The University of Washington’s Keith Price Tuesday became one of 34 players named to the Davey O’Brien National Award’s official watch list. The O’Brien Foundation will narrow the field to 16 semifinalists Oct. 22 and to three finalists Nov. 19. The winner will be announced Dec. 6.
Quarterbacks from all 124 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) schools are eligible for the award, which is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback. The award is overseen by the Davey OBrien Foundation in Fort Worth, TX.
Price, a junior from Compton, CA., who was named to the Maxwell Award watch list last week, broke numerous school records in 2011 as a sophomore. He completed 242 of 362 pass attempts for 3,063 yards and 33 touchdowns. His 33 TD passes established a single-season school record, as did his 161.9 pass efficiency rating and his .669 completion percentage.
Price threw four TDs in a game (tied for third-most in Husky history) four times and tossed three TDs on four other occasions.
Price capped his season with a memorable performance in the Alamo Bowl against Baylor by completing 23-of-37 for 438 yards and four touchdowns while running for an additional three TDs. The seven TDs responsible for set an NCAA record for a bowl game, as did his 42 points responsible for. Price’s 438 passing yards were second-most in UW single-game history.
Washington State quarterback Jeff Tuel also made the O’Brien watch list, as did USC’s Matt Barkley.
The Huskies open the 2012 season Sept. 1 vs. San Diego State at CenturyLink Field.