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 singleseason 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 Ted Hendricks Foundation named its list of pre-season candidates for the 2008 Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Award and Rutgers senior defensive end Jamaal Westerman was named to the list. Westerman is the eighth Scarlet Knight to be named to a Preseason Award Watch List heading into the 2008 season.
Westerman totaled 50 tackles and finished second on squad with 14 tackles for loss in 2007. He led the team with eight sacks and posted 11 quarterback hurries. A Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST selection by Phil Steele and a Second Team All-BIG EAST pick by Athlon, Lindy’s and Sporting News, Westerman ranks fifth in Rutgers history with 20.0 career sacks.