Texas Tech Quarterback on Three Prestigious Preseason Watch Lists

It’s no surprise to Red Raider fans. Texas Tech signal-caller Graham Harrell is drawing pre-season attention from three major award groups.

Written by Chris Cook

Graham Harrell has been named to the watch lists for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, the Maxwell Award and to the 2007 Manning Award Watch List by the All State Sugar Bowl.

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell has been named to three major preseason honor watch lists. The junior from Ennis has been named to the preseason watch list for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, the Maxwell Award and to the 2007 Manning Award Watch List by the All State Sugar Bowl.

The first returning starter at quarterback for the Red Raiders since Kliff Kingsbury in 2002, Harrell lead one of the nation’s top passing attacks last season, producing the third-best sophomore season in NCAA history with 4,555 yards and 38 touchdown passes. Additionally, Harrell and the Red Raider offense orchestrated the greatest comeback in bowl history, erasing a 31-point deficit with 7:47 to play in the third quarter in the Insight Bowl win over Minnesota.

The O’Brien Watch List is based on All-American teams and honorable mentions published in at least six different preseason college football magazines. A candidate must be listed as an All-American quarterback or as a first or second team All-American within his conference in at least one publication, or as honorable mention in at least three publications. The O’Brien also requires selection committee members to consider the character and leadership qualities of each candidate, in addition to athletic prowess when voting.

The winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN Dec. 6, 2007. The recipient will be honored Feb. 18, 2008, at the annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate football player. Harrell joins fellow Big 12 quarterbacks Chase Daniel of Missouri, Colt McCoy of the University of Texas, Stephen McGee of Texas A&M and four other players from the Big 12 on the initial Maxwell Award list of 64. Harrell is the first Texas Tech quarterback under Mike Leach named to the Maxwell Award preseason list.

Semifinalists for the award will be announced in early November and three finalists will be announced on November 26.

The Manning Award, which is in its fourth year, was created by the AllState Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that takes into consideration the candidates’ bowl performances.

Harrell is one of 35 quarterbacks named to the preseason list and the first Texas Tech quarterback named to the list.

In addition to Harrell, Chase Daniel of Missouri, Sam Keller of Nebraska, Colt McCoy of Texas and Bobby Reid of Oklahoma State are on the preseason list.

Finalists for the award will be announced prior to the beginning of the bowl season. The award will be presented after the holiday bowl season.

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