Hoosier trio named preseason candidates for Maxwell Award

It’s July 24 and Indiana is already the Big Ten leader in one category — candidates for college football’s most outstanding player award.

Indeed, no conference team landed more players on the Maxwell Award’s preseason watch list than the Hoosiers, who saw nominations doled out to quarterback Michael Penix, running back Stevie Scott and receiver Whip Philyor. It’s the second watch list appearance this month for Scott and Philyor, who were previously named to the Doak Walker Watch List and the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, respectively.

Scott enters his junior season needing 18 yards to become the 14th Hoosier to reach 2,000 for his career. He shares eighth in program history with 20 rushing touchdowns, he is tied for 10th with nine 100-yard games and he shares 11th with 22 total scores (20 rushing, 2 receiving).

Philyor caught 70 passes for 1,002 yards and five touchdowns in 2019. He became the seventh Hoosier to reach 1,000 yards in a season, he recorded three double-digit catch games — a program single-season record — and he posted four 100-yard games.

In 2019, Penix set the program single-season completion percentage mark (68.8), which also ranks sixth in Big Ten history. He completed 110 of his 160 throws for 1,394 yards with 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, while posting a 157.56 pass-efficiency rating.

WATCH LIST RECAP

Bednarik Award: Tiawan Mullen

Doak Walker Award: Stevie Scott

Biletnikoff Award: Whop Philyor

Mackey Award: Peyton Hendershot

Wuerffel Trophy: Harry Crider

Maxwell Award: Stevie Scott, Whop Philyor, Michael Penix