JONESBORO, Ark. (7/18/12) — Arkansas State senior quarterback Ryan Aplin has been named to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List heading into the 2012 season, the Foundation announced Wednesday.

Aplin, who was selected as the Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year earlier this week, becomes the second player in the history of ASU football to be named to the Watch List, joining former quarterback Corey Leonard, who was a semifinalist for the award in 2007.

The winner of the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards show Dec. 6.  The field of top quarterbacks will be narrowed to 16 semifinalists Oct. 22.

As a junior, Aplin completed 63.9 percent (304-of-476) of his passes for 3,588 yards and 19 touchdowns and was named the 2011 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. He also led the Red Wolves in rushing with 588 yards and 10 touchdowns. Arkansas State won the Sun Belt Championship with a perfect 8-0 league mark while finishing 10-3 overall.

Aplin was also the 2011-12 Sun Belt Conference Male Student-Athlete of the Year and is a two-time All-Sun Belt Conference first-team selection.  He will enter his senior season with 16 school records to his credit, including eight season, five single-game and three career marks.  He enters his senior season as the SBC's fourth all-time leader in total offense, completions and passing yards.  Among active players, Aplin is the nation's fifth leading player in career passing yards and completions, and fourth leading player in career total offense.  He was recently named the USA Today Preseason Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, and was named to Athlon's, Blue Ribbon College Yearbook and Phil Steele's preseason first-team All-Sun Belt Conference lists. Aplin is also on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List and the Manning Award Watch List heading into the 2012 season.

The Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award^® is presented annually to the nation's best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The Davey O'Brien Award honors candidates who exemplify Davey O'Brien's enduring character while exhibiting teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership in both academics and athletics. The award is overseen by the Davey O'Brien Foundation, which is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, and has given away more than $850,000 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 www.DaveyOBrien.org.

Aplin and the Red Wolves open the season Sept. 1 at Oregon, with the first home game scheduled for Sept. 8 against Memphis.  Season tickets for ASU's 2012 football campaign are currently on sale at the ASU Ticket Office. The ticket office can be contacted at 870-972-ASU1, or tickets can be purchased online through A-State's official athletic website, AStateRedWolves.com.

This year's list, which was compiled by a subset of the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee, features 34 of the nation's best college quarterbacks who were selected based on player performance during the previous year and expectations heading into the 2012 college football season.

2012 Davey O'Brien Watch List

Ryan Aplin, Arkansas State, Sun Belt

Matt Barkley, USC, Pac-12

Tajh Boyd, Clemson, ACC

Tyler Bray, Tennessee, SEC

Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville, Big East

Alex Carder, Western Michigan, MAC

Derek Carr, Fresno State, MWC

B.J. Daniels, USF, Big East

Seth Doege, Texas Tech, Big 12

Cody Fajardo, Nevada, MWC

James Franklin, Missouri, SEC

Mike Glennon, N.C. State, ACC

Landry Jones, Oklahoma, Big 12

Collin Klein, Kansas State, Big 12

EJ Manuel, Florida State, ACC

Taylor Martinez, Nebraska, Big Ten

AJ McCarron, Alabama, SEC

Braxton Miller, Ohio State, Big Ten

Aaron Murray, Georgia, SEC

Riley Nelson, BYU, Independent

Casey Pachall, TCU, Big 12

Keith Price, Washington, Pac-12

Sean Renfree, Duke, ACC

Bryn Renner, North Carolina, ACC

Denard Robinson, Michigan, Big Ten

Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois, Big Ten

Connor Shaw, South Carolina, SEC

Geno Smith, West Virginia, Big 12

Trent Steelman, Army, Independent

Tyler Tettleton, Ohio, MAC

Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech, ACC

Jeff Tuel, Washington St, Pac-12

James Vandenberg, Iowa, Big Ten

Tyler Wilson, Arkansas, SEC