July 2, 2008
ROSLYN, Pa. – Notre Dame sophomore quarterback Jimmy Clausen was one of 75 players named to the 2008 Maxwell Award Watch List, announced Monday by the Maxwell Football Club. The preseason list was based on individual performances during the 2007 season.
Clausen was one of 26 quarterbacks to make the list and one of only three sophomore signal-callers honored (a total of 12 sophomores made the list). The 6-3, 212-pounder started nine of the 10 games he appeared in last year and made his mark on Notre Dame’s freshman passing records. Clausen started the second game of the 2007 season, the earliest any Notre Dame quarterback had started at that position since freshmen regained eligibility in 1972. He completed 138 of 245 passes for 1,254 yards with seven touchdowns and six interceptions in his rookie season. Clausen ranks second on Notre Dame’s freshman quarterback single-season lists for completions, attempts, yards and completion percentage.
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the outstanding collegiate football player in America since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert W. “Tiny” Maxwell. Notre Dame has had the second-most recipients of the award as five former Irish players have been honored six times, most recently Brady Quinn in 2006.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced in early November and three finalists will be announced Nov. 25. The winner will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show in December. The formal presentation of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Harrah’s Entertainment Atlantic City on March 6, 2009.
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