KU's Reesing Earns NFF Scholar-Athlete Honor

Oct. 29, 2009

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas quarterback Todd Reesing was named as one of 16 members of the National Scholar-Athlete class by the National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Thursday.

Members of the class are considered finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy. All 16 finalists are invited to the annual NFF Awards Dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City Dec. 8.

Each finalist will receive an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship. The Campbell Trophy winner will receive a $25,000 post-graduate scholarship and a 25-pound bronze trophy.

The trophy had previously been known as the Draddy Trophy. Nominated by their schools, which are limited to one nominee each, candidates must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of eligibility, have a grade point average of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first-team player and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship.

Reesing became the fourth Jayhawk to earn the NFF Scholar-Athlete Award joining Ron Oelschlager in 1964, Mike McCoy in 1971 and Tom Fitch in 1977.

Reesing owns a 3.64 grade-point average and is a two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection while working on a double major in finance and economics.

On the field he has etched his name at the top of nearly every school passing record list and will finish his career among the top quarterbacks in Big 12 history. He needs just 218 passing yards to become the fifth player in Big 12 history to record 10,000 career passing yards.

He has guided the Jayhawks to a 25-8 record in his three years as a starter, while leading the team to consecutive bowl trips in his first two seasons for the first time in school history.

Earlier this fall Reesing was named as one of 10 candidates for the Unitas Award, given to the nation’s top senior quarterback, and a semifinalist for the O’Brien Award, for the country’s best quarterback. He is also on watch lists for the Maxwell and Walter Camp awards for the nation’s top player and the Manning Award for the top quarterback.

Reesing has also been nominated for Academic All-Big 12 and all-district honors.

More information on the award and the National Scholar-Athlete Class can be found at

National Footbal Foundation Website

2009 NFF Scholar-Athletes

Jon Asamoah, Illinois

Matt Bauman, Brigham Young

Eric Decker, Minnesota

Moses Harris, Fresno State

Tim Hiller, Western Michigan

Paul Jaskinowski, Brown

Beau Kildow, Morningside

Josh Mahoney, Northern Iowa

Colt McCoy, Texas

Jarrell NeSmith, Tusculum

Joe Pawelek, Baylor

Todd Reesing, Kansas

ZaVious Robbins, Hardin-Simmons

Tim Tebow, Florida

Blaine Westemeyer, Augustanta

Reed Williams, West Virginia