Washington’s Jake Browning and Washington State’s Luke Falk Thursday were among 15 players selected as semifinalists for the 2016 Walter Camp Foundation Player of the Year award, voted upon by the 128 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors. Five finalists will be determined Nov. 30 and the winner announced Dec. 8.
The 15-player list includes eight quarterbacks, three running backs, three defensive players and one wide receiver. Twelve schools and seven conferences are represented. Players from the top six teams in the most recent College Football Playoff rankings are also included.
A sophomore, Browning has passed for 2,532 yards and 35 touchdowns for 9-1 Huskies, who host Arizona State Saturday (4:30 p.m., FOX). Browning’s 35 TDs are a single-season school record.
A junior, Falk has thrown for 3,610 yards and 33 touchdowns for 8-2 Cougars, who play at Colorado Saturday (12:30 p.m., PT, FOX). WSU leads the Northern Division with a 7-0 record.
The other 13 semifinalists are: J.T. Barrett, QB, Ohio State, junior; Jonathan Allen, DL, Alabama, senior; Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State, junior; Quinton Flowers, QB, USF, junior; D’Onta Foreman, RB, Texas, junior; Jalen Hurts, QB, Alabama, freshman; Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville, sophomore; Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma, redshirt junior; Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State, junior; Jabrill Peppers, DB/RB/KR, Michigan, junior; Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State, senior; Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson, junior; and Dede Westbrook WR, Oklahoma, redshirt senior.
First awarded in 1967, the Camp award is the fourth-oldest college football trophy in the nation. It has been won by eight Pac-12 (or its predecessors) players: O.J. Simpson, USC, 1967-68; Jim Plunkett, Stanford, 1970; Charles White, USC, 1979; Marcus Allen, USC, 1981; Matt Leinart, USC, 2004; Reggie Bush, USC, 2005; Andrew Luck, Stanford, 2011; and Marcus Mariota, Oregon, 2014.
