Matt Barkley Named Walter Camp Award Semifinalist
November 16, 2011 | Football
Nov. 16, 2011
USC junior quarterback Matt Barkley was named one of 15 semifinalists for the 2011 Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award.
Joining Barkley as semifinalists are: WR Justin Blackmon (Oklahoma State), DB Morris Claiborne (LSU), RB LaMichael James (Oregon), QB Robert Griffin III (Baylor), QB Chandler Harnish (Northern Illinois), QB Landry Jones (Oklahoma), QB Case Keenum (Houston), LB Luke Kuechly (Boston College), QB Andrew Luck (Stanford), QB Kellen Moore (Boise State), RB Trent Richardson (Alabama), WR Sammy Watkins (Clemson), QB Brandon Weeden (Oklahoma State) and QB Russell Wilson (Wisconsin).
Barkley has completed 247-of-370 passes (66.8%) for 2,782 yards with 29 TDs and 6 interceptions in 2011. He currently is 17th nationally in passing efficiency (152.5, fourth in Pac-12) and tied for 19th in total offense (280.4, fourth in Pac-12). His 66.8% completion percentage in 2011 is within range of Rob Johnson's USC season record of 68.6% in 1993. His 29 TD passes in 2011 currently are the tied for third most in the nation. His 247 completions in 2011 is seventh on the USC season list and his 2,804 yards of total offense is 11th on the USC season ladder. His 29 TD passes in 2011 is tied for 12th on the Pac-12 season list. He has set 4 USC game records in 2011: completions (34 versus Minnesota), pass yardage (468 versus Arizona), TD passes (6 versus Colorado) and total offense (470 versus Arizona).
He is third on USC's career passing (693 completions) and fourth in total offense (8,275 yards) lists. He is tied for 10th on the Pac-12 career touchdown pass chart (70) and 21st in both pass yardage (8,308) and total offense (8,275). In his career he has thrown at least 1 TD pass in 30 of his 34 games, at least 2 TDs in 19 games, at least 3 TDs in 11 games and at least 5 TDs 4 times (the only Trojan to have done so), including once with a school record 6 TDs. He has thrown for at least 200 yards in 22 career games (8 times over 300 yards).
He is one of 16 semifinalists for the 2011 Maxwell Award and one of 16 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award (for the third consecutive year). He is one of 13 finalists for the 2011 Wuerffel Trophy (given to the player who best combines athletics, academics and community service). He was one of 11 FBS players named to the 2011 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, recognized for their commitment to making a difference in their communities.
A list of five finalists for the fourth-oldest college football award in the nation.will be announced on Wednesday, Nov. 30.
The 2011 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, who is voted on by the Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be presented live on Thursday, Dec. 8 during the 6 p.m. edition of ESPN SportsCenter.
The winner will receive his trophy at the Foundation's annual national awards banquet on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. S
Walter Camp, "The Father of American football," first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp - a former Yale University athlete and football coach - is also credited with developing play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side. The Walter Camp Football Foundation - a New Haven-based all-volunteer group - was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and continue the tradition of selecting an annual All-America team.
