New Haven, Conn. - University of Missouri junior quarterback Chase Daniel has been named as one of 15 "Players to Watch" for the 2007 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, as announced today by the Walter Camp Football Foundation.  A list of the five finalists for the award - the fourth-oldest individual college football award in the nation - will be released on Tuesday, November 27.

 

Daniel and the Tigers are currently 9-1 and ranked a program-best fifth in the latest BCS standings.  The Southlake, Texas, native is a major reason why the Tigers are one of the top teams in the land, as he ranks among the top-10 of NCAA statistical rankings in seven different categories, including five different top-five showings.  Among those include total offense (4^th - 355.40 ypg), passing yards per game (5^th - 330.60 ypg), completion percentage (5^th - 69.4%), touchdown passes (7^th - 26) and points responsible for (10^th - 17.80 ppg).  Additionally, Daniel ranks 11^th nationally in pass efficiency, with a passer rating of 154.69, and he's directing a Tiger squad that has been as consistently good as any offense in the country in 2007, as MU is one of only two schools (along with Hawaii) to score at least 30 points in every game this year.

 

The 2007 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, who is voted on by the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced live on the 6:00 p.m. edition of ESPN SportsCenter on Thursday, December 6.  The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation's annual national awards banquet on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. 

 

 The "Players to Watch" for the 2007 Walter Camp Player of the Year award: 

·      Colt Brennan, Senior, QB, Hawaii

·      Dan Connor, Senior, LB, Penn State

·      Chase Daniel, Junior, QB, Missouri

·      Dennis Dixon, Senior, QB, Oregon

·      Glenn Dorsey, Senior, DT, LSU

·      Matt Forte, Senior, RB, Tulane

·      James Laurinaitis, Junior, LB, Ohio State

·      Darren McFadden, Junior, RB, Arkansas

·      Ray Rice, RB, Junior, Rutgers

·      Matt Ryan, Senior, QB, Boston College

·      George Selvie, Sophomore, DE, South Florida

·      Kevin Smith, Junior, RB, Central Florida

·      Aqib Talib, Junior, DB, Kansas

·      Tim Tebow, Sophomore, QB, Florida

·      Patrick White, Junior, QB, West Virginia