Jason Corriher
Marshall Athletics

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall running back Brenden Knox continued to rack up the preseason honors on Friday when he was selected to the watch lists for the Maxwell Award and the Wuerffel Trophy.
The Maxwell Award is given annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Semifinalists will be announced Nov. 3 while the three finalists will be unveiled Nov.23.
The winner will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 10, 2020.
The formal presentations of these awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel &Casino Atlantic City on March 12, 2021.
The Wuerffel Trophy, known as “College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service,” is presented each February in Fort Walton Beach.
Named after 1996 Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from the University of Florida, Danny Wuerffel, the Wuerffel Trophy exists to honor college football players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society, and inspire greater service in the world.
Semifinalists for the award will be announced on November 3 and finalists will be announced on Nov. 23.
The formal announcement of the 2020 recipient will be made at the National Football Foundation’s festivities in New York City on December 8.
The presentation of the Wuerffel Trophy will occur at the 52nd All Sports Association Awards Banquet on Feb. 19 in Fort Walton Beach.
Knox was named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List last week. That honor is given to the nation’s top running back.
The Columbus, Ohio native has picked up a slew of preseason awards on the heels of a 2019 campaign that saw him earn Conference USA Most Valuable Player, Marshall team MVP and offensive MVP honors.
Last year, he amassed a league-high 1,387 yards and 11 touchdowns on 270 carries (also tops in C-USA). He also caught 14 passes for 129 yards.
His rushing yardage total also ranked third nationally among sophomores. Based on 2019 statistics, Knox will enter the 2020 season as the sixth-leading rusher in college football behind the likes of Oklahoma State’s Chuba Hubbard and Clemson’s Travis Etienne.
At 1,965 career rushing yards through two seasons, he ranks as the third-best two-season start to a career through a sophomore season for Marshall running backs behind Chris Parker and Doug Chapman.
In the last two months, Knox has also been named first-team preseason all-conference by Athlon and Phil Steele, while earning a spot on College Football America Yearbook’s Group of 5 starting lineup.