2011 Davey O'Brien Watch List

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 15, 2011

FORT WORTH, Texas - The Davey O'Brien Foundation announced the 2011 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® (The O'Brien) Watch List today.  

This year's list, which was compiled by a subset of The O'Brien National Selection Committee, features 38 of the nation's top collegiate quarterbacks who were selected based on player performance during the previous year and expectations heading into the 2011 college football season. 

In addition to last season's finalists, Andrew Luck (Stanford) and Kellen Moore (Boise State), 2009 O'Brien finalist Case Keenum (Houston) is back in the action. This year's list also includes seven 2010 semifinalists: Matt Barkley (USC), Kirk Cousins (Michigan State), Robert Griffin III (Baylor), Landry Jones (Oklahoma), Taylor Martinez (Nebraska), Denard Robinson (Michigan), and Darron Thomas (Oregon).

Appearing on the Watch List is not a requirement for a player to be awarded The O'Brien. Quarterbacks from all 120 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools are eligible for the award until the field is narrowed to 16 semifinalists on Monday, Oct. 24. The Foundation and the Selection Committee will announce three finalists on Monday, Nov. 21. The 2011 Davey O'Brien winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 8.

The 35th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner will be held Feb. 20, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas.

2011 Davey O'Brien Watch List

Matt Barkley, USC, Pac-12
Tyler Bray, Tennessee, SEC
Alex Carder, Western Michigan, MAC
Zach Collaros, Cincinnati, Big East
Kirk Cousins, Michigan State, Big Ten
Dayne Crist, Notre Dame, Independent
Austin Davis, Southern Miss, C-USA
Dominique Davis, East Carolina, C-USA
Nick Foles, Arizona, Pac-12
Jeff Godfrey, UCF, C-USA
Robert Griffin III, Baylor, Big 12
Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois, MAC
Jake Heaps, BYU, Independent
Landry Jones, Oklahoma, Big 12
Case Keenum, Houston, C-USA
G.J. Kinne, Tulsa, C-USA
Ryan Lindley, San Diego State, MWC
Andrew Luck, Stanford, Pac-12
EJ Manuel, Florida State, ACC
Taylor Martinez, Nebraska, Big Ten
Bryant Moniz, Hawaii, WAC
Kellen Moore, Boise State, MWC
Aaron Murray, Georgia, SEC
Danny O'Brien, Maryland, ACC
Kyle Padron, SMU, C-USA
Dan Persa, Northwestern, Big Ten
Chris Relf, Mississippi State, SEC
Sean Renfree, Duke, ACC
Corey Robinson, Troy, Sun Belt
Denard Robinson, Michigan, Big Ten
Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois, Big Ten
Geno Smith, West Virginia, Big East
Tino Sunseri, Pittsburgh, Big East
Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M, Big 12
Darron Thomas, Oregon, Pac-12
Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State, Big 12
Russell Wilson, Wisconsin, Big Ten
Jordan Wynn, Utah, Pac-12

About the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®

The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® (The O'Brien) is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The O'Brien honors candidates who exemplify Davey O'Brien's enduring character while exhibiting teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership in both academics and athletics. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and has given away more than $825,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit http://www.daveyobrien.org/.

American Airlines is the official travel partner of The O'Brien
 
National College Football Awards Association
The O'Brien is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association's official Web site, http://www.ncfaa.org/. 

The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists over a 13-day period this
 month. Fifteen of the association's 21 awards select a preseason watch list and this is the first time the NCFAA has spearheaded a coordinated effort to promote each award's preseason candidates. Following is the remaining 2011 preseason watch list calendar.

Friday, July 15: Davey O'Brien Award/Doak Walker Award
Monday, July 18: Walter Camp Award

# # #