Alex Carder on Davey O'Brien Award Watch List

FORT WORTH, Texas - WMU's Alex Carder finds his name on the Davey O'Brien Award Watch List for the second time in as many seasons, joining 33 other signal callers.

Carder is one of only two Mid-American Conference quarterbacks on the list in 2012 and one of seven QB's not in BCS AQ conferences.

The Shawnee, Kan., native rewrote the passing record book in 2011, throwing for a program best 3,873 yards as a junior, including the two most prolific passing games in school history with 479 yards at Connecticut and 548 at Toledo.  His seven TD passes at Toledo tied a MAC record and set a new Bronco mark.

Carder finished last year ranked fifth in total offense (345.25 ypg) and sixth in passing (27.50 comp/g).  He enters the 2012 season has the nation's top returning QB in total offense and second behind only Texas Tech's Seth Doege in passing.

Carder is one of three WMU Broncos to earn a spot on a preseason watch list thus far in 2012, joining Johnnie Simon (Jim Thorpe Award) and Kevin Galeher (Rimington Trophy).

The Davey O'Brien Award also incorporates a Fan Vote component that counts as 5% during each round of voting. Beginning Sept. 4 fans are invited to cast their vote as often as once daily at www.VoteOBrien.org. The Fan Vote is combined with the result from the Selection Committee and totals are cleared after each voting round.

2012 Davey O’Brien Watch List

Ryan Aplin, Arkansas State, Sun Belt
Matt Barkley, USC, Pac-12
Tajh Boyd, Clemson, ACC
Tyler Bray, Tennessee, SEC
Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville, Big East
Alex Carder, Western Michigan, MAC
Derek Carr, Fresno State, MWC
B.J. Daniels, USF, Big East
Seth Doege, Texas Tech, Big 12
Cody Fajardo, Nevada, MWC
James Franklin, Missouri, SEC
Mike Glennon, N.C. State, ACC
Landry Jones, Oklahoma, Big 12
Collin Klein, Kansas State, Big 12
EJ Manuel, Florida State, ACC
Taylor Martinez, Nebraska, Big Ten
AJ McCarron, Alabama, SEC
Braxton Miller, Ohio State, Big Ten
Aaron Murray, Georgia, SEC
Riley Nelson, BYU, Independent
Casey Pachall, TCU, Big 12
Keith Price, Washington, Pac-12
Sean Renfree, Duke, ACC
Bryn Renner, North Carolina, ACC
Denard Robinson, Michigan, Big Ten
Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois, Big Ten
Connor Shaw, South Carolina, SEC
Geno Smith, West Virginia, Big 12
Trent Steelman, Army, Independent
Tyler Tettleton, Ohio, MAC
Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech, ACC
Jeff Tuel, Washington St, Pac-12
James Vandenberg, Iowa, Big Ten
Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, SEC

About the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award^®
The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award^® is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The Davey O'Brien Award honors candidates who exemplify Davey O'Brien's enduring character while exhibiting teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership in both academics and athletics. The award is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and has given away more than $850,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit www.DaveyOBrien.org.

The Davey O'Brien Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA). The NCFAA was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients. For more information, visit the association's official website, www.ncfaa.org.