Three Cards Named to 2020 Maxwell Award Watch List

Quarterback Micale Cunningham, running back Javian Hawkins and wide receiver Tutu Atwell all earn recognition for Louisville Football.

A trio of Louisville Cardinals football players have been named to the 2020 Maxwell Award watch list, the Maxwell Football Club announced Friday.

Redshirt junior quarterback Micale Cunningham, redshirt sophomore Javian Hawkins and junior wide receiver Tutu Atwell all made the watch list for the 84th Maxwell Award, which is awarded annually to college football's player of the year.

All three players have already been named to the watch lists of award at their respective position during this offseason. Cunningham was named to the 2020 Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award watch list, Hawkins was recognized on the 2020 Doak Walker Award watch list, then the 2020 Biletnikoff Award Preseason watch list included Atwell.

Over 12 games and 11 starts, Cunningham threw for 2,061 yards and 22 touchdowns while rushing for 482 yards and six scores as Louisville went 8-5 and placed second in the ACC Atlantic Division. His completion percentage of 62.36% ranked as the fifth-best in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and had his passing efficiency of 194.79 qualified nationally (he needed to attempt just two more passes), it would have been second only to Heisman Winner & No. 1 overall 2020 NFL Draft pick Joe Burrow.

After appearing in just three games and carrying the ball one time for seven yards before taking a redshirt in 2018, Hawkins ranked seventh in the nation in rushing with 1,525 yards as well as nine touchdowns last season. He not only broke the freshman rushing record for a running back held by Victor Anderson, but also the school single-season rushing record for a running back held by Howard Stevens.

Like Cunningham & Hawkins, Atwell had an incredible breakout year under year one of head coach Scott Satterfield. He recorded 1,276 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns in 2019, both of which led the ACC. Not only was his yardage mark eighth in the nation, but it broke the single-season school record previously held by Harry Douglas' 1,265 yards in 2007. His 12 touchdowns also ties a single-season school record with Ibn Green in 1998 & DeVante Parker in 2014.

Nine Cardinals have been previously named to the Maxwell Award watch list:

• Brian Brohm - 2005, 2006, 2007
• Michael Bush - 2005, 2006
• Harry Douglas - 2007
• Mario Urrutia - 2007
• Hunter Cantwell - 2008
• Teddy Bridgewater - 2013
• DeVante Parker - 2014
• Brandon Radcliff - 2015
• Lamar Jackson - 2016, 2017

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell, a former standout at the Swarthmore College and a renowned sports writer and football official.

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