established in 1977, just a month after his death from cancer. Initially awarded to the best player in the Southwest, the award was later expanded to honor the best quarterback in the nation. This prestigious award recognizes the top FBS quarterback based on skills, athletic ability, academics, character, leadership, and sportsmanship, celebrating the enduring impact of Davey O'Brien on college football history.
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[@ACollectorsDream]

Thanks for sharing

[@matthewgillespie9405]

Great stuff! Thank you so much for sharing your interest in football history. 👍🏻🙂🏈

[@brianarbenz1329]

Well done. I learned a lot from this.

[@CollegeFootballHistory]

Thank you!

[@gooser__43]

Dutch Meyer's Shotgun spread offense influences current football 🏈

[@CollegeFootballHistory]

I'm gonna have to do a Dutch Meyer video at some point.

[@gooser__43]

@CollegeFootballHistory that would be great. I wonder if Dutch Meyer coached against Bud Wilkinson?

[@dba4292]

He was also the first person that somehow managed to pull off that leather helmet look, at least in my humble opinion 🤭

[@highlandergunn9240]

Didnt he have a locker at the bottom of the Sea

[@CollegeFootballHistory]

I think that's a different Davey.....

[@PhilipTeague-d1h]

Soon to be named The TOM BRADY award.