University of Colorado running back Phillip Lindsay was one of 85 players named Monday to the 81st annual Maxwell Award watch list, the Maxwell Football Club announced.
Similar to the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and NCAA head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best all-around in the United States.
The Award, named in honor of Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell, has been awarded since 1937.
The Pac-12 Conference had 11 players named to the watch list. Lindsay was one of six running backs from the league to be selected.
Lindsay earned second-team All-Pac-12 honors a year ago when he led the conference with 16 rushing touchdowns. He ranks ninth among all returning FBS players in career all-purpose yardage with 4,195, per the NCAA.
Last season, Lindsay ranked third in the conference with 1,189 rushing yards. If he can repeat with another 1,000-yard rushing season, he would be the first Colorado player to run for over 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons (Eric Bieniemy is the only CU player with two 1,000-yard seasons, doing so in 1988 and 1990).
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Oct. 30, 2017; the three finalists for each award will be unveiled Nov. 20, 2017.
The winner of the 2017 Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 7, 2017. The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 9, 2018.