McCall named to 2023 Maxwell Award preseason watch list

PHILADELPHIA — For the third consecutive season, Coastal Carolina quarterback Grayson McCall has been named to the Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List, the Maxwell Football Club announced on Monday.

The Maxwell Award has been presented to the College Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert “Tiny” Maxwell who was a former standout at Swarthmore College and a renowned sportswriter and football official.

McCall is a two-time Maxwell Award Semifinalist, earning the honor in both 2020 and 2021.

This preseason, McCall was once again named the 2023 Sun Belt Preseason Offensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the Preseason All-Sun Belt first team, adding to his preseason accolades which include:

• 2023 HERO Sports’ Group of Five All-American Second Team
• 2023 College Football News (CFN) All-American Honorable Mention
• 2023 College Football News (CFN) Sun Belt Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
• 2023 College Football News (CFN) All-Sun Belt Preseason Team
• 2023 Pro Football Focus (PFF) College Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
• 2023 Phil Steele Preseason Sun Belt Conference All-Conference First Team
• 2023 Athlon Sports Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team
• 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 Preseason List

Named the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, marking the first-ever Sun Belt Conference football player to win the award three straight seasons, McCall also earned a spot on the 2022 All-Sun Belt first team for the third consecutive year last season.

His other 2022 honors include:

• Davey O’Brien QB Class of 2022 List
• 2022 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 25 list
• 2022 CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy Watch List
• 2022 Draft Network Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year
• 2022 Phil Steele Sun Belt Conference All-Conference First Team
• 2022 Pro Football Focus (PFF) All-Sun Belt First Team

Last season, McCall’s 24 touchdowns to two interceptions ratio was among the leaders in all of FBS, while he also threw a touchdown pass in 23-straight games dating back two years. He also threw for over 245 yards in eight of 11 games played this year and had three touchdown tosses in six different games on the season.

In 11 games in 2022, McCall completed nearly 70 percent of his passes (207-of-297) for 2,700 yards, 24 touchdowns, and just two interceptions. He also rushed 91 times for 195 yards and six scores.

McCall ranked in the top 40 in all of NCAA Division I FBS in several offensive categories. He was third in passing efficiency (171.4), third in completion percentage (69.7 percent), fifth in yards per pass attempt (9.09), 18th in points responsible for per game (16.4), 29th in passing touchdowns (24), 30th in passing yards per completion (13.04), 32nd in points responsible for (180), and 40th in total offense (263.2 yards per game).

Coastal will open the season versus UCLA at the famous Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., on Saturday, Sept. 2, at 10:30 p.m. ET.

CCU’s home opener will be versus Jacksonville State on Saturday, Sept. 9, at 7 p.m. ET.