Blake Sims Named Semifinalist for Davey O’Brien Award

Alabama quarterback Blake Sims was selected as one of 16 semifinalists for the 2014 Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, the Davey O’Brien Foundation announced Tuesday.

The Crimson Tide also practiced for two hours in full pads on the Thomas-Drew Practice Fields in preparation for No. 14 LSU on Saturday.

Saturday’s kickoff in Baton Rouge is set for 7 p.m. on CBS. Verne Lundquist will handle the play-by-play duties with Gary Danielson as the analyst and Allie LaForce on the sidelines. The game can also be heard on the Crimson Tide Sports Network with the national broadcast on ESPN Radio.

Sims, a fifth-year senior from Gainesville, Ga., is on a record-setting pace for the Crimson Tide. Eight games into the season, he has thrown for 2,034 yards while completing 65.5 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

He passed for the second-most yards in a single game in school history against Florida, with 445 yards and four touchdowns. He ranks third nationally and leads the SEC in passing efficiency (172.7) while also rushing for 250 yards and five touchdowns.

The Davey O’Brien Award also features a fan voting component that allows Crimson Tide fans to cast their vote for Sims. The Fan Vote can be found at VoteOBrien.org and will remain open until noon (CT) on Sunday, Nov. 23, for the second round of balloting. Fans are invited to cast their vote for the nation's best college quarterback as often as once daily per email address.

The Fan Vote counts as five percent during each round of the voting process, and is combined with the results from the Davey O'Brien National Selection Committee, which is comprised of journalists, broadcasters, commentators and former winners.

The Davey O'Brien Foundation and the Selection Committee will release the names of the three finalists on Monday, Nov. 24. The 2014 Davey O'Brien winner will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 11.