Football: Devine, Brown Earn Preseason Honors
August 05, 2009 03:49 PM | General
MSNsportsNET.com
August 5, 2009
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University football players Jarrett Brown and Noel Devine have been tabbed as national watch list candidates for their respective positions.
Brown, a West Palm Beach, Fla., native, is one of 14 players nominated for the 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the nation’s best quarterback. The redshirt senior is one of three BIG EAST players, including USF’s Matt Grothe and Cincinnati’s Tony Pike, to make the prestigious list.
Brown has also been named to the 2009 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® Watch List. The list highlights 33 quarterbacks who will compete for the award honoring the nation's best quarterback; however, all 120 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) starting quarterbacks are equal candidates at this time.
Preparing for his first season as WVU’s starting quarterback, Brown has fulfilled his reputation as a dual-threat player for the Mountaineers. In three seasons of action, he has completed 81 of 125 passes for 839 yards and five touchdowns. The athletic coaching education major has also rushed for 671 yards, averaging 5.7 yards with seven touchdowns.
Devine, a Ft. Myers, Fla., native, is one of 45 candidates for the Doak Walker Award, presented annually to the nation’s top college running back. The 5-foot-8, 175 pound tailback returns for his junior season as WVU’s leading rusher from one season ago.
The BIG EAST all-Conference second team performer finished his sophomore campaign with 1,289 yards and four touchdowns. Devine averaged 6.7 yards per carry, highlighted by a 92-yard touchdown run against Syracuse and a 207-yard performance against Auburn.
