Kansas State senior quarterback Jake Waters is one of 20 semifinalists for the 2014 Maxwell Award, given annually to the College Player of the Year, the Maxwell Football Club announced Monday.
Waters is the second Wildcat in the last three years to be named a semifinalist for the award and the third overall as Michael Bishop and Collin Klein were finalists in 1998 and 2012, respectively. A product of Council Bluffs, Iowa, Waters is joined on the list by fellow Big 12 quarterbacks Trevone Boykin (TCU) and Bryce Petty (Baylor) as well as wide receiver Kevin White (West Virginia).
Waters has been effective as both a passer and runner during his senior campaign, accounting for 285.3 yards of total offense through eight games, including 234.8 yards through the air. He has accumulated 300 yards of total offense on two occasions as he totaled 395 yards (290 pass, 105 rush) in a 45-13 win over Texas Tech and 377 yards (239 pass, 138 rush) in a 32-28 victory at Iowa State. His total against the Red Raiders was tied for ninth in school history, while his performance against the Cyclones earned him Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.
A former community-college transfer, Waters has thrown for at least 200 yards in nine-consecutive games dating back to the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl victory, the longest streak by a Bill Snyder-coached quarterback. He is on pace for 3,052 passing yards this season, which would be the second-most in school history and the most under Snyder. Additionally, he has gone 183 touches (combined passes and rushes) without a turnover dating back to the Auburn game on September 18.
Three finalists for the 2014 Maxwell Award will be announced on November 24, while the winner will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show which will be broadcast on ESPN on December 11.
No. 9 Kansas State (7-1, 5-0 Big 12) travels to No. 7 TCU (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) for a top-10 primetime matchup on Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas. The game, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m., will be shown to a national audience on FOX.
— KSU Sports Information —