Rice named to Walter Camp watch list

New Haven, Conn. – The Walter Camp Football Foundation has announced 15 “Players to Watch” for its 2007 Player of the Year award, the fourth-oldest individual college football award in the nation. Included on the list is Rutgers junior running back Ray Rice (New Rochelle, N.Y.), who was a Second Team All-America selection by the Walter Camp Football Foundation in 2006.

Rice is also a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award (Nation’s best running back) and the Maxwell Award (Nation’s top player).

“It’s been quite a college football season so far and the final three weekends are shaping up to be very exciting,” said WCFF President John Barbarotta. “We look forward to watching these players distinguish themselves as the possible recipient of our prestigious Player of the Year honor.”

A list of the five finalists for the award will be released on Tuesday, November 27.

The 2007 Walter Camp Player of the Year recipient, who is voted on by the 119 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors, will be announced live on the 6:00 p.m. edition of ESPN SportsCenter on Thursday, December 6. The winner will then receive his trophy at the Foundation’s annual national awards banquet on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at the Yale University Commons in New Haven. Tickets ($275) are available by calling (203) 288-CAMP.

Last year’s recipient was Troy Smith (Ohio State), who is currently a rookie on the Baltimore Ravens.

Four players - quarterback Colt Brennan (Hawaii), linebacker James Laurinaitis (Ohio State) and running backs Darren McFadden (Arkansas) and Ray Rice (Rutgers) - are on the watch list for the second straight year.

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.