Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award: Scott Tolzien

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the best senior quarterback in the nation. This year, Scott Tolzien of the Wisconsin Badgers earned this prestigious designation.

There’s got to be something to like about a quarterback who helped lead his team to victories of 83-20 and 70-23 against Big Ten teams. Despite the Badgers being a run-oriented team in 2010, Tolzien displayed an outstanding control of the offense and wasn’t afraid to air it out when called upon. He completed an impressive 74.3 percent of his 245 passes for 2,300 yards and 16 touchdowns, while limiting his interception total to only six. At the end of the season, his passer rating was a 169.8, a vast improvement on his 2009 rating of 142.99. Tolzien helped lead a tough Wisconsin team to an 11-1 record and a berth in the Rose Bowl against the TCU Horned Frogs. He has made considerable progress since taking over the starting quarterback spot in 2009 and has given himself a chance at being a viable NFL prospect.

Tolzien’s best game was Wisconsin’s 70-13 win over Northwestern in the regular season finale that clinched their Big Ten championship and a Rose Bowl berth. Against the Wildcats, he completed 15 of his 19 passes for 230 yards and four touchdowns while earning a passer rating of 250.10.