Montana to award Barkley

Matt Barkley, a Newport Beach resident and quarterback of the Mater Dei High football team, has been named the winner of the inaugural Joe Montana Quarterback of the Year award.

The honor, given to the nation’s best high school quarterback, will be presented to Barkley by Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana on Tuesday at the Outback Bowl (Tennessee vs. Wisconsin) in Tampa, Fla.

In addition to Montana, the award is also selected and presented by Steve Clarkson, president of DeBartolo Sports University.

Barkley, the only junior finalist for the award among six other high school quarterbacks, was evaluated through DeBartolo Sports University’s scouting division, comprised of former college and NFL coaches.

“Matt Barkley is an outstanding quarterback and his performance on the field is exceptional,” Montana said in a press release. “We’re pleased to give our first award to Barkley and see great things from him in the future.”

The top 50 quarterbacks were identified in September, narrowed down to 21, 14, and ultimately seven finalists before the winner was selected.

The six other finalists included: Dayne Crist of Notre Dame High in Sherman Oaks, Matt Scott of Centennial High in Corona, E.J. Manuel of Bayside (Virginia Beach, Va.), Landry Jones of Artesia High (Artesia, N.M.) John Weinke of Tuscola High (Tuscola, Ill.) and Braden Hanson of Charlotte Latin School (Charlotte, N.C.).

“I was honored to have been selected as a finalist for the Joe Montana award with such great quarterbacks like Dayne, Matt Scott, E.J. and others,” Barkley said in a press release. “To find out that I have won the award is unbelievable, and I am very excited. I want to thank DeBartolo Sports University for selecting me. Joe Montana was one of the greatest and toughest quarterbacks ever to play in the NFL. Winning an award named after him, and to have a chance to meet and talk to him when I receive the trophy is a lifetime experience.

“I also want to thank the coaches and my teammates from Mater Dei High School. There is no way that I could have had the year I had without them. They are a big part of this award.”

Barkley, also recently named the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year and the Los Angeles Times Player of the Year, was the first junior captain in Mater Dei history.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Barkley averaged 325 passing yards per game. In 11 games, he completed 63% of his passes for 3,576 yards, 35 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He led the Monarchs to a 9-2 season and the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division quarterfinals.

DeBartolo Sports University is the amateur sports division of DeBartolo Sports and Entertainment. DeBartolo Sports University was founded by former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward DeBartolo Jr.

— From staff reports