PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Cal senior running back Patrick Laird was named Monday to the watch list for the 82nd annual Maxwell Award. The award has been given each year since 1937 to the nation's College Player of the Year and is named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell for his extensive contributions to the game including time as a player, sportswriter and official.

Semifinalists for the 2018 Maxwell Award will be announced Oct. 29, while the three finalists will be unveiled Nov. 19. The winner will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 6. The formal presentations of the award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards Gala hosted by Tropicana Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City on Mar. 8, 2019.

Below are notes on Laird with an extended bio available by clicking on his name.
 
Patrick Laird, RB, 6-0, 205, Sr., 2L, Arroyo Grande, CA (Mission Prep)
• A 2018 national honors candidate who is on the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, while earning second-team preseason All-Pac-12 honors from Athlon and Lindy's while being a fourth-team pick of Phil Steele
• An honorable mention All-Pac-12, Cal Bear Backers Offensive Team MVP and CoSIDA Academic All-District® selection as well as one of 10 national semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy awarded annually to the nation's most outstanding football player who began his career as a walk-on as a 2017 junior
• Set all of his offensive career highs as a junior when he played in 11 games with eight starts and recorded team highs of 191 rushes, 1127 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on the ground, while adding 45 receptions, 322 yards receiving and one touchdown catch for a team-high 1449 all-purpose yards
• A two-time Pac-12 All-Academic selection who picked up first-team honors as a junior after earning second-team recognition in his sophomore campaign, while also adding CoSIDA Academic All-District® recognition as a junior
• Currently hosting the Patrick Laird Summer Reading Challenge with participants who complete the challenge by August 24 receiving an opportunity to meet Laird and receive four complimentary tickets for Cal's 2018 season-opener against North Carolina at California Memorial Stadium
• Has nearly 3,500 students signed up for the challenge as of July 16 and has promoted the event thru social and traditional media, as well as during visits and speaking engagements with more than 20 schools in the Bay Area and his hometown area of San Luis Obispo since late April
 
The Maxwell Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA) which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The members of the NCFAA are unveiling their preseason watch lists for 17 of their awards over a 12-day period from July 16-27. Following is the entire 2018 preseason watch list calendar.
 
2018 Preseason Watch List Calendar
Monday, July 16 – Bednarik Award, Maxwell Award
Tuesday, July 17 – Davey O'Brien Award
Wednesday, July 18 – Doak Walker Award
Thursday, July 19 – Biletnikoff Award
Friday, July 20 – Mackey Award, Rimington Trophy
Monday, July 23 – Thorpe Award, Butkus Award
Tuesday, July 24 – Outland Trophy, Nagurski Award
Wednesday, July 25 – Groza Award, Ray Guy Award
Thursday, July 26 – Hornung Award, Wuerffel Trophy
Friday, July 27 – Walter Camp Award
 
2018 Cal Football Coverage
• Web: CalBears.com
• Twitter: @CalFootball, @CalAthletics, @CalRecruiting
• Instagram: Cal_Football, CalAthletics
• Facebook: CalAthletics
• Hashtags: #GoBears, #CalFamily, #EarnIt
• Tickets: CalBears.com