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Leonard Named to Maxwell Award Watch List
7/31/2023 9:33:00 AM | Football
DURHAM – Duke junior quarterback Riley Leonard has been selected to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, an honor presented to the top player in the country by the Maxwell Football Club.
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Leonard returns for his second campaign as Duke's starting quarterback and was tabbed a team captain for the upcoming season. In 20 career games (14 starts), he has completed 287-of-454 (.632) passes for 3,348 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He owns a career pass efficiency rating of 137.35. On the ground, Leonard has rushed 171 times for 872 yards (5.09) and 15 touchdowns.
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He opens 2023 as one of three returning FBS quarterbacks nationally to amass 2,900-plus passing yards and 695-plus rushing yards a season ago, joining LSU's Jayden Daniels and North Carolina's Drake Maye. Additionally, he is one of two returning FBS quarterbacks nationally to register 20-plus passing and 13-plus rushing touchdowns last year, joining Oregon's Bo Nix. Leonard, a 6-4, 212-pound native of Fairhope, Ala., was named a 2022 honorable mention All-ACC selection after ranking third in the league in total offensive yards per game (282.00), third in pass attempts (392), third in pass completions (25), third in total points responsible for (198), tied for third in scoring (78), fourth in pass completion percentage (.638), fourth in passing yards per game (228.23), fifth in touchdowns passes (20), and fifth in passing efficiency (141.11).
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The leader of a multifaceted offense, Leonard was a big contributor to the Blue Devils' ground game, joining Jordan Waters (566), Jaquez Moore (508), and Jaylen Coleman (480) to form the first quartet in Duke history to post 400-plus rushing yards each in a single-season. Additionally, Leonard coupled with Waters (8), Ja. Moore (5), and Coleman (4) formed the first foursome in Blue Devil history to compile four-plus rushing touchdowns apiece in a single-season.
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The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official. Caleb Williams capped an impressive 2022 campaign at USC by becoming the fourth Trojan to win the Maxwell Award, joining O.J Simpson, Charles White and Marcus Allen.
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Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced November 13, 2023, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled November 28, 2023. The winners of the 87th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 7, 2023. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards in March, 2024.
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Season and single-game tickets as well as mini plans for the 2023 campaign are now available by visiting GoDuke.com/footballtix.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils football, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFootball".
Duke Players on 2023 NCFAA Watch Lists
Maxwell Award: Riley Leonard
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#GoDuke
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Leonard returns for his second campaign as Duke's starting quarterback and was tabbed a team captain for the upcoming season. In 20 career games (14 starts), he has completed 287-of-454 (.632) passes for 3,348 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He owns a career pass efficiency rating of 137.35. On the ground, Leonard has rushed 171 times for 872 yards (5.09) and 15 touchdowns.
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He opens 2023 as one of three returning FBS quarterbacks nationally to amass 2,900-plus passing yards and 695-plus rushing yards a season ago, joining LSU's Jayden Daniels and North Carolina's Drake Maye. Additionally, he is one of two returning FBS quarterbacks nationally to register 20-plus passing and 13-plus rushing touchdowns last year, joining Oregon's Bo Nix. Leonard, a 6-4, 212-pound native of Fairhope, Ala., was named a 2022 honorable mention All-ACC selection after ranking third in the league in total offensive yards per game (282.00), third in pass attempts (392), third in pass completions (25), third in total points responsible for (198), tied for third in scoring (78), fourth in pass completion percentage (.638), fourth in passing yards per game (228.23), fifth in touchdowns passes (20), and fifth in passing efficiency (141.11).
Â
The leader of a multifaceted offense, Leonard was a big contributor to the Blue Devils' ground game, joining Jordan Waters (566), Jaquez Moore (508), and Jaylen Coleman (480) to form the first quartet in Duke history to post 400-plus rushing yards each in a single-season. Additionally, Leonard coupled with Waters (8), Ja. Moore (5), and Coleman (4) formed the first foursome in Blue Devil history to compile four-plus rushing touchdowns apiece in a single-season.
Â
The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert "Tiny" Maxwell who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official. Caleb Williams capped an impressive 2022 campaign at USC by becoming the fourth Trojan to win the Maxwell Award, joining O.J Simpson, Charles White and Marcus Allen.
Â
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced November 13, 2023, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled November 28, 2023. The winners of the 87th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 7, 2023. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards in March, 2024.
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Season and single-game tickets as well as mini plans for the 2023 campaign are now available by visiting GoDuke.com/footballtix.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils football, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeFootball".
Duke Players on 2023 NCFAA Watch Lists
Maxwell Award: Riley Leonard
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#GoDuke
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