Khalil Tate makes Maxwell Award watch list

The award is given to the best player in college football

Arizona Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate has been named the Maxwell Award watch list, it was announced Monday.

The Maxwell Award is the prize given to the best player in college football. The entire list of nominees can be found here.

The Bednarik Award watch list was announced Monday, too, but there were no Wildcats on it. That award is given to the nation’s best defensive player.

Tate is looking to build on a 2017 season in which he was one of the most electrifying players in college football.

In 11 games (eight starts), the dual-threat QB completed 111 of 179 passes (62 percent) for 1,591 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions plus rushed for 1,411 yards and 12 touchdowns.

In Week 6, he took over for Brandon Dawkins and broke the FBS quarterback rushing record when he scampered for 327 yards in a 45-42 win over the Colorado Buffaloes.

Tate then torched UCLA, Cal, and Washington State on his way to becoming the first player in conference history to be named the Pac-12 Player of the Week four straight weeks. Arizona was 4-0 during that stretch and entered the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2015.

How Tate fares under new UA head coach Kevin Sumlin remains to be seen, but there has been no shortage of hype this offseason.

Tate was named the No. 4 player in college football by Sports Illustrated and a third-team preseason All-American by Athlon Sports.

No Wildcat has ever won the Maxwell Award, but Tate has a legitimate chance to become the first if he stays healthy.

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