Nick Marshall named to Davey O'Brien Award Watch List

HOOVER -- Nick Marshall was one of 39 quarterbacks named to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List, the Davey O'Brien Foundation announced Wednesday.

Marshall threw for 1,976 yards with 14 touchdowns and ran for 1,068 yards and 12 TDs for Auburn last season, helping lead the Tigers to the SEC Championship and a berth in the BCS National Championship.

The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the nation's oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. Selection criteria for the award include quarterback skills/athletic ability, academics, reputation as a team player, character, leadership and sportsmanship.

Marshall was cited for possession of marijuana last week and Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said his quarterback will "suffer the consequences" of that incident.

It is the second preseason accolade for Marshall, who was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List last week.

Jameis Winston, the 2013 Davey O'Brien and Heisman Trophy winner, tops the list and will bid to become the fourth quarterback ever to win the award twice, joining BYU's Ty Detmer (1990-91), Florida's Danny Wuerffel (1995-96) and Oklahoma's Jason White (2003-04).

Five semifinalists from a year ago, Brett Hundley (UCLA), Sean Mannion (Oregon State), Marcus Mariota (Oregon), Braxton Miller (Ohio State) and Bryce Petty (Baylor), also made the list.

Nearly half (19 of 39) of the players on the watch list are seniors, including Marshall, with 13 juniors and seven sophomores comprising the rest of the list.

The Pac-12 leads with eight QBs on the list, with the Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC all with five players.

The field will be narrowed to 16 semifinalists on Nov. 3, with three finalists named Nov. 24. The winner will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awardson Dec. 11.

The 38th Annual Davey O'Brien Awards Dinner will be held Feb. 16, 2015, in Fort Worth, Texas.