University of Minnesota running back Darius Taylor was named to the Maxwell Award watch list today, as announced by the Maxwell Football Club. The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the outstanding player in college football.
Taylor is one of 80 student-athletes on the list, and he is one of only eight sophomores to be recognized. He is one of 12 Big Ten players to be nominated and one of 28 running backs. He is one of five Big Ten running backs on the list.
Taylor played in only six games last season as a true freshman because of injuries. However, in those six games, he rushed 138 times for 799 yards (fifth most ever by a freshman in school history) and five touchdowns. He averaged 133.2 rushing yards per game, which was the third most in school history and he set a true freshman rushing record with 208 yards against Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Taylor led Minnesota with 891 all-purpose yards (799 rushing and 92 receiving) and averaged 148.50 all-purpose yards per game. He had three games with 200 or more all-purpose yards (219 vs. Bowling Green, 216 at Northwestern and 206 vs. Eastern Michigan) and he was third on the team in scoring with 30 points.
Taylor was the only Big Ten running back last season to average more than 100 yards rushing per game, as he averaged 133.2. The next closest was Kyle Monangai from Rutgers, who averaged 97.1. Taylor's 5.8 yards per carry was third in the conference behind Purdue's Tyrone Tracy Jr (6.3 yards per carry) and Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson (5.9 yards per carry). Taylor's 799 rushing yards – in only six games – placed him eighth in the Big Ten. The seven players ahead of him all played in at least 10 games.
Taylor did not play in enough games to be listed in the NCAA standings last season, but if he were eligible, his 133.2 yards per game would have led the nation and would have been eight yards more than Cody Schrader from Missouri who averaged 125.2 yards per game.
Taylor and Minnesota open the season against North Carolina at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Huntington Bank Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally by FOX and can be heard on the Gopher Radio Network.
Taylor is one of 80 student-athletes on the list, and he is one of only eight sophomores to be recognized. He is one of 12 Big Ten players to be nominated and one of 28 running backs. He is one of five Big Ten running backs on the list.
Taylor played in only six games last season as a true freshman because of injuries. However, in those six games, he rushed 138 times for 799 yards (fifth most ever by a freshman in school history) and five touchdowns. He averaged 133.2 rushing yards per game, which was the third most in school history and he set a true freshman rushing record with 208 yards against Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl.
Taylor led Minnesota with 891 all-purpose yards (799 rushing and 92 receiving) and averaged 148.50 all-purpose yards per game. He had three games with 200 or more all-purpose yards (219 vs. Bowling Green, 216 at Northwestern and 206 vs. Eastern Michigan) and he was third on the team in scoring with 30 points.
Taylor was the only Big Ten running back last season to average more than 100 yards rushing per game, as he averaged 133.2. The next closest was Kyle Monangai from Rutgers, who averaged 97.1. Taylor's 5.8 yards per carry was third in the conference behind Purdue's Tyrone Tracy Jr (6.3 yards per carry) and Ohio State's TreVeyon Henderson (5.9 yards per carry). Taylor's 799 rushing yards – in only six games – placed him eighth in the Big Ten. The seven players ahead of him all played in at least 10 games.
Taylor did not play in enough games to be listed in the NCAA standings last season, but if he were eligible, his 133.2 yards per game would have led the nation and would have been eight yards more than Cody Schrader from Missouri who averaged 125.2 yards per game.
Taylor and Minnesota open the season against North Carolina at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Huntington Bank Stadium. The game will be broadcast nationally by FOX and can be heard on the Gopher Radio Network.
