Nov. 5, 2009
Vote for the O’Brien Award Right Now!
Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen is one of 15 semifinalists in the running for the 2009 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award® – and The O’Brien continues its On-the-Road Campaign this weekend as it stops on the Notre Dame campus for the Notre Dame-Navy football game.
College football enthusiasts and fans alike are encouraged to stop by The O’Brien display in the Joyce Center field house fan fest area from 10 a.m.-2:00 p.m. EST Saturday and vote for their favorite semifinalist.
Fans who vote at The O’Brien display will automatically be entered into the “Defend Your Pride. Vote O’Brien Sweepstakes,” for a chance to win a trip for two to the 2010 O’Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas. Fans not able to cast a vote in person can register and vote at www.VoteOBrien.org
Online fan voting will close at noon CST on Nov. 22 and finalists will be announced on Nov. 23. Finalists will be selected by The O’Brien Selection Committee, comprised of journalists, broadcasters, commentators and former winners, with the fan vote accounting for five percent of the total vote.
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.
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.
Clausen was one of the 15 players named to the semifinalist list for the O’Brien Award, announced Oct. 26 by the Davey O’Brien Foundation.
Clausen has been great in clutch moments this year — recording 13 touchdowns and no turnovers when Notre Dame has been tied or trailing. He is the first Notre Dame quarterback to ever register four fourth-quarter comebacks for victories in a single season.
He ranks among the top 10 quarterbacks in the Football Bowl Subdivision in passing efficiency (164.25, second), fewest interceptions (two, tied for second), passing yards per attempt (9.02, sixth), passing touchdowns (18, tied for sixth) and passing yards per game (289.75, eighth).
Here are the 2009 O’Brien semifinalists:
Matt Barkley,FR,USC
Daryll Clark,SR,Penn State
Jimmy Clausen,JR,Notre Dame
Jacory Harris,SO,Miami
Case Keenum,JR,Houston
Dan LeFevour,SR,Central Michigan
Jake Locker,JR,Washington
Colt McCoy,SR,Texas
Kellen Moore,SO,Boise State
Tony Pike,SR,Cincinnati
Todd Reesing,SR,Kansas
Zac Robinson,SR,Oklahoma State
Ricky Stanzi,JR,Iowa
Bill Stull,SR,Pittsburgh
Tim Tebow,SR,Florida