Four Big 12 Quarterbacks On 2011 Manning Award Watch List

Quarterbacks from four Big 12 schools have been named to the watch list for the 2011 Manning Award.

Senior signal-callers Brandon Weeden from Oklahoma State and Ryan Tannehill of Texas A&M join juniors Robert Griffin III of Baylor and Landry Jones of Oklahoma are among 31 other quarterback candidates from around the country being considered for the award.

All four players are also on the preseason watch lists for the Maxwell Award and the Davey O'Brien Award.

Jones and Weeden finished one-two in the Big 12 a year ago in both passing yardage per game and pass efficiency and two and three nationally in passing yards. Baylor's Griffin was 17th in the country in pass yardage per contest, averaging 269 yards a game. Tannehill, who came to Texas A&M as a quarterback and was converted to wide-receiver his sophomore season, replaces Jerrod Johnson as the A&M quarterback six games into the 2010 season.

The Manning Award was created in 2004 by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football achievements of Archie Manning, former All-American from the University of Mississippi, star player in the NFL and father of current NFL quarterbacks and Super Bowl-winners Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) and Eli Manning (New York Giants). It is the only national quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting and selection process.

The winner will be announced after the bowl season in January 2012.