Poole, Bray Named to Walker, O'Brien Watch Lists

[UTVolCountry]

Poole, Bray Named to Walker, O'Brien Watch Lists University of Tennessee Athletics

July 15, 2011

KNOXVILLE - Tennessee senior tailback Tauren Poole and sophomore quarterback Tyler Bray were both added to preseason watch lists for their respective positions on Friday.

Poole was selected to the the 2011 Doak Walker Award Watch List, presented annually to the nation's top college running back, while Bray was tabbed to the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award Watch List.

Both UT offensive stars were previously named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which has annually honored college football's most outstanding player since 1937, earlier this month.

Poole is one of eight SEC tailbacks and 51 overall eligible for the Doak Walker Award. The Toccoa, Ga., native tied for the SEC lead with six 100-yard rushing games in 2010 en route to just the 16th 1,000-yard season in Tennessee history with 1,034 yards, which ranks as the 14th-best single season total at UT. He is one of 24 tailbacks on the Doak Walker Award Watch List to top 1,000 yards rushing in 2010.

In his first year as the starter, Poole earned Associated Press All-SEC honorable mention accolades, while leading the Vols with 12 total touchdowns.

Bray is one of just seven sophomores on the list of 38 eligible players for the Davey O'Brien Award. He is also joined by just two other SEC quarterbacks. The Kingsburg, Calif., product completed 125-of-224 pass attempts for 1,849 passing yards and 18 touchdowns in 2010 to set UT freshman records in each category. In five starts, Bray earned three SEC Freshman of the Week awards and was one of just two quarterbacks in the league to record four 300-yard passing performances last season