Tebow edges out Dixon for Maxwell Award and
Connor wins Defensive Player Award

PRESS RELEASE - December 6, 2007

Contact: Bob Clark
P.O. Box 1067
Roslyn, PA  19001
Phone (610) 277-8900
Fax (610) 277-2239
                              e-mail: bobclark@maxwellfootballclub.org

December 6, 2007 – Lake Buena Vista, Florida 

Tim Tebow of the University of Florida was named as the winner of the 71st Maxwell Award as the Collegiate Player of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club. Tebow, a 6’3, 235 pound sophomore quarterback set a new SEC record for total offense in a season totaling 3,970 all purpose yards during the Gators 2007 campaign. Tebow passed for 22 touchdowns and rushed for an additional 29 touchdowns to become the first player in NCAA history to total more than 20 rushing and 20 passing touchdowns in a season. He was also named to the All SEC 1st team at the quarterback position. Tebow is the first sophomore to receive the Maxwell Award in the Club’s 71 year history. He joins Danny Weurffel as the second Gators quarterback to win the award. 

Dennis Dixon quarterback at the University of Oregon finished second in the balloting, and University of Arkansas standout tailback Darren McFadden finished third. The formal announcement of the winner was made during the Home Depot College Football Awards Show which was broadcast live on ESPN from the Atlantic Dance Hall at the Walt Disney World resort.

The Maxwell Football Club also announced that Penn State senior linebacker Dan Connor has been selected as the winner of the 13th Chuck Bednarik Award as the Collegiate Defensive Player of the Year. Connor, a native of Wallingford Pennsylvania was a four year starter for the Nittany Lions and posted 136 tackles, 6.5 sacks and 1 interception during the 2007 season. Connor finished his career as Penn State’s all time leading tackler breaking 2006 Bednarik Award winner Paul Posluszny’s all time record. He was also selected as a 1st team All Big Ten linebacker. Connor is the fourth Penn State player to win the Bednarik Award joining former Nittany Lions Lavar Arrington 1999 and Paul Posluszny 2005 and 2006. 

LSU standout defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey finished second in the voting, and James Laurinaitis of Ohio State finished in 3rd place.

The formal presentation of the Maxwell and Chuck Bednarik Awards will be made at the Maxwell Football Club’s National Awards Dinner that will be held at Harrah’s Atlantic City resort on March 7, 2008. Voters for the Maxwell College Awards are NCAA Head College Football Coaches, members of the Maxwell Football Club & sportswriters and sportscasters from across the country.