Maryland football’s Anthony McFarland named to Doak Walker Award watch list

Maryland football’s Anthony McFarland was named Wednesday to the preseason watch list for the Doak Walker Award, given to the nation’s top running back.

It’s the second award watch list appearance for McFarland this week, as the rising redshirt sophomore is also a summer candidate for the Maxwell Award, which goes to the country’s most outstanding player. Ty Johnson appeared on the Walker watch list each of the last two seasons.

As a rookie in 2018, McFarland set a Maryland freshman record with 1,034 rushing yards on 131 attempts. He surpassed 100 yards four times, highlighted by a 298-yard outburst against Ohio State — the second-highest single game total in Terps history. He ran for 210 yards against Indiana the week prior, making him the second Maryland rusher to record back-to-back 200-yard games. This year, he returns as the ace of a talented Terps backfield.

Maryland has also been represented on watch lists by Bednarik Award candidate Antoine Brooks Jr. so far this summer. McFarland, Brooks and cornerback Tino Ellis will speak alongside head coach Mike Locksley at Big Ten media days Thursday and Friday.

Ten semifinalists for the Doak Walker Award will be named in November, with three finalists selected Nov. 20. A second vote will be cast Dec. 2, and the winner will be announced live at the Home Depot College Football Awards on Thursday, Dec. 12 on ESPN.

In other news

Speaking of awards ... it’s time for the second round of Testudo Times Awards voting! Lock in your picks for the best games, plays and moments of the season here.

And in even more voting news, we’re starting our very own top-25 list this season! It’s a new thing across the SB Nation college network, and we’re excited to see what comes of it.

Defensive Line Week continued with Keiron Howard and Oluwaseun Oluwatimi, who are now Maryland’s senior leaders up front.

Here’s the Baltimore Sun on offensive tackle Marcus Minor, who’s interning at a radio station and has his own talk show this summer.

The Athletic has a look at what the Hawks are expecting from Bruno Fernando in his rookie season.

Darnell Savage Jr. threw out the first pitch at the Orioles-Nationals game, and let’s just say baseball isn’t his natural sport.

And Maryland soccer alum Tsubasa Endoh assisted on perhaps one of the best goals of the MLS season.