Kentucky graduate quarterback Zach Calzada has been named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the top senior or upperclassman quarterback who is on track to graduate with their class.
Calzada is one of 58 candidates for the 2025 award.
Here are more details from UK Athletics:
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Kentucky graduate quarterback Zach Calzada has been named to the 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. announced Tuesday. Presented annually to the top senior or upperclassman quarterback who is on track to graduate with their class. This year’s list showcases 58 of the nation’s premier collegiate quarterbacks, including a mix of returning standouts and rising stars.
Calzada, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound native of Buford, Georgia, has had a unique path to Kentucky.
The signal caller played three seasons at Texas A&M from 2019-21 where he compiled a 6-4 record as a starter, completing 196-of-353 passes for 2,318 yards and 20 total touchdowns (19 passing and one rushing).
He transferred to Auburn in 2022 but did not see action after suffering a shoulder injury in the preseason.
In 2023, he transferred to Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, earning the starting spot and leading the Cardinals to a 9-2 overall record, including 6-1 in Southland Conference play. He went 6-2 as a starter and threw for 2,353 yards with 18 passing touchdowns with another five rushing scores.
Last season, he started in all 14 games, leading the Cardinals to the FCS Playoffs with an 11-3 overall record and a perfect 7-0 mark in league play.
Calzada passed for 3,791 yards and an FCS-high 35 passing touchdowns, completing 347-of-528 passes (66 percent) and averaging 270.8 pass yards per game. He also rushed for 332 yards and five scores. He was named a Walter Payton Award finalist, given to FCS’s top player, and earned First Team All-Southland Conference and SLC Player of the Year.
Off the field, Calzada earned a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management from Texas A&M in May of 2022 and a master’s of business administration from Incarnate Word in the fall of 2024. He is currently working on an undergraduate certificate in business from UK.
Now in its 39th year, the Golden Arm Award continues to honor excellence both on and off the field.
The award is presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation in partnership with A. O. Smith Corporation, whose mission aligns with the Foundation’s commitment to advancing the game of football while promoting character, leadership, and academic achievement among young athletes.
This year, the Foundation is proud to announce a new partnership with Leveling the Playing Field (LPF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding access and equity in youth sports. LPF provides sports equipment to underserved communities, giving every child the chance to experience the life-changing benefits of athletic participation. Together, the Foundation, A. O. Smith and LPF are working to ensure that the next generation of leaders has the tools and opportunities to succeed—on the field and beyond.
The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.
As the 2025 college football season unfolds, the watch list will be narrowed to semifinalists, finalists and one standout quarterback will take home the Golden Arm Award in December. The winner will be celebrated at the annual Golden Arm Award ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Johnny Unitas’ hometown of Baltimore—an unforgettable night honoring leadership, legacy, and the best in college football.
.@ZachCalzada has been named to the Johnny Unitas @GoldenArmAward Watch List. pic.twitter.com/8BryS1TDs6
— Kentucky Football (@UKFootball) August 19, 2025
