FORT WORTH, Texas – Rutgers senior quarterback Mike Teel was named to the Watch List for the 2008 Davey O'Brien Award. The Watch List spotlights 31 Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) quarterbacks who will vie for the award honoring the nation's best quarterback for the 2008 football season.

Teel, who is also on the Watch List for the Johnny Unitas Award, has started every game for the second-straight season in 2007 despite playing most of the year with injuries on his thumb and hand. He ended the season with 20 touchdown passes, the most in Rutgers single-season history and finished second in RU single-season history in passing yardage (3,147). Teel's 203 completions ranked fourth in RU single-season history as he totaled six, 300-yard passing games.

Teel directed an offense that was the first in NCAA history to have a 3,000-yard passer, 2,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season.

O'Brien Watch List candidates were selected by a subset of the National Selection Committee and approved by the Davey O'Brien Executive Committee. Semifinalists will be announced October 27; finalists November 24. This prestigious award focuses on accomplishments both on and off the field. The Selection Committee is asked to evaluate all candidates on their quarterback skills and athletic ability, academics, reputation as a team player, character, leadership and sportsmanship.

The 2008 winner will be announced during The Home Depot College Football Awards Show on ESPN December 11. The recipient will be honored February 16, 2009, at the 32nd Annual O'Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award^®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation had given away over $750,000 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. 

In all, seven Scarlet Knights are on various watch lists for college football's premier national awards.