Davey O’Brien Award Selects First Great 8 of 2026
FORT WORTH, Texas (Sept. 8, 2026) — The Davey O’Brien Foundation has announced its list of Great 8 quarterbacks for the first week of the 2026 regular season. The inaugural recipients are Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss, Pitt’s Mason Heintschel, Hauss Hejny of Colorado State, LSU’s Sam Leavitt, Jayden Maiava of USC, Miami’s Darian Mensah, Dante Moore of Oregon and UMass’ William “Pop” Watson III.
All quarterbacks who are named to the Great 8 during the first nine weeks of the season officially join the Davey O’Brien Midseason Watch List.
The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week, selected from the Great 8 list, will be revealed Wednesday at 11 a.m. (CT).
The Davey O’Brien Foundation was created in 1977 and is celebrating its 50th anniversary season this year. The National Quarterback Award, the oldest and most prestigious college quarterback award, was first issued in 1981.
Over its time, the Davey O’Brien Foundation has given away more than $1.4 million in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life.
In 1938, O’Brien, who wore No. 8 as 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.
Davey O’Brien Great 8: Week 1
Trinidad Chambliss, Ole Miss, Sr., 6-4, 210, Grand Rapids, Mich.
· Was 21-for-36 for 336 yards and three touchdowns and added nine carries for 60 yards and a score in a 41-38 win over No. 24 Louisville.
Mason Heintschel, Pitt, So., 6-2, 215, Oregon, Ohio
· Became the first quarterback since 2019 to throw for at least 450 yards (453 on 31 of 41 passing) and seven touchdowns during Pitt’s 59-14 win over Miami (OH).
Hauss Hejny, Colorado State, So., 6-0, 206, Aledo, Texas
· Amassed 281 total yards (214 passing, 39 rushing, 28 receiving) and five passing touchdowns in a 35-13 win over Wyoming.
Sam Leavitt, LSU, Jr., 6-2, 207, West Linn, Ore.
· Completed 16 of 28 passes for 230 yards and a score and rushed 12 times for 113 yards (9.4 yards per carry) and two scores in a 51-10 triumph over Clemson.
Jayden Maiava, USC, Sr., 6-4, 230, Palolo, Hawaii
· Completed 15 straight passes and finished the game 23-for-35 (.920) for 349 yards and three touchdowns in a 39-0 victory over Fresno State.
Darian Mensah, Miami, Jr., 6-3, 205, San Luis Obispo, Calif.
· Connected on 27 of 30 pass attempts (90.0 percent) for 401 yards and five touchdowns as Miami downed Stanford, 45-6.
Dante Moore, Oregon, Sr., 6-3, 220, Detroit, Mich.
· Threw for 378 yards (28-for-37, .757) and three touchdowns in the Ducks’ 34-27 comeback win over Boise State.
William “Pop” Watson III, UMass, Sr., 6-0, 210, Springfield, Mass.
· Led UMass to a 37-21 upset win over Rutgers by going 19-for-22 (.863) for 197 yards and three TDs, and adding 40 rushing yards.