University of Houston Athletics
Kolb Selected As O'Brien Semifinalist
11/8/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Nov. 8, 2006
HOUSTON, Texas - Fresh off a national appearance on ESPN2's Cold Pizza, University of Houston senior quarterback Kevin Kolb received another dose of national recognition, as he was named one eighteen semifinalist for the 2006 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.
Awarded by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, the award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback. The organization's original watch list, unveiled in August, included 34 players.
Kolb has started in a school record 46 straight games and has led the Cougars to a 7-3 record this season, including 5-1 in Conference USA. Kolb virtually holds every UH total offense and passing record with just two regular season games left on the schedule. So far this season, Kolb leads the league in total offense and passing with 297.3 and 285.2 yards per game, respectfully.
The O'Brien Selection Committee, made up of a nationwide panel of sportswriters, commentators and former O'Brien Award winners, will vote later this month to narrow the field again. The National College Football Awards Association will announce the three finalists November 21 in a joint effort among college football award programs.
The eighteen semifinalists, in alphabetical order, are:
Erik Ainge, Tennessee, Jr., SEC John Beck, BYU, Sr., MWC John David Booty, USC, Jr., PAC-10 Colt Brennan, Hawai'i, Jr., WAC Brian Brohm, Louisville, Jr., Big East Chad Henne, Michigan, Jr., Big Ten Kevin Kolb, Houston, Sr., C-USA Chris Leak, Florida, Sr., SEC Nate Longshore, California, So., PAC-10 Colt McCoy, Texas, Fr., Big 12 Tyler Palko, Pittsburgh, Sr., Big East Brady Quinn, Notre Dame, Sr., Ind. Bobby Reid, Oklahoma State, So., Big 12 JaMarcus Russell, LSU, Jr., SEC Troy Smith, Ohio State, Sr., Big Ten John Stocco, Wisconsin, Sr., Big Ten Pat White, West Virginia, So., Big East Jared Zabransky, Boise State, Sr., WAC
The winner of the 2006 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award will be announced on ESPN's Home Depot College Football Awards Show scheduled for December 7 at 7 p.m. EST. The show will air live from the Atlantic Dance Hall on The Boardwalk at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. The winner will then be honored on February 19, 2007, at the 30th annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in downtown Fort Worth, Texas, along with Paul Hornung, recipient of the 2006 Davey O'Brien Legends Award, and the O'Brien High School Scholarship Award winner.
Celebrating 30 years, the O'Brien Award is the oldest and most prestigious award in the country for college quarterbacks. The Davey O'Brien Foundation was established in 1977 to present the O'Brien Memorial Trophy, recognizing an outstanding college football player in the five southwestern states of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. In 1981, the award was redirected to be national in scope but limited to quarterback, the favorite position of the award's namesake, Davey O'Brien. The award carries with it a $10,000 grant to the scholarship program of the university in which the winner is enrolled. A high school scholarship program began in 1986, awarding a $20,000 college scholarship to an outstanding senior student-athlete in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex each year. Since 1977, the Davey O'Brien Foundation has awarded more than $250,000 to the various O'Brien winners' universities and more than $400,000 to deserving high school students.
Air transportation is provided by American Airlines, the official airline of the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award.
For more information, please visit http://www.daveyobrien.com.
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