Bradford Davey O'Brien Winner

FORT WORTH, Texas (December 11, 2008) - The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award® (The O'Brien) today proudly announced Sam Bradford as the 2008 O'Brien Winner. Bradford, a sophomore, competed against O'Brien Finalists Graham Harrell, senior, of Texas Tech and Colt McCoy, junior, of Texas for the award honoring the nation's best quarterback. The announcement was made earlier this evening by 1981 O'Brien Winner, Jim McMahon, on The Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show which aired live from Orlando, Fla.

Bradford led the Oklahoma Sooners to a 12-1 record, Big 12 Conference Championship and No. 1 (BCS) ranking this season, as well as a berth in the 2008 National Championship. Bradford and the Sooners will face the Florida Gators and 2007 O'Brien Winner, Tim Tebow, when they head to Miami, Fla., for the Orange Bowl on January 8, 2009.

The signal caller from Oklahoma City, Okla., threw for 4,464 yards with just six interceptions this season, completing more than 68 percent of his passes. He is the nation's leader in both touchdowns (48) and quarterback rating (186.29). After only his second season as a Sooner starter, Bradford's 84 career touchdowns established a new school record, breaking the previous one held by 2003 and 2004 O'Brien Winner, Jason White.

"In the midst of fierce competition at the quarterback position, Bradford raised the bar for quarterback talent across the country," said Verne Lundquist, chairman of the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee. "He stepped up as a tremendous leader for his team, exemplifying all of the traits The O'Brien seeks in its winner while leading the Sooners to an outstanding season."

Bradford was selected by The O'Brien National Selection Committee, comprised of journalists, broadcasters and commentators from coast to coast, in addition to former O'Brien Winners. College football fans across the country also had a say in the vote with five percent of the final voting tally coming directly from the Fan Vote. The O'Brien is proud to announce that it had 100 percent participation from its National Selection Committee in determining the 2008 award recipient. When voting, members of the committee are asked to evaluate each candidate on his quarterback skills, athletic ability, academics, character, leadership, sportsmanship and reputation as a team player.

About The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award®
The O'Brien honors the nation's best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O'Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate. The O'Brien is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. The Foundation has given away more than $750,000 in scholarships and university grants to help high school and college athletes transform leadership on the field into leadership in life. For more information, visit http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001WuiVwR31LpT6jPsRVwv7-FjKw1eRDYMVasD9XEAuEURAFaxHacCCewvjXTyObhYtqSy1u2LdZ2MLI8eOAWik9O_HuooaaxJWWevif8owyNsIZrOU-RfDsw==.

National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA)The O'Brien is a proud member of the NCFAA, which was founded in 1997 as a coalition of the major collegiate football awards to protect, preserve and enhance the integrity, influence and prestige of the game's predominant awards. The NCFAA encourages professionalism and the highest standards for the administration of its member awards and the selection of their candidates and recipients.