USC Football: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ronald Jones On 2016 Maxwell Watch List

USC football’s JuJu Smith-Schuster and Ronald Jones II were named to the 2016 Maxwell Award watch list as candidates to be Player of the Year in college football.

Wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back Ronald Jones II were among the 90 players selected for the 2016 Maxwell Award, which is awarded to college football’s Player of the Year.

Smith-Schuster was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award last year and was named USC’s Offensive Perimeter Player of the Year despite playing much of the season with a broken hand. His star has risen steadily since his stellar freshman season in 2014.

As one of the top receivers in the country heading into the 2016 season, there are big expectations for the latest in a long line of exceptional Trojan pass catchers.

Jones didn’t wait long to get his college career off the ground, breaking USC’s freshman rushing record with 987 yards, which was the team high.

As USC’s offense shifts more fully towards the ground attack, Jones should have plenty of opportunities to build on that first season which saw him earn an All-Pac-12 honorable mention.

Though his place on the watch list is more of a surprise than Smith-Schuster’s, it would be no surprise if Jones made himself a household name in 2016.

SEE ALSO: Five Reasons Ronald Jones Is USC’s Dark Horse Heisman Candidate

On this year’s watch list there are plenty of familiar names. UCLA’s Josh Rosen, Washington’s Jake Browning, Washington State’s Luke Falk and Arizona’s Anu Solomon represent the quarterbacks from the Pac-12 vying for the award.

Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey headlines USC’s rivals at running back on the list, along with Oregon’s Royce Freeman, Washington’s Myles Gaskin, and Arizona State’s Demario Richard.

The only other Pac-12 receiver who made the cut with Smith-Schuster is Washington State’s Gabe Marks.

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DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire from Notre Dame are also in contention, even though the two are battling for the same starting quarterback job.

When USC kicks off against Alabama in September they’ll be facing two Maxwell watch listers, including tight end O.J. Howard and receiver Calvin Ridley.

USC’s last Maxwell winner was Marcus Allen in 1981. Fellow Heisman Trophy winners Charles White and O.J. Simpson brought home the award before him as well.

Both Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart were finalist for the award in 2005, but Texas’ Vince Young won the honor. the year before Leinart was a runner up to Jason White.