DALLAS -- Southern California's Matt Leinart and Oklahoma
teammates Adrian Peterson and Jason White were named finalists for the Maxwell
Award, presented to the nation's outstanding collegiate player, the National
College Football Awards Association announced Wednesday.
Leinart, a junior for the top-ranked Trojans, and White, a senior for the No. 2
Sooners, were named finalists for the Davey O'Brien Award for the nation's top
quarterback on Tuesday.
Peterson set an NCAA freshman record with nine consecutive 100-yard rushing
games and has tied a freshman record with 10 overall this season. He also was
named one of three finalists, along with California's J.J. Arrington and Texas'
Cedric Benson, for the Doak Walker Award for top running back.
Also on Wednesday, Texas linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive ends Erasmus
James of Wisconsin and David Pollack of Georgia were named finalists for the
Bednarik Award for top defensive player.
Both James and Johnson previously were named finalists for the Rotary Lombardi
(lineman) and Bronko Nagurski (defensive player) awards, and Johnson also is a
finalist for the Butkus Award (linebacker).
A total of 19 collegiate awards are to be handed out on December 9 in Orlando,
Florida, in an event televised on ESPN.