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ACC Represented by Four Quarterbacks on Allstate Sugar Bowl’s Manning Award Watch List
Friday, July 20, 2012
 The Manning Award, sponsored by the Allstate Sugar Bowl, added four more quarterbacks to its annual Watch List on Friday. The Watch List is being announced by conference in conjunction with each league's media days. As Atlantic Coast Conference Media Days begin on Sunday, four ACC quarterbacks were selected for the list: Tajh Boyd (Clemson), Mike Glennon (North Carolina State), Bryn Renner (North Carolina) and Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech).
Manning Award Video
The overall Watch List will include 25 of the top quarterbacks in the nation heading into the 2012 season. The winner will be announced after the bowls in January and will be honored at a ceremony in New Orleans.
The Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting.
 Boyd had an exceptional breakthrough season in 2011, leading Clemson to the ACC Championship and earning first-team all-conference recognition. As a sophomore, he threw for 3,828 yards and 33 touchdowns (both school records) while also adding five rushing scores. Four times he was selected as a Manning Award Star of the Week. Boyd and his Tigers will open the 2012 campaign when they host one of the SEC versions of the Tigers, Auburn, on Saturday, Sept. 1.
 Glennon quietly turned in a very strong year for North Carolina State in 2011 and is primed for a big 2012 after connecting on 62.5 percent of his passes for over 3,000 yards and 31 touchdowns - the second-most in school history. The tallest quarterback on this year's Watch List at 6-6, the Virginia product already has his degree and ranks fifth all-time at the school in touchdown passes. The Wolfpack opens the 2012 season on Friday, Aug. 31 against Tennessee and its own Manning Watch Lister, Tyler Bray.
 Thomas led Virginia Tech to the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2011, completing nearly 60 percent of his passes for over 3,000 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also rushed for 469 yards and 11 scores - matching the school record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. The second-team all-conference selection at quarterback last year, Thomas and the Hokies open this season on Monday, Sept. 3 with a challenging conference tilt at home against Georgia Tech.
 The University of North Carolina joins its state-rival on the Watch List with Renner's selection. The junior set a school record with 26 touchdown passes last year while completing 68.3 percent of his passes for over 3,000 yards. Renner also led the ACC in passing efficiency at 159.4. North Carolina opens the 2012 season on Sept. 1, hosting in-state rival Elon University from the FCS ranks.
The preseason Watch List recognizes top quarterbacks in the nation based on previous collegiate performance, however, every quarterback in the nation remains eligible for the honor. Additional quarterbacks may be added to the Watch List after the start of the season. The list of 10 finalists will be released on Monday, Nov. 26. The winner will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 9.
The Manning Award will be recognizing its ninth winner this year. USC's Matt Leinart was the inaugural winner of the award in 2005, followed by Texas' Vince Young in 2006. Both went on to be top 10 NFL draft picks. In 2007, LSU's JaMarcus Russell earned the award and was the NFL's No. 1 draft pick. Boston College's Matt Ryan claimed the award in 2008 and was drafted No. 3, quickly becoming the starting quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. In 2009, Florida star Tim Tebow earned the honor - he also went on to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. The 2010 winner was Texas signal-caller Colt McCoy, the winningest quarterback in college football history, who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the draft. Auburn's Cameron Newton earn the award in 2011, prior to being selected No. 1 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers. This past season's honoree was Robert Griffin, III, from Baylor, who was also a top NFL draft pick (No. 2 overall by the Washington Redskins).
2012 Manning Award Watch List
Name, School
| Cmp-Att | Pct. | Yards | TDs | INT | Eff. | Rushing | Ryan Aplin, Arkansas State
| 304-476 | .639 | 3,588 | 19 | 16 | 133.6 | 588 yds, 10 TDs
| Matt Barkley, USC
| 308-446 | .691 | 3,528 | 39 | 7 | 161.2 | -- | Tajh Boyd, Clemson
| 298-499 | .597 | 3,828 | 33 | 12 | 141.2 | 218 yds, 5 TDs
| Tyler Bray, Tennessee
| 147-247 | .595 | 1,983 | 17 | 6 | 144.8 | -- | Alex Carder, Western Michigan
| 330-502 | .657 | 3,873 | 31 | 14 | 145.3 | 270 yds, 4 TDs
| Derek Carr, Fresno State
| 279-446 | .626 | 3,544 | 26 | 9 | 144.5 | -- | Seth Doege, Texas Tech
| 398-581 | .685 | 4,004 | 28 | 10 | 138.9 | -- | James Franklin, Missouri
| 238-376 | .633 | 2,865 | 21 | 11 | 139.9 | 981 yds, 15 TDs
| Blaine Gautier, UL Lafayette
| 216-344 | .628 | 2,958 | 23 | 6 | 153.6 | 486 yds, 3 TDs
| Mike Glennon, N.C. State
| 283-453 | .625 | 3,054 | 31 | 12 | 136.4 | -- | Landry Jones, Oklahoma
| 355-562 | .632 | 4,463 | 29 | 15 | 141.6 | -- | Collin Klein, Kansas State
| 161-281 | .573 | 1,918 | 13 | 6 | 125.6 | 1,141 yds, 27 TDs
| Taylor Martinez, Nebraska
| 162-288 | .563 | 2,089 | 13 | 8 | 126.5 | 874 yds, 9 TDs
| AJ McCarron, Alabama
| 219-328 | .668 | 2,634 | 16 | 5 | 147.3 | -- | Aaron Murray, Georgia
| 238-403 | .591 | 3,149 | 35 | 14 | 146.4 | -- | Casey Paschall, TCU
| 228-343 | .665 | 2,921 | 25 | 7 | 158.0 | -- | Keith Price, Washington
| 242-362 | .669 | 3,063 | 33 | 11 | 161.9 | -- | Bryn Renner, North Carolina
| 239-350 | .683 | 3,086 | 26 | 13 | 159.4 | -- | Denard Robinson, Michigan
| 142-258 | .550 | 2,173 | 20 | 15 | 139.7 | 1,176 yds, 16 TDs
| Brett Smith, Wyoming
| 253-415 | .610 | 2,622 | 20 | 11 | 124.6 | 710 yds, 10 TDs
| Geno Smith, West Virginia
| 346-526 | .658 | 4,385 | 31 | 7 | 152.6 | -- | Tyler Tettleton, Ohio
| 265-413 | .642 | 3,306 | 28 | 10 | 148.9 | 658 yds, 10 TDs
| Logan Thomas, Virginia Tech
| 234-391 | .598 | 3,013 | 19 | 10 | 135.5 | 469 yds, 11 TDs
| James Vandenberg, Iowa
| 237-404 | .587 | 3,022 | 25 | 7 | 138.4 | -- | Tyler Wilson, Arkansas
| 277-438 | .632 | 3,638 | 24 | 6 | 148.4 | -- | -www.AllStateSugarBowl.org-
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