Three finalists will be named in late November
The Davey O'Brien Foundation announced the 16 semifinalists for the 2010 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback AwardFORT WORTH, TX -- ® (The O'Brien) Monday.
Narrowed down from all 120 quarterbacks from NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools, semifinalists were selected by The O'Brien National Selection Committee, with the Fan Vote accounting for five percent of the total vote.
The committee was asked to consider the following criteria: quarterback skills, academics, character, leadership and sportsmanship.
The list highlights seven juniors, five sophomores, three seniors and one freshman. The Big Ten and Big 12 lead all conferences with four candidates. The Pac-10 is represented by three players.
Matt Barkley (So., USC), Kellen Moore (Jr., Boise State) and Ricky Stanzi (Sr., Iowa) are the only returning semifinalists.
2010 Davey O'Brien Semifinalists
Matt Barkley SO USC Pac-10
Kirk Cousins JR Michigan State Big Ten
Andy Dalton SR TCU MWC
Blaine Gabbert JR Missouri Big 12
Robert Griffin III SO Baylor Big 12
Landry Jones SO Oklahoma Big 12
Colin Kaepernick SR Nevada WAC
Andrew Luck JR Stanford Pac-10
Ryan Mallett JR Arkansas SEC
Taylor Martinez FR Nebraska Big 12
Kellen Moore JR Boise State WAC
Cam Newton JR Auburn SEC
Terrelle Pryor JR Ohio State Big Ten
Denard Robinson SO Michigan Big Ten
Ricky Stanzi SR Iowa Big Ten
Darron Thomas SO Oregon Pac-10
Fans may now help determine which three quarterbacks will advance as finalists by voting as often as once daily at www.VoteOBrien.org. Fan voting will close at noon (CT) on Nov. 21.
The Foundation and the Selection Committee will announce three finalists on Monday, Nov. 22. The 2010 winner will be announced on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Thursday, Dec. 9 and will be honored at the 34th Annual O'Brien Awards Dinner on Feb. 21, 2011 at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.
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 $800,000 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.
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, www.NCFAA.org.
