PULLMAN, Wash. – Washington State quarterback Luke Falk and wide receiver Gabe Marks were both named to the Maxwell Award Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday. The Maxwell Award is given to America's College Player of the Year.
Falk, a redshirt-junior, was an All-Pac-12 first-team selection last season after leading the country in passing at 380.5 yards-per-game and guiding the Cougars to a 9-4 record capped by a Sun Bowl victory over Miami. The Logan, Utah native set a school record with 38 touchdown passes, good for fourth in the nation, and was second in school history with 4,566 yards. Falk tallied three Pac-12 Player of the Week honors and was Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention.
Marks was placed on the All-Pac-12 First Team while also earning Preseason All-America third-team honors. Last season, the Venice, Calif. native was a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist and earned All-Pac-12 first-team accolades after making 104 receptions for 1,196 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns.
The Maxwell Award, named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell, has been given to America's College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell's contributions to the game of football were extensive, including time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced October 31, 2016, while the three finalists will be unveiled November 21, 2016. The winners of the 2016 Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 8, 2016. The formal presentations of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino Atlantic City on March 10, 2017.