The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football’s Manning, Wisner tabbed to Maxwell Award watch list
07.28.2025 | Football
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the College Player of the Year.
AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Football sophomore QB Arch Manning and junior RB Quintrevion Wisner were tabbed to the preseason watch list for the 89th Maxwell Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday. The Maxwell Award has been given to the College Player of the Year since 1937.
UT also had two players on the preseason watch list in 2023 when former Longhorns Quinn Ewers (QB) and Xavier Worthy (WR) were recognized. It's Manning and Wisner's first time each earning spots on the Maxwell Award's preseason watch list.
Manning is a third-year player who has appeared in 12 games with two starts, sporting a 2-0 record as a starter during his time on the Forty Acres. As a redshirt freshman in 2024, Manning saw action in 10 games with the two starts, completing 61-of-91 passes (68 percent) for 939 yards and nine touchdowns. He was named the SEC's Co-Freshman of the Week on Sept. 16, was placed on the Davey O'Brien's Great 8 list on Sept. 16, and named the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose National Player of the Week on Sept. 17. The New Orleans native also added 25 carries for 108 yards and four touchdowns. He entered the game in the second quarter vs. UTSA for an injured Quinn Ewers and completed 9-of-12 passes (75 percent) for 223 yards and four touchdowns. He accounted for five total touchdowns against UTSA after recording a career-long 67-yard rushing touchdown. Making his first career start in the victory over ULM, he connected on 15-of-29 pass attempts for 258 yards and two scores. He guided Texas to its first-ever SEC win on Sept. 28, 2024, with his performance against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. He went 26-for-31 (83.9 percent) for 325 yards and two touchdowns, while running the ball six times for 33 yards and a touchdown. He was recently selected to the 2025 Preseason All-SEC Third Team in a vote by the media.
Wisner is a third-year player who has competed in 29 career games with 12 starts, garnering Third-Team All-SEC praise in 2024 and preseason First-Team All-SEC recognition prior to the 2025 campaign. As a sophomore in 2024, he played in 15 games with 12 starts and rushed for a team-leading 1,064 yards and five touchdowns on 226 carries (4.7 ypc). The Glenn Heights, Texas, product had the third-most receptions on the team, hauling in 44 catches for 411 yards (7.1 ypc) and a score. The 44 receptions were the second-most in a single-season by a UT running back, while the 411 receiving yards were the third-most. Altogether, he accumulated 1,375 all-purpose yards and accounted for six touchdowns during his sophomore season. He pieced together four 100-yard rushing performances with all four coming against SEC or CFP opponents. Additionally, he's the only returning 1,000-yard rusher in the SEC going into 2025 season.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced Nov. 11, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled Nov. 25. The winner of the 89th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on Dec. 11. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Atlanta.
Texas opens the 2025 campaign on the road at Ohio State at 11 a.m. CT Saturday, Aug. 30, inside Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The game will broadcast as part of FOX's Big Noon Kickoff, and ESPN's College GameDay will broadcast live from the Ohio State University campus. College GameDay will air for three hours from 8-11 a.m. CT, hosted by Rece Davis, Lee Corso, Desmond Howard, Pat McAffee, Nick Saban, Kirk Herbstreit and other ESPN personalities. It will be the final show for longtime ESPN personality Lee Corso as he is set to retire following Week 1 of the 2025 season.
