Preseason watch lists for 2024 college football awards got started on Monday with two Penn State players among those on the list for a top national honor.
Nittany Lion quarterback Drew Allar and running back Nicholas Singleton are among 80 players on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which has been presented annually since 1937 by the Maxwell Football Club to the nation’s best college football player.
Penn State’s Tyler Duzansky is also on the preseason watch list for the Mannelly Award for the nation’s best long snapper.
Starting all 13 games as a sophomore in 2023, Allar completed 59.9% of his passes for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns, with two interceptions. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection after a season in which he tied for the conference lead in passing touchdowns and set a school record for lowest interception percentage.
Singleton rushed for 752 yards and eight touchdowns on 172 carries in 2023 while splitting lead running back duties with Kaytron Allen, with whom he shared team offensive MVP honors. Singleton heads into his junior campaign with 1,813 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns for his career, both ranking 20th in Penn State history.
Penn State is one of 15 schools with two players on the Maxwell watch list. Two programs, Miami and Ohio State, have three players.
Larry Johnson was the last Penn State player to win the Maxwell, taking home the honor after his 2,000-yard rushing season in 2002.
Duzansky was Penn State’s primary long snapper in 2023, appearing in all 13 games, and is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. He led the nation in tackles by a long snapper with 6, while providing a steady hand for punter Riley Thompson and placekicker Alex Felkins.
The Mannelly Award, which is named for 16-year Chicago Bears long snapper Patrick Mannelly, has been presented since 2019. Penn State’s Chris Stoll won the award in 2022.
