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Missouri’s Blaine Gabbert Announced as Manning Award Watch List Selection

Thursday, July 15, 2010

University of Missouri junior Blaine Gabbert (official bio) has been named to the Manning Award Watch List for the 2010-11 season. He is the third selection to the preseason list. The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, is releasing the Watch List one player at a time on its official Facebook and Twitter pages. The award has honored the top quarterback in the nation for the past six years.

Allstate Sugar Bowl on Facebook

Allstate Sugar Bowl on Twitter

Despite being a first-year starter last year, Gabbert didn't take long to show he had the confidence to guide MIzzou's potent offensive attack. He opened the season with a stellar first collegiate start, throwing for three touchdowns against Illinois in St. Louis, completing 25-of-33 passing for 319 yards and adding a rushing touchdown. His first career touchdown pass came on a 49-yard pass play to Wes Kemp in the first quarter. Five games into the season Gabbert suffered a severely sprained ankle, but showed his willingness to fight through the pain by not missing a snap over it. The Tigers went on to an eight-win season before losing to Navy in the Texas Bowl. A now-healthy Gabbert looks to return to piling up big numbers when the Tigers open the season on Sept. 4th against Illinois in St. Louis.

"The Manning family is like the first family of quarterbacks, to be considered for the award is a real honor," Gabbert told MUTigers.com. "But I know it's only pre-season, and that we've got a lot of work ahead of us as a team to reach our goals, so that's what my focus is on."


  Manning Award Watch List (Final)

2010-11 Manning Award Watch List Photo Gallery

The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2004 to honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that takes into consideration the candidates' bowl performances. Ten finalists will be selected in late-November and the winner will be announced after the bowls in January and will be honored at a ceremony in New Orleans.

The preseason Watch List recognizes some of the top quarterbacks in the nation based on previous collegiate performance, however, every quarterback in the nation remains eligible for the honor. Additional quarterbacks may be added to the Watch List after the start of the season. The list of 10 finalists will be released on Monday, Nov. 29. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

The Manning Award will be recognizing its seventh winner this year. USC's Matt Leinart was the inaugural winner of the award in 2005, followed by Texas' Vince Young in 2006. Both went on to be top 10 NFL draft picks. In 2007, LSU's JaMarcus Russell earned the award and was the NFL's No. 1 draft pick. Boston College's Matt Ryan claimed the award in 2008 and was drafted No. 3, quickly becoming the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. In 2009, Florida star Tim Tebow earned the honor - he also went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Last year's winner was Texas signal-caller Colt McCoy, the winningest quarterback in college football history. McCoy was picked by the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL Draft.

-AllstateSugarBowl.org-