OSU's Mason Rudolph Named To O'Brien Award Watch List

Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph continued receiving preseason recognition Thursday morning as he was one of 30 players in the country named to the 2016 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List, The Davey O'Brien Foundation announced.

Rudolph is one of five quarterbacks from the Big 12 on the list, which ties the Big Ten for the most nominees. While nearly half the field is made up of seniors, he is one of just 11 juniors listed.

A Rock Hill, S.C., native, Rudolph has been nothing short of great during his first two years as a Cowboy, playing at a level that matches some of Oklahoma State's all-time best quarterbacks. The junior holds a 12-3 career record as a starter, with seven of those 12 wins coming away from home, and his 9.1 yards per completion over the span of his career is a school record. Last season, his 264 completions, 424 pass attempts, 3,770 passing yards, 290.0 passing yards per game and 287.3 yards of total offense per game trail only Brandon Weeden in 2010 and 2011 on Oklahoma State's single-season list. Rudolph surpassed 300 yards passing six times and 400 yards three times during his sophomore campaign and he received numerous weekly recognitions.

Additionally, Rudolph was named a Second Team Academic All-Big 12 honoree for his performance in the class room last year.

This year's O'Brien watch list was selected based on player performance during the previous year and expectations heading into the 2016 college football season. All nominees are required to have previously started at least one game at their current institution.

The 16 semifinalists for the award will be named on Thursday, Nov. 10. From that list, the foundation and the selection committee will announce the three finalists on Tuesday, Nov. 22. The 2016 Davey O'Brien Award winner will be announced live Thursday, Dec. 8 on The Home Depot College Football Awards.

The 2016 season marks the 10th year that fans are invited to participate in the voting process on www.voteobrien.org. Results from the Davey O'Brien Fan Vote will be combined with the ballots from the selection committee. Fan voting, which accounts for five percent of the total balloting, begins on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

The 40th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner will be held Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, in Fort Worth, Texas.