| Daily Blog July 15, 2011 |
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For the past week I have been giving you the preseason watch lists for the various awards that I am a proud voting member for and with each of these lists I was an integral part in the players that were selected. One of those awards is the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award and today the 2011 Watch List was released.
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 www.DaveyOBrien.org.
This year’s list 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.
2011 Davey O'Brien Watch List
| Name | Team | Conf |
| Matt Barkley | USC | Pac-12 |
| Tyler Bray | Tennessee | SEC |
| Alex Carder | Western Michigan | MAC |
| Zach Collaros | Cincinnati | Big East |
| Kirk Cousins | Michigan St | Big Ten |
| Dayne Crist | Notre Dame | Independent |
| Austin Davis | Southern Miss | CUSA |
| Dominique Davis | East Carolina | CUSA |
| Nick Foles | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| Jeff Godfrey | UCF | CUSA |
| Robert Griffin III | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Chandler Harnish | Northern Illinois | MAC |
| Jake Heaps | BYU | Independent |
| Landry Jones | Oklahoma | Big 12 |
| Case Keenum | Houston | CUSA |
| G.J. Kinne | Tulsa | CUSA |
| Ryan Lindley | San Diego St | MWC |
| Andrew Luck | Stanford | Pac-12 |
| EJ Manuel | Florida St | 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 | CUSA |
| Dan Persa | Northwestern | Big Ten |
| Chris Relf | Mississippi St | 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 St | Big 12 |
| Russell Wilson | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| Jordan Wynn | Utah | Pac-12 |
All 11 conferences and Independents BYU and Notre Dame were represented on the list. The Big Ten and CUSA led the way with each having six players named to the watch list while the Pac-12 (5) and Big 12 (4) were next.
In addition to last season’s finalists, Andrew Luck (Stanford) and Kellen Moore (Boise St) 2009 O’Brien finalist Case Keenum (Houston) is back in 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 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 and 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.