The award is presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football.
PHILADELPHIA – Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson was named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 as Florida has had three award winners, including Tim Tebow back-to-back years (2008 & 2009).
Last season, Richardson appeared in eight games and totaled 930 total yards of offense with 401 on the ground and 529 in the air. He was selected to the All-SEC Freshman Team becoming the Gators’ first quarterback since 2014 behind two 150-plus yard passing and 115-plus rushing performances. Richardson started the second half at LSU and went 10-19 with 167 yards, three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.
He exploded for 115 yards rushing and 152 yards passing (3-for-3) at USF to become the first FBS player in the last 25 seasons to rush for 100-plus yards, pass for 150-plus yards and complete every pass he threw in a game. Richardson’s 80-yard touchdown run was tied for the ninth-longest touchdown in program history and tied for longest by a Gators quarterback in the last 25 years. The run was also tied for the third-longest rush by an FBS quarterback in 2021.
The Gainesville native has accounted for three touchdown scores of 70-plus yards and is one of three FBS quarterbacks since 1996 to record an 80-plus yard rush and 75-plus yard pass in the same game.
Named honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell who was a former standout at the Swarthmore College and a renowned sports writer and football official. This year will be the 86th anniversary of the award. Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced November 1, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled November 22. The winners of the 86th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 8.
Florida Football Maxwell Award History
Year
Name (Result)
1996
Danny Wuerffel (Winner)
2007
Tim Tebow (Winner)
2008
Tim Tebow (Winner)
2009
Tim Tebow (Finalist)
2012
Mike Gillislee (Semifinalist)
2020
Kyle Trask (Semifinalist)
2020
Kyle Pitts (Semifinalist)
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