Baylor’s Linwood, Russell Tabbed To Maxwell Award Watch List
Bears have now had one honoree for five straight seasons.
PHILADELPHIA – Baylor juniors Shock Linwood and Seth Russell have both earned a spot on the watch list for the 79th-annual Maxwell Award, The Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday. The Maxwell Award is given annually to America's College Player of the Year.
Linwood, a running back, played in all 13 games and started 12 as a sophomore in 2014. He was recognized as an All-Big 12 performer, after tallying 1,252 yards and 16 TDs on 251 rushes (5.0 per-carry average). He also had seven receptions for 90 yards on the season. Linwood set a new BU record for rushing yards by sophomore with 1,252 and ranked 16th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 16 rushing TDs. The Linden, Texas, native is on the preseason Maxwell list for a second-straight season.
Russell served as the second-string quarterback in 2014, but still let the Big 12 with a 164.4 pass efficiency rating. He played in eight of 13 games and started one, while totaling 804 yards and eight TDs on 48-of-85 passing. The Garland, Texas, product also had 185 yards and three TDs on 32 rushes (5.8 average) on the season.
Russell made his first career start (in place of injured starter Bryce Petty) in the second game versus Northwestern State and led BU to a win and tied a school record with six TDs accounted for. Russell only played one half in that game and totaled 438 yards and five TDs on 16-of-25 passing (added rushing TD) to be named Big 12 Co-Offensive Player of Week.
The Bears have now had at least one player on the award's watch list for the last five seasons as Robert Griffin III was honored in 2011, Terrance Williams made the 2012 list and Lache Seastrunk was recognized in 2013. Last season, Linwood was joined by Antwan Goodley and Bryce Petty to give BU three players on the preseason list for the first time.
The Maxwell Award has been given annually since 1937, and is named in honor of sportswriter Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Nov. 2, while three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 23. The winners of the 2015 Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 10. 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 11.
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 these lists as the 2015 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.
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