Quinshon Judkins continues to receive preseason praise, landing on Maxwell Award watch list
The preseason accolades continue for Quinshon Judkins as the Ole Miss running back was named to the first watch list for the Maxwell Award on Monday.
The award, which is given to the most outstanding player in college football, is the first major award to release its preseason watch list for the 2023 season and Judkins is one of 85 student-athletes to make the Maxwell Award list.
Monday’s news is the latest in a long line of preseason honors for Judkins, who was one of 14 Southeastern Conference players to make the watch list, was named to First-Team Preseason All-American and First-Team Preseason All-SEC honoree by Walter Camp, Lindy’s, Athlon and Phil Steele.
Judkins was also named to the Preseason All-SEC First Team by the media during the SEC Media Days earlier this month.
There is going to be plenty of the ‘rat poison’ for Judkins as his sophomore campaign gets going in a month.
After breaking out onto the college football landscape last season and earning the SEC rushing title on his first try, Judkins saw his trophy case fill up quickly.
Now the honors and awards are coming in weeks and months before his second year at Ole Miss even kicks off.
When a new distinction comes Judkins way there is a conversation had with fourth-year head coach Lane Kiffin about keeping grounded, depending on the weight of that award.
“(We talk) often. Definitely often,” Judkins said at Media Days. “Every time there’s some recognition, not every single time but often if its some recognition about something that I’ve completed he’s there to remind me. ‘Remain doing this,’ or, ‘Don’t pay attention to those things.’ It’s great having someone like that around.”
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Nov. 13, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled on Nov. 28. The winner of the 87thMaxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 7. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards in March 2024.
