Miami Hurricanes QB Tyler Van Dyke on Maxwell Award watch list

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has been named to the preseason Maxwell Award watch list. The Maxwell Award began in 1937 to reward the best player in college football. The Heisman Trophy precedes the Maxwell Award by two years. Van Dyke is attempting to become the fourth Miami player to win the Maxwell.

Vinny Testaverde in 1986, Gino Torretta in 1992 and Ken Dorsey in 2001 are the three Miami Hurricanes who have previously won the Maxwell Award. Dorsey is the only one of the three who did not win the Heisman Trophy in the same season. Alabama’s Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy and Maxwell Award last season.

Van Dyke completed 62.3 percent of his passes for 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions last season. In the final six games, Van Dyke threw for at least 300 yards and three touchdowns in each game. Only former LSU QB Joe Burrow has accomplished that in the College Football Playoff era.

Van Dyke finished the 2021 season only four TD passes short of the Miami single-season record set by Steve Walsh in 1988. Walsh played one more game in 1988 than Van Dyke played last season. Miami had to withdraw from an appearance in the 2021 Sun Bowl after a Covid-19 outbreak.

If Van Dyke duplicates his numbers from 2021 he would break into the top four all-time at Miami in TD passes. Van Dyke has been on several preseason lists for All-ACC, the top college football QBs and Heisman Trophy contenders. Van Dyke will work with two new Miami starting wide receivers in 2022.

Miami has to replace leading receivers Mike Harley and Charleston Rambo who Van Dyke built a good rapport with in 2021. Key’shawn Smith is the lone returning Miami starting WR in 2022. Xavier Restrepo is slated to replace Harley in the slot. Miami will have a different-looking offense under new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.