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College football award watch list season continued Tuesday with the release of the watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award. But the quarterback award’s watch list included 30 of the nation’s top passers to be considered for the award at the end of the season, but one particular quarterback was left off the list entirely. Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford was not included on the watch list for the Davey O’Brien Award.
The Davey O’Brien Award is awarded to the nation’s best college quarterback. The award does not require a player to appear on the watch list to win, so Clifford could absolutely still play himself into the conversation for the nation’s top passing award.
It also makes some sense why Clifford may have been omitted from the list of 30 players on the Davey O’Brien Award watch list. The 2020 season wasn’t exactly a banner season for Penn State’s quarterback. Clifford was intercepted nine times in nine games last season and at one point in the year was replaced as the starter, although that lasted just one game before Clifford returned to the starting lineup.
The players on the watch list are deserving of being on the watch list. Among the 30 players are 12 semifinalists from last season, three of which are two-time semifinalists (D’Eriq King of Miami, McKenzie Milton of Florida State, and Brock Purdy of Iowa State).
There is reason to expect a good season from Clifford, who is entering his third season as Penn State’s starting quarterback. He’ll do so having grown and matured from his benching in 2020 and with a new offensive coordinator and quarterback coach in Mike Yurcich.
The 2021 @daveyobrien Watch List is out! Check out the 30 players on the initial list. 👀🏈✅
READ: https://t.co/2dczEUFSVe pic.twitter.com/QokA5klfGb
— Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award (@daveyobrien) July 20, 2021
Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson and safety Jaquan Brisker were recently named to the watch lists for the Maxwell Award and Chuck Bednarik Award, respectively.
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