FWAA Washington News

This is the the Week 6 installment of the Football Writers Association of America's weekly Freshman Focus for the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award, Freshman Player of the Year and the 2024 FWAA Freshman All-America Team.

Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer has been selected as the 2023 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year after leading the Huskies to the College Football Playoff, the most wins in program history, and the Pac-12 Championship. Washington has posted a perfect 13-0 record this year and owns the nation’s longest active win streak at 20 games. The Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award is presented by the Football Writers Association of America and the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The 2023 Football Writers Association of America All-America Team, presented in partnership with the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, is highlighted by seven repeat All-Americans and a record 10 players from the four teams competing in the College Football Playoff at the front of players from 36 different schools. There are 22 schools represented from eight Football Bowl Subdivision conferences on the first team and all 10 conferences plus an Independent are included on the overall 54-man team.

The Football Writers Association of America, in conjunction with the Allstate Sugar Bowl, announced 12 finalists for the 2023 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award on Tuesday. The award winner this season will be chosen from among a list that includes one repeat finalist and two other finalists from previous seasons, including one who is now a nine-time finalist. Eight of the finalists won conference championships this year, including three who will compete in the upcoming College Football Playoff; seven of the honorees are first-time finalists.

Washington’s Zion Tupuola-Fetui is this week’s nominee for the 2023 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Tupuola-Fetui, a senior, made several crucial plays in leading the Huskies to a win Saturday at USC just days after his father passed away.

Boston College is the winner of the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Play of the Week for Week 10. The winning play was an 22-yard touchdown pass from Michael Penix Jr. to Devin Clup in the second quarter of Washington's 52-42 win over USC.

DALLAS (FWAA) – North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye was the toast of Atlantic Coast Conference quarterbacks this season, throwing for 38 touchdowns and leading the league in passing yards (4,321) and total touchdowns (45). For his dynamic efforts that led the Tar Heels (9-5) to the ACC’s Coastal Division title, the Football Writers Association of America awarded him as its Freshman Player of the Year presented by Chris Doering Mortgage.

Each week during the 2022 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage. Here are the top performances from Week 13, the weekend of Nov. 26:

The Washington Huskies snapped No. 6 Oregon’s eight-game win steak as Peyton Henry kicked a 43-yard field goal with 51 seconds left, keeping the Huskies in Pac-12 title contention with a gritty 37-34 win in Eugene, Ore. For beating a ranked Oregon team for the first time in 13 games since 2002 in the divisional rivalry, Washington (8-2) earned the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Nov. 12, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

Each week during the 2022 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage. Here are the top performances from Week 11, the weekend of Nov. 12:

Each week during the 2022 season, we will highlight the notable performances of first-year players and head coaches leading up to the selection of our annual Freshman All-America Team and the Steve Spurrier First-Year Coach of the Year Award presented by Chris Doering Mortgage. Here are the top performances from Week 8, the weekend of Oct. 22:

A look at the top performances from freshman players and first-year head coaches in Week 4 of the 2022 college football season.

Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. is this week’s nominee for the 2022 Capital One Orange Bowl-FWAA Courage Award. Penix, a fifth-year senior, has established himself as an early season Heisman Trophy candidate after suffering season-ending injuries in each of his previous four campaigns.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles jumped ahead with a fast start and ran past Arizona State, 30-21, in Tempe, Ariz., with running back Samson Evans gained 257 yards in a historic night. For handing Arizona State its first home non-conference loss since 2017 and becoming the first Mid-American Conference team to beat a Pac-12 Conference school in the regular season, the Eagles (2-1) earned the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 17, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.

A look at the top performances from freshman players and first-year head coaches in Week 3 of the 2022 college football season.

Huskies win Apple Cup, Pac-12 North Division title

Huskies hammer Stanford in Pac-12 showdown

Huskies upset No. 8 Stanford on Thursday night

Huskies stun No. 3 USC, 16-13, in final seconds