Matt Barkley, Keith Price named to Manning Award watch list
USC quarterback Matt Barkley and Washington QB Keith Price were both named to the Manning Award watch list Monday. The Manning Award, which is given to the top QB in the country, is the only QB award that's handed out after the completion of the bowl season.
Barkley probably yawned when he heard the news, as it's his third time on the Manning Award watch list. The Trojan senior was a finalist for the award last season, but he lost out to Baylor's Robert Griffin III. If Barkley can top his 2011 numbers (3,528 passing yards and 39 TD passes), he'll most likely have a Manning Award in his living room come January.
If you think you're hearing Barkley and Price's name together a lot this offseason, you're not crazy. Both players were also named to the Maxwell Award and Davy O'Brien watch lists.
They also spent some time together in Louisiana recently. Barkley and Price attended the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux last week, where Barkley had a conversation with Peyton Manning about forgoing the NFL draft and returning for his senior year at USC.
“He was excited to see me come back,” Barkley told the Orange County Register. “He hasn't had any regrets, [Tennessee] didn't go all the way, but he said it was one of the funnest seasons he's ever had.”
In 1997, Manning returned for his senior season at Tennessee. The Vols came up one win short of a national championship that year when they lost to Nebraska in the Orange Bowl.
Barkley and Price are both expected to attend Pac-12 media day, which will be held July 24 in Burbank, Calif.
