Oct. 26, 2009

• Vote For Locker

FORT WORTH, Texas - University of Washington junior quarterback Jake Locker has been named as a Semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® (The O'Brien).

Narrowed down from all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) quarterbacks, the list highlights 15 individuals who will vie for the oldest and most prestigious award honoring the nation's best college quarterback. The 2009 O'Brien Semifinalists represent schools from the following conferences: ACC (1), Big East (2), Big Ten (2), Big 12 (3), Conference USA (1), Independent (1), Mid-American (1), Pac-10 (2), SEC (1) and the WAC (1).

2009 O'Brien Semifinalists
Matt Barkley FR USC Pac-10
Daryll Clark SR Penn State Big Ten
Jimmy Clausen JR Notre Dame Independent
Jacory Harris SO Miami ACC
Case Keenum JR Houston Conference USA
Dan LeFevour SR Central Michigan Mid-American
Jake Locker JR Washington Pac-10
Colt McCoy SR Texas Big 12
Kellen Moore SO Boise State WAC
Tony Pike SR Cincinnati Big East
Todd Reesing SR Kansas Big 12
Zac Robinson SR Oklahoma State Big 12
Ricky Stanzi JR Iowa Big Ten
Bill Stull SR Pittsburgh Big East
Tim Tebow SR Florida SEC

"We are proud to recognize this group of young men for their performances on and off the field," said Danielle Moorman, executive director of the Davey O'Brien Foundation. "The commitment, sportsmanship and leadership qualities exemplified by these quarterbacks truly embody the spirit of The O'Brien."

Locker, the Pac-10 leader in total offense, account for 271.9 yard per game, has been listed by many National Football League draft analysts as the top quarterback prospect in the nation. The Ferndale, Wash. native is the all-time leading rushing quarterback in Washington history and is quickly moving up the career charts in several categories.

The Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee, an elite group of journalists, broadcasters, commentators and former winners, selected The O'Brien Semifinalists, with the Fan Vote accounting for 5 % of the total vote. The Selection Committee is asked to evaluate each candidate on the criteria of his quarterback skills and athletic ability, academics, his reputation as a team player, character, leadership and sportsmanship. For a complete listing of the Selection Committee, visit www.DaveyOBrien.org.

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 CST on Nov. 22. Finalists will be announced on Nov. 23. The Fan Vote accounts for 5% of each round of the voting process.

The 2009 O'Brien Winner will be announced live on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show airing Dec. 10 on ESPN and will be honored at the 33rd Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner held at The Fort Worth Club on Feb. 15, 2010 in Fort Worth, Texas.

About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation has given away more than $770,000 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.