Clark on list for QB award

The Penn State quarterback from Youngstown has been a big factor in the 9-0 record.

STAFF REPORT

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Daryll Clark, the Youngstown native who has led the Penn State football team to the No. 3 ranking in the country, has been named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, which is given to the nation’s top quarterback.

Clark is the only quarterback from a Big Ten team to be selected to the list.

He is joined on the list by Sam Bradford of Oklahoma, Chase Daniel of Missouri, Max Hall of BYU, Graham Harrell of Texas Tech, David Johnson of Tulsa, Colt McCoy of Texas, Todd Reesing of Kansas, Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State, Mark Sanchez of USC, Matthew Stafford of Georgia, Tim Tebow of Florida and John Parker Wilson of Alabama.

Clark has led the Nittany Lions to a 9-0 overall record, including a Big Ten-leading 5-0 conference mark, and a No. 3 ranking in the Bowl Championship Series standings and polls.

In his first season as a starter, Clark has flourished as the leader of one of the nation’s most potent and productive offenses. He has accounted for a combined 19 touchdowns and 1,881 total yards through the season’s first nine games. An accurate passer with a strong arm, the former Ursuline High School standout is 126 of 200 (63.0) for 1,652 yards, with 11 touchdowns with only two interceptions.

Clark ranks second in the Big Ten and 21st nationally in passing efficiency with a 148.4 rating. He also has rushed for 229 yards and eight touchdowns.

His top game this season came in Penn State’s 48-7 win at Wisconsin on Oct. 11. Clark passed for a career-high 244 yards, completing 16-of-25 passes for one touchdown and one interception and was named Big Ten offensive player of the week.

With Clark at quarterback, Penn State leads the Big Ten in total offense, scoring and rushing offense. The Nittany Lions are eighth nationally in scoring (41.8 ppg), 11th in rushing (226.3 ypg) and 12th in total offense (459.8 ypg).

Penn State has scored 45 or more points in six of its nine victories this season. The Nittany Lions State are third in the Big Ten in passing offense (233.4 ypg) and tied for No. 4 nationally in red zone success, converting 93.6 percent of their 47 opportunities (33 touchdowns, 11 field goals).

Semifinalists were chosen by a committee of journalists, broadcasters, commentators, and former winners. Fans also had a vote.

The 13 semifinalists will be narrowed to three finalists Nov. 24. The O’Brien Award winner will be announced during The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show on Dec. 11 in Orlando, Fla. The recipient will be honored Feb. 16, 2009 at the O’Brien Awards Dinner at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fans are able to vote for semifinalist candidates once daily at www.VoteOBrien.org http://www.VoteOBrien.org/. The voting will continue through the semifinalist and finalist rounds with five percent of the final tally coming directly from the fan vote.

Penn State boasts two past recipients of the award, Todd Blackledge in 1982 and Kerry Collins in 1994. Michael Robinson was Penn State’s last semifinalist, in 2005.

Penn State has a bye this weekend and will next play at Iowa Nov. 8 at 3:30 p.m.