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Utah's Alex Smith a 2004 Walter Camp Player of the Year Finalist
Junior quarterback is one of five finalists.
Nov. 30, 2004 New Haven, Conn. - The Walter Camp Football Foundation has announced the five finalists for its 2004 Player of the Year award as voted by the Division 1-A head coaches and sports information directors. The fourth-oldest individual college football award in the nation, the Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient will be announced live on ESPN SportsCenter on Thursday, December 9. The winner will receive his trophy during the Foundation's annual national awards banquet on February 12, 2005 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. Last year's recipient was University of Pittsburgh wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, the first-ever sophomore to capture the honor. Fitzgerald is currently a member of the Arizona Cardinals. Walter Camp, "The Father of American football," first selected an All-America team in 1889. Camp - a former Yale University athlete and football coach - 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. The finalists for the 2004 Walter Camp Player of the Year award include: REGGIE BUSH - USC - Sophomore, Running Back - Averaging 167.8 all-purpose yards a game for top-ranked Trojans... Named Pac-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year... Has 629 yards rushing and four touchdowns... Has caught 35 passes for 405 yards and seven touchdowns... Also has two punt returns for touchdowns. MATT LEINART- USC - Junior, Quarterback - Has led the top-ranked Trojans to a perfect 11-0 record... Has completed 227-of-343 passes for 2,748 yards (249.8 yds/gm)... Named Pac-10 Co-Offensive Player of the Year... Has thrown 28 touchdown passes and just five interceptions... Threw for 400 yards (24-of-34) and five touchdowns vs. Notre Dame on November 27. ADRIAN PETERSON - OKLAHOMA - Freshman, Running Back - Has rushed for 1,671 yards (on 286 attempts) for 11-0 Sooners... Averaging 151.9 rushing yards per game... Has scored 12 touchdowns... Had three 200+ yard rushing efforts, including a season-high 249 vs. Oklahoma State on October 30. ALEX SMITH - UTAH - Junior, Quarterback - Has led the Utes to a 11-0 record... Named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year... Completed 185-of-280 passes for 2,624 yards... Averaging 238.5 yards passing a game... Has thrown 28 touchdowns with just four interceptions... Has also rushed for 563 yards (4.7 yards per carry) and scored 10 touchdowns. JASON WHITE - OKLAHOMA - Senior, Quarterback - Has led the Sooners to a perfect 11-0 record and a berth in the Big 12 championship game... Has completed 209-of-325 passes for 2,707 yards... Averaging 246 yards passing a game... Has thrown 30 touchdowns with just four interceptions... Passed for 383 yards (29-of-35) and three touchdowns against Nebraska on November 13. - www.waltercamp.org -
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