The Maxwell Club announced its watch list for the 76th annual Maxwell Award today, naming a total of eight players from the Big Ten Conference to the list.
The Michigan Wolverines were the only team to have multiple players selected for 2012 in the Big Ten, with quarterback Denard Robinson and running back Fitzgerald Toussaint being named as two of the 65 players selected.
Robinson was a semifinalist for the award in 2011 while being named to the watched list in the offseason. Robinson passed for 2,173 yards in 2011, with a career-best 36 total touchdowns (20 passing, 16 rushing). He was a major reason for the Wolverines success and their 11-2 record along with a win in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Both Robinson and Toussaint were the only teammates in the FBS to surpass 1,000 rushing yards each individually, marking a feet at UM that has not been accomplished since Gordon Bell and Rob Lytle did it in 1875. Robinson rushed for 1,176 yards while Toussaint gained 1,041.
Robinson and Toussaint will both be major contributors to the Wolverines offense this season as they try and make it to Indianapolis for the Big Ten title game.
The semifinalist for the Maxwell Award will be announced on Oct. 29, following with the three finalist on Nov. 19. The winner of the award will be named on Dec. 6 as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show.
Here is a list of the rest of the players on the watch list from the Big Ten:
James Vandenberg – QB Iowa
Le’Veon Bell – RB Michigan State
Rex Burkhead – RB Nebraska
Branxton Miller – QB Ohio State
Silas Reed – RB Penn State
Montee Ball – Wisconsin
Will Wilson is writer for Rant Sports covering College Football and the Big Ten Conference.
Follow Will on Twitter and ‘Like’ him on Facebook.
