Morris, Johnson Named to Maxwell Watch List
PHILADELPHIA – Miami Hurricanes senior QB Stephen Morris and sophomore RB Duke Johnson have been named to the watch list for the 77th annual Maxwell Award, announced Monday by the Maxwell Football Club.
The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell, has been given to America’s College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell’s contributions to the game of football were extensive, including as a player, sportswriter and official.
Three Miami Hurricanes have previously won the Maxwell Award – Vinny Testaverde (1986), Gino Torretta (1991) and Ken Dorsey (2001). Miami’s three Maxwell Award winners are tied for the sixth-most with Florida, Penn and USC.
Morris started all 12 games under center a season ago, throwing for a career-best 3,345 yards and 21 touchdowns. His 3,345 passing yards in 2012 were the fifth-most in program history, while his 3,415 yards of total offense set a new single-season mark at Miami. He also became the first QB in Miami Hurricanes history to post multiple 400-yard passing games in a single season.
Last week, Johnson was named to the watch list for the 2013 Paul Hornung Award, which is given to the most versatile player in college football. The Miami product enjoyed one of the greatest freshman seasons in Hurricanes history in 2012, amassing 2,060 all-purpose yards and 13 TDs, while breaking Clinton Portis’ 13-year-old school freshman rushing record with 947 yards. His 892 kick return yards were a single-season record, while also tying the school single-season mark with two kick returns for touchdowns.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Oct. 29, while the three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 18. The 2013 Maxwell Award winner will be announced Dec. 12 as part of the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show. The formal presentation will be made March 7, 2014, at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Harrah’s Entertainment Atlantic City.
The watch list candidates have been chosen by the Maxwell Football Club’s selection committee, which analyzes both past performance and future potential. The Club reserves the right to make additions and deletions to the list as the 2013 season unfolds. All members of the Maxwell Football Club, NCAA sports information directors, FBS head coaches and selected national media are eligible to vote for the awards.
Season tickets for the 2013 football season are on sale now for as low as $98. To purchase season tickets, call the UM Athletic Ticket Office at 305-284-2263 or buy online at www.CanesTix.com.
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