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Aug. 29, 2003
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – University of Virginia quarterback Matt Schaub (West Chester, Pa.) is one of 42 players to watch for the 2003 Player of the Year Award, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced on Friday.
The watch list will be narrowed to 10 semifinalists in early November.
The 2003 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, which is voted on by the 117 Division I-A 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 February 14, 2004, at the Yale University Commons in New Haven.
Last year’s recipient was Penn State running back Larry Johnson, who led the nation in rushing and all-purpose yardage and is currently a member of the Kansas City Chiefs.
Walter Camp, “The Father of American football,” first selected an All-America team in 1889. A former Yale University athlete and football coach, Camp 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- 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.
Schaub, the 2002 ACC Player of the Year and First-Team All-ACC honoree, set or tied as many as 10 single-season records and led the conference with 28 touchdown passes last fall. He is considered the nation’s top returning quarterback for 2003 after finishing second nationally in completion percentage (68.9) and sixth nationally in efficiency (147.5) as a junior. He is also on the watch lists for the Davey O’Brien Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
A 2003 Heisman Trophy candidate, fans and media can access the latest press releases, statistics, and fun facts about the Cavalier senior through his website at: Schaub4Heisman.com.
Virginia kicks off the 2003 season on Saturday, Aug. 30 with Duke at 7 p.m. at the Carl Smith Center, home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium.