Aug. 22, 2007

Rice All American wide receiver Jarett Dillard is among 35 players who have been named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation's 2007 Player of the Year Watch List.

A finalist for the Biletnikoff Award last season, Dillard set five school records and tied a sixth last season, in addition to setting an NCAA record for most consecutive games with a touchdown catch in a season (13) and a C-USA mark for TD catches in a season (21). He comes into the 2007 with an overall streak of 15 consecutive games with a touchdown catch, the second longest in NCAA history and just three shy of the record held by Larry Fitzgerald of Pittsburgh.

Dillard was a second-team Walter Camp All American selection last year and was one of four second team selections who were invited to attend the foundation's All American Weekend last January, joining Colt Brennan of Hawaii, Ray Rice of Rutgers, Michael Hart of Michigan. He was named the C-USA Preseason Offensive Player of the Year in July.

The watch list will be narrowed to ten semi-finalists in early November. The 2007 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 119 NCAA Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced on the ESPN/Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation's annual national awards banquet on January 12, 2008 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven.

Last year's recipient was Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith.

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 ( www.waltercamp.org) - a New Haven-based all-volunteer group - was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team.

2007 Walter Camp Player of the Year "Watch List"
Anthony Alridge, RB, Senior, Houston
Travis Beckum, TE, Junior, Wisconsin #
Earl Bennett, WR, Junior, Vanderbilt
Yvenson Bernard, RB, Senior, Oregon State
Tommy Blake, DL, Senior, TCU
John David Booty, QB, USC
Colt Brennan, QB, Senior, Hawaii #
Jasper Brinkley, LB, Senior, South Carolina
Brian Brohm, QB, Senior, Louisville
Dan Connor, LB, Senior, Penn State
Chase Daniel,QB, Junior, Missouri
James Davis, RB, Junior, Clemson
Jarett Dillard, WR, Junior Rice #
Glenn Dorsey, DL, Senior, LSU
Michael Hart, RB, Senior, Michigan #
Omar Haugabook, QB, Senior, Troy
Jonathan Hefney, DB/KR, Senior, Tennessee
P.J. Hill, RB, Sophomore, Wisconsin
Chad Henne, QB, Senior, Michigan
DeSean Jackson, WR/KR, Junior, California *
Lawrence Jackson, DE, Junior, USC
Tyson Jackson, DL, Junior, LSU
Ian Johnson, RB, Junior, Boise State
James Laurinaitis, LB, Junior, Ohio State *
Nate Longshore, QB, Junior, California
Mario Manningham, WR, Senior, Michigan
Colt McCoy, QB, Sophomore, Texas
Darren McFadden, RB, Junior, Arkansas *
Kalvin McRae, RB, Senior, Ohio
Matt Ryan, QB, Senior, Boston College
Ray Rice, RB, Junior, Rutgers #
Steve Slaton, RB, Junior, West Virginia *
C.J. Spiller, RB, Sophomore, Clemson
Tyrell Sutton, RB, Junior, Northwestern
Limas Sweed, WR, Senior, Texas
Aquib Talib, DB, Junior, Kansas
Pat White, QB, Junior, West Virginia

* - 2006 Walter Camp First Team All-American
# - 2006 Walter Camp Second Team All-America