Tahj Brooks named to watch list for Maxwell Award

PHILADELPHIA – Texas Tech senior running back Tahj Brooks was named to the 2024 Maxwell Award watch list on Monday. The annual award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club, is given to the most outstanding player in college football.

Brooks, having already been named to the 2024 Walter Camp Preseason All-America Team and the 2024 Preseason All-Big 12 Football Team, is set to enter his fifth season with the Red Raiders. The Manor, Texas native is prepping for his final collegiate season having already amassed 3,052 career rushing yards, spearheaded by a 2023 campaign that saw him wrap the season as the nation’s fourth-leading rusher after totaling 1,538 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.

Brooks’ run of receiving national attention began last season, earning recognition by being named a semifinalist for the Doak Walker and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Awards on top of earning 2023 All-Big 12 first-team honors.

The Maxwell Award tabbed Brooks among a collection of 80 players recognized from coast to coast. The ACC is the leading conference boasting 20 candidates followed by the SEC (15), Big 12 (15) and Big Ten (12). Michael Penix Jr., from the University of Washington, was the 2023 Maxwell Award winner and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft.

The Maxwell Football Club has once again partnered with Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Phil Steele Publications as selection committee partners.

Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Nov. 12, 2024, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled Nov. 26, 2024. The winners of the 88th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 12, 2024.

For the complete list of players named to the watch list and additional information about the Maxwell Club, visit www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

TAHJTIME.COM
Texas Tech launched TahjTime.com, a promotional website for Red Raider senior running back Tahj Brooks for both national awards and to track his progress towards Byron Hanspard’s career rushing record during his final season. The website, which plays off Brooks’ popular celebration following each touchdown, debuted ahead of his appearance at Big 12 Media Days in Las Vegas. In addition to following Brooks’ progression up the record books, TahjTime.com will provide updated news and videos of Brooks each week during the 2024 season. TahjTime.com was developed by Texas Tech alongside its website provider, SideArm Sports.

ABOUT THE MAXWELL FOOTBALL CLUB
The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in America. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully vested in the community through programs to promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership. High school student-athletes around the country have an opportunity to participate in MFC Showcase events, free of charge, through the generosity of our corporate partners, Ivy Rehab, SAFR, the ETC Foundation and the Run Around Inc.

NCFAA WATCH LISTS
The Maxwell Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses college football’s most prestigious awards. Sixteen NCFAA members are unveiling preseason watch lists over a two-week-plus period as the association spearheads a coordinated effort to promote each award’s preseason candidates.

The following is the 2024 preseason watch list calendar:

DATE
AWARD(S)
TEXAS TECH CANDIDATE
Mon., July 29
Maxwell Award
RB, Tahj Brooks
Tue., July 30
Outland Trophy/Bronko NagurskiTrophy

Wed., July 31
Paycom Jim Thorpe Award

Thu., Aug. 1
Paul Hornung Award/Wuerffel Trophy

Fri., Aug. 2
Lou Groza Award/Ray Guy Award

Mon., Aug. 5
Walter Camp Award

Tue., Aug. 6
Doak Walker Award

Wed., Aug. 7
Biletnikoff Award

Thu., Aug. 8
Davey O’Brien Award

Fri., Aug. 9
Mackey Award/Rimington Trophy

Mon., Aug. 12
Bednarik Award

Tue., Aug. 13
Butkus Award

For more information about the NCFAA and its college football awards, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter @NCFAA.

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Release Provided By Matt Burkholder Texas Tech Athletics