Taysom Hill named to 2016 Maxwell Award watch list

PHILADELPHIA - BYU senior quarterback Taysom Hill was named to the watch list for the 80th annual Maxwell Award by the Maxwell Football Club on Tuesday.

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 time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.

Hill is BYU’s career leader in quarterback rushing with 2,212 yards and 24 rushing touchdowns. He is also No. 13 in career passing yards with 4,606. In just over one half vs. Nebraska in the 2015 season opener, Hill completed 21 of 34 passes for 268 yards and one touchdown while rushing for two more scores and 72 yards. Hill was selected to the 2015 Maxwell Award watch list prior to a season-ending injury at Nebraska. 

BYU offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Ty Detmer won the Maxwell Award at BYU in 1990.

The watch list will once again incorporate a broad spectrum of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs and conferences from coast to coast. Returning Maxwell Award finalists Clemson’s quarterback Deshaun Watson and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey lead the way for the 2016 watch list class. Baylor and Clemson lead the pack with three Maxwell Award candidates each entering the season.

Derrick Henry capped a brilliant college career at Alabama by becoming the second Crimson Tide player in school history to win the 2015 Maxwell Award. He was drafted by the Tennessee Titans, and will attempt to make an immediate NFL impact this fall.

The Maxwell Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The 22 awards boast over 722 years of tradition-selection excellence. Visit www.NCFAA.org to learn more.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced October 31, 2016, while the three finalists for the award will be unveiled November 21, 2016. The winner of the 2016 Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 8, 2016. The formal presentations of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 10, 2017.

Click to view the entire 2016 Maxwell Award Watch List.