McFadden Nominated for AT&T All-America Player of the Week Award
SAN ANTONIO — University of Arkansas running back Darren McFadden is one of four nominees for the AT&T All-America Player of the Week award, and now it’s up to the fans to determine the winner. McFadden joins University of Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel, Rice University quarterback Chase Clement and East Carolina University running back Chris Johnson on the ballot list, which was selected by ESPN based on the players’ outstanding performances during the week. Fans can determine the winner by text messaging VOTE to 87654 on their wireless phone.
McFadden, who won the Award in 2006 in Week Ten, had 34 rushes for 321 yards and a touchdown, which was a career-high as well as a school record. He is also the first to run for over 300 yards in an SEC game. In addition, McFadden had 23 passing yards and a touchdown in the Razorback’s 48-36 win over South Carolina. Daniel went 26-44 and had a career-high 421 passing yards and five touchdowns in Mizzou’s 55-10 over Colorado. Clement had 395 passing yards with six touchdowns and 103 rushing yards with two touchdowns in the Owls’ win over UTEP. Clement’s 498 total yards is a school record. Johnson had a career-high 301 rushing yards with four touchdowns and 408 all-purpose yards, a school record, in the Pirates’ 56-40 win over Memphis.
Fans have until 11:59 p.m. EST on Wednesday to submit their votes. The winner will be announced Nov. 8 during Thursday’s ESPN College Football Primetime Presented by Applebee’s college football game between Louisville and West Virginia. There is no limit on fan voting, and each vote counts as one entry into a sweepstakes to win a trip to the 2008 BCS National Championship game in New Orleans, La. The AT&T All-America Player of the Week program will continue throughout the season, with the nominees being revealed each Sunday on ESPN SportsCenter at 9 a.m. ET and on the Web at www.espnallamerica.com. AT&T customers can visit AT&T’s wireless NCAA® Football Portal on their handsets to view video highlights of each week’s candidates, retrieve photos, check scorecards, track their favorite teams and download school ringtones.
In December, four finalists for the AT&T All-America Player of the Year award will be announced during a one-hour special on ABC Sports when the Football Writers Association of America All-America team will also be announced. Fans will then get a chance to say who the best player in the nation is by voting for the AT&T All-America Player of the Year up until the Bowl Championship Series. Voting ends on Jan. 4 and the winner will be announced during the BCS National Championship game on FOX on Jan. 8.
Last year, University of Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn was crowned as the AT&T All-America Player of the Year, beating out Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith, the Heisman Trophy winner, Rutgers running back Ray Rice and Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan. Voting for the AT&T All-America Player of the Year was the highest total in the three year history of the award.
