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Leonard Tabbed to Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List
8/22/2023 6:44:00 PM | Football
DURHAM – Duke junior quarterback Riley Leonard has been selected to the preseason watch list for The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, which is an honor that recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class.
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This is Leonard's fourth preseason watch list selection as he was also tabbed to the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and the Manning Award watch lists.
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Leonard returns for his second campaign as Duke's starting quarterback and was tabbed a team captain for the upcoming season. In 20 career games (14 starts), he has completed 287-of-454 (.632) passes for 3,348 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He owns a career pass efficiency rating of 137.35. On the ground, Leonard has rushed 171 times for 872 yards (5.09) and 15 touchdowns.
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He opens the 2023 campaign as one of three returning FBS quarterbacks nationally to amass 2,900-plus passing yards and 695-plus rushing yards a season ago, joining LSU's Jayden Daniels and North Carolina's Drake Maye. Additionally, he is one of two returning FBS quarterbacks nationally to register 20-plus passing and 13-plus rushing touchdowns last year, joining Oregon's Bo Nix. Leonard, a 6-4, 212-pound native of Fairhope, Ala., was named a 2022 honorable mention All-ACC selection after ranking third in the league in total offensive yards per game (282.00), third in pass attempts (392), third in pass completions (25), third in total points responsible for (198), tied for third in scoring (78), fourth in pass completion percentage (.638), fourth in passing yards per game (228.23), fifth in touchdown passes (20), and fifth in passing efficiency (141.11).
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The leader of a multifaceted offense, Leonard was a big contributor to the Blue Devils' ground game, joining Jordan Waters (566), Jaquez Moore (508), and Jaylen Coleman (480) to form the first quartet in Duke history to post 400-plus rushing yards each in a single-season. Additionally, Leonard coupled with Waters (8), Ja. Moore (5), and Coleman (4), formed the first foursome in Blue Devil history to compile four-plus rushing touchdowns apiece in a single-season.
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The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnn 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.
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The 2023 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy by The Johnny Unitas Educational Foundation President, John Unitas Jr., as well as other notable attendees at Golden Arm Award banquet and celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Thursday, December 7, 2023.
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Season and single-game tickets as well as mini plans for the 2023 campaign are now available by visiting GoDuke.com/footballtix.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils football, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFootball".
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Duke Players on 2023 NCFAA Watch Lists
Maxwell Award:Â Riley Leonard
Outland Trophy:Â Graham Barton
Bronko Nagurski Trophy: DeWayne Carter
Ray Guy Award:Â Porter Wilson
Wuerffel Trophy:Â Ja'Mion Franklin
Paul Hornung Award:Â Jaylen Stinson
Rimington Trophy:Â Jacob Monk
Biletnikoff Trophy:Â Jalon Calhoun
Davey O'Brien Award:Â Riley Leonard
Chuck Bednarik Award:Â DeWayne Carter
Manning Award:Â Riley Leonard
Lombardi Award: Graham Barton & DeWayne Carter
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award: Riley Leonard
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#GoDuke
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This is Leonard's fourth preseason watch list selection as he was also tabbed to the Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and the Manning Award watch lists.
Â
Leonard returns for his second campaign as Duke's starting quarterback and was tabbed a team captain for the upcoming season. In 20 career games (14 starts), he has completed 287-of-454 (.632) passes for 3,348 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He owns a career pass efficiency rating of 137.35. On the ground, Leonard has rushed 171 times for 872 yards (5.09) and 15 touchdowns.
Â
He opens the 2023 campaign as one of three returning FBS quarterbacks nationally to amass 2,900-plus passing yards and 695-plus rushing yards a season ago, joining LSU's Jayden Daniels and North Carolina's Drake Maye. Additionally, he is one of two returning FBS quarterbacks nationally to register 20-plus passing and 13-plus rushing touchdowns last year, joining Oregon's Bo Nix. Leonard, a 6-4, 212-pound native of Fairhope, Ala., was named a 2022 honorable mention All-ACC selection after ranking third in the league in total offensive yards per game (282.00), third in pass attempts (392), third in pass completions (25), third in total points responsible for (198), tied for third in scoring (78), fourth in pass completion percentage (.638), fourth in passing yards per game (228.23), fifth in touchdown passes (20), and fifth in passing efficiency (141.11).
Â
The leader of a multifaceted offense, Leonard was a big contributor to the Blue Devils' ground game, joining Jordan Waters (566), Jaquez Moore (508), and Jaylen Coleman (480) to form the first quartet in Duke history to post 400-plus rushing yards each in a single-season. Additionally, Leonard coupled with Waters (8), Ja. Moore (5), and Coleman (4), formed the first foursome in Blue Devil history to compile four-plus rushing touchdowns apiece in a single-season.
Â
The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnn 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.
Â
The 2023 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy by The Johnny Unitas Educational Foundation President, John Unitas Jr., as well as other notable attendees at Golden Arm Award banquet and celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Thursday, December 7, 2023.
Â
Season and single-game tickets as well as mini plans for the 2023 campaign are now available by visiting GoDuke.com/footballtix.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils football, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFootball".
Â
Duke Players on 2023 NCFAA Watch Lists
Maxwell Award:Â Riley Leonard
Outland Trophy:Â Graham Barton
Bronko Nagurski Trophy: DeWayne Carter
Ray Guy Award:Â Porter Wilson
Wuerffel Trophy:Â Ja'Mion Franklin
Paul Hornung Award:Â Jaylen Stinson
Rimington Trophy:Â Jacob Monk
Biletnikoff Trophy:Â Jalon Calhoun
Davey O'Brien Award:Â Riley Leonard
Chuck Bednarik Award:Â DeWayne Carter
Manning Award:Â Riley Leonard
Lombardi Award: Graham Barton & DeWayne Carter
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award: Riley Leonard
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#GoDuke
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