RENO — Watch List Season 2021 got underway Monday morning, and three members of the Wolf Pack found their names called on the Maxwell Award powered by Mammoth Tech and Bednarik Award powered by Mammoth Tech Preseason Watch Lists.
Quarterback Carson Strong and wide receiver Romeo Doubs were named to the watch list of the Maxwell Award, given annually to the nation’s College Player of the Year.
Linebacker Lawson Hall was on the watch list of the Bednarik Award, given annually to the country’s outstanding defensive player.
The inclusion of both Strong and Doubs makes Nevada one of just two Group of Five programs with multiple candidates (SMU is the other).
Each member of the trio has been selected to a Preseason All-Mountain Team of Athlon Sports, Phil Steele, and Pro Football Focus (PFF). Strong and Doubs were consensus first-team selections, while Hall was named to PFF’s First Team, Athlon Sports’ Second Team, and Phil Steele’s Third Team.
The announcement marks the second-straight season in which Strong has been named a preseason candidate for the Maxwell Award.
The Mountain West’s top offensive player and the quarterback of the All-Mountain West First Team in 2020, Strong paced the conference in passing yards (2,858), passing touchdowns (27), completion percentage (70.1), and ranked in the FBS top 10 in completions per game (27.7, second), passing yards per game (317.6, seventh), completion percentage (seventh), and touchdown passes (ninth), while coming in 11th in passing yards.
He also finished the year with an interception rate of just 1.13, throwing just four picks over 355 attempts.
Doubs was named to the 2020 All-Mountain West First Team at wide receiver after pacing the conference with 1,002 receiving yards, making him the loop’s only 1,000-yard receiver.
He also shared the conference crown with nine touchdown receptions, a mark equaled by teammate Cole Turner.
Doubs also claimed the punt-returner spot on last season's All-Mountain West Second Team, averaging 9.1 yards per return.
The Los Angeles native finished 2020 with 58 catches, averaging 17.3 yards per reception, as well as 111.3 yards per game. he posted five 100-yard receiving games, highlighted by a career day of 219 yards on seven catches Oct. 31 at UNLV.
Hall, selected to the 2020 All-Mountain West Second Team, was a key figure on a Wolf Pack defense which ranked 42nd nationally in total defense, allowing just 377.7 yards per game.
Racking up a team-high 65 tackles, including 8.5 tackles-for-loss and 3.0 sacks, Hall was instrumental in a Nevada rush defense which allowed just 138.1 rushing yards per game, 36th-best in the FBS.
Maxwell Award semifinalists will be named Nov. 1, with the three finalists announced Nov. 22. The 2021 Maxwell Award and Bednarik Award winners will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show Dec. 9.
Nevada opens the 2021 season Saturday, Sept. 4 at California, with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. on FS1.
The Pack’s home opener takes place the following weekend, as it hosts Idaho State Saturday, Sept. 11, at 7:30 p.m.
