ECU’s Katin Houser Earns Spot on Manning Award Watch List

Katin Houser hasn’t exactly been showered with preseason hype from the national college football world, but that shifted on Thursday. The East Carolina quarterback was one of 27 signal-callers named to the preseason Manning Award Watch List, released by the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

Houser will open the season as ECU’s starter when the Pirates head to Raleigh on August 28 to take on NC State. The former Michigan State transfer made his mark late last fall, stepping in as QB1 for the final seven games of the year. In that stretch, he helped spark a turnaround, guiding the Pirates to a 5-2 record as a starter, including wins in five of their last six contests. That surge was capped by a 26-21 Military Bowl victory over NC State, where Houser’s growth and steady play stood out.

Houser becomes the fourth Pirate since the Manning Award’s inception in 2004 to be named to the preseason watch list. He joins former ECU standouts Dominique Davis (2011), Shane Carden (2014), and Holton Ahlers (2020). Ahlers was also recognized later in his career, being named to the midseason watch list in 2022.

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football achievements of Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning. It remains the only quarterback award that takes into account postseason play when determining its winner.

Houser isn’t the only familiar face ECU fans will notice on this year’s list. Other quarterbacks either sharing the American Athletic Conference or lined up on the Pirates’ schedule include NC State’s CJ Bailey, Navy’s Blake Horvath, and UTSA’s Owen McCown.

Last season, Miami quarterback Cam Ward captured the award. Past winners have often gone on to NFL success, with names like Joe Burrow, Bryce Young, and Baker Mayfield among its alumni. For Houser, being in that company is a sign of the growing recognition for his role in ECU’s turnaround and his potential heading into 2025.

- ECU Media Relations contributed to this report.