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University of Minnesota Athletics
Leidner Named To Maxwell Award Watch LIst
7/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
University of Minnesota quarterback Mitch Leidner was named to the Maxwell Award watch list today. The award, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, is named in honor of Robert W. "Tiny" Maxwell and has been given to America's College Player of the Year since 1937. Maxwell's contributions to the game of football were extensive, including time as a player, a sportswriter and an official.
Leidner is a senior and is one of 90 student-athletes on the preseason list. The Lakeville, Minn. native has played in 35 career games (20-15 record) and started 29 (16-13 record). He has rushed for 1,129 career yards and 23 career touchdowns (second most in school history for a quarterback) and has passed for 5,118 yards (sixth most in school history) and 28 touchdowns (eighth most in school history). Leidner ranks fifth all-time in school history in completion percentage (56.4), sixth in completions (407) and tied for sixth in attempts (722). Leidner is one of only two Minnesota quarterbacks to pass and rush for 20 career touchdowns (Rickey Foggie rushed for 24 and passed for 33 from 1984-87).
Last season, Leidner set a program record for a junior in completions (242) and passing yards (2,701). He set career highs in completions (27) at Ohio State, attempts at Colorado State (45) and passing yards (317) against Michigan.
He passed for 301 yards against Nebraska and 317 yards against Michigan in consecutive weeks to become the first Gopher since 1995 to throw for 300 or more yards in back-to-back games (Cory Sauter 303 vs Northwestern and 404 vs Michigan State). Leidner passed for 301 yards against Nebraska, 317 yards against Michigan and 281 yards at Ohio State and 259 yards at Iowa to tie Mike Hohensee's 1982 school record of passing for at least 250 yards in four straight games. Leidner passed for 250 yards or more in five games (Ohio, Nebraska, Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa) to become the first Gopher quarterback to have five 250-yard games in a season since Adam Weber had five in 2007.
