Walter Camp List Boasts Five In-State Talents

News9.com

NEW HAVEN, Connecticut – After nearly two weeks of preseason college football watch lists, the final list was released and five in-state players made the 40-an list for the 2011Walter Camp Award.

Oklahoma's Landry Jones and Ryan Broyles, Oklahoma State's Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon and Tulsa's Damarais Johnson were all included on the watch list for this year's Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year award that is given to the nation's top player of the year.

Landry Jones, the 2010 Sammy Baugh Award winner, completed 405-of-617 passes and 38 touchdowns last season for the Sooners. He leads the nation in completions and attempts while he is No. 2 in total passing yards and touchdowns.

Also for the Sooners, Ryan Broyles amassed 1,622 yards and 14 scores on 131 receptions in 14 games for Oklahoma last season.

Brandon Weeden set school records with 34 touchdown passes, 4,277 passing yards and 4,209 yards of total offense last season for OSU. He also recorded four of the top seven passing games in OSU history including a record 435-yard effort against Baylor.

Blackmon, the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner, appeared in 12 of the Cowboys' 13 games in 2010, racking up 111 receptions for 1,782 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging 148.5 yards per game. Cooper, his teammate, capitalized on the opportunities he was given, with 68 receptions for 736 yards and five scores in 2010, averaging 10.8 yards per reception.

Johnson has been the do-everything man for Tulsa for two seasons, leading the nation in all-purpose yards for two consecutive seasons. As a receiver for the Golden Hurricane in 2010, Johnson racked up 872 yards on 57 catches and four touchdowns.

This year's watch list includes two finalists from last season in Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck and Oregon running back LaMichael James. In addition, nine players who have been previously selected as Walter Camp All-Amercan's made the list.

The trophy honors Walter Camp who is recognized as the "Father of American Football." He is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to 11 men per side.

"We are proud to continue the great work of Walter Camp and recognize the best college football players in the nation," Foundation president John Marks said. "This watch list is a great start to what is shaping up to be another exciting year of college football."

The award is the nation's fourth-oldest individual football accolade and it is annually awarded to the nation's top player who has exemplified the qualities of self-discipline, unselfish team play, desire to excel, mature judgment and respected leadership.

The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in mid-November and the finalist will be announced Dec. 8. The winner will then receive his trophy at the foundation's annual national awards banquet on Jan. 14.