The award is presented by a panel of experts and the Philadelphia-based Maxwell Football Club. Both the club and the award get their name from Robert W. Maxwell, a college football player, coach and writer.
The past winners of the Maxwell Award are listed here:
1937: Clinton E. Frank Yale
1938: Davey O'Brien TCU
1939: Nile Kinnick Iowa
1940: Tom Harmon Michigan
1941: Bill Dudley Virginia
1942: Paul V. Governali Columbia
1943: Robert H. Odell Pennsylvania
1944: Glenn Davis Army
1945: Felix A. Blanchard Army
1946: Charles Trippi Georgia
1947: Doak Walker SMU
1948: Charles Bednarik Pennsylvania
1949: Leon Hart Notre Dame
1950: Francis J. Bagnell Pennsylvania
1951: Dick Kazmaier Princeton
1952: John Lattner Notre Dame
1953: John Lattner Notre Dame
1954: Ronald Beagle Navy
1955: Howard "Hopalong" Cassady Ohio State
1956: Tommy McDonald Oklahoma
1957: Robert H. Reifsnyder Navy
1958: Peter J. Dawkins Army
1959: Richie Lucas Penn State
1960: Tia Nicholas Rutgers
1961: Bob Ferguson Ohio State
1962: Terry Baker Oregon State
1963: Roger Staubach Navy
1964: Glenn Ressler Penn State
1965: Tommy Nobis Texas
1966: Jim Lynch Notre Dame
1967: Gary Beban UCLA
1968: O.J. Simpson USC
1969: Mike Reid Penn State
1970: Jim Plunkett Stanford
1971: Ed Marinaro Cornell
1972: Brad Van Pelt Michigan State
1973: John Cappelletti Penn State
1974: Steve Joachim Temple
1975: Archie Griffin Ohio State
1976: Tony Dorsett Pittsburgh
1977: Ross Browner Notre Dame
1978: Charles Fusina Penn State
1979: Charles White USC
1980: Hugh Green Pittsburgh
1981: Marcus Allen USC
1982: Herschel Walker Georgia
1983: Mike Rozier Nebraska
1984: Doug Flutie Boston College
1985: Chuck Long Iowa
1986: Vinny Testaverde Miami
1987: Don McPherson Syracuse
1988: Barry Sanders Oklahoma State
1989: Anthony Thompson Indiana
1990: Ty Detmer BYU
1991: Desmond Howard Michigan
1992: Gino Torretta Miami
1993: Charlie Ward Florida State
1994: Kerry Collins Penn State
1995: Eddie George Ohio State
1996: Danny Wuerffel Florida
1997: Peyton Manning Tennessee
1998: Ricky Williams Texas
1999: Ron Dayne Wisconsin
2000: Drew Brees Purdue
2001: Ken Dorsey Miami
2002: Larry Johnson Penn State
2003: Eli Manning Ole Miss
2004: Jason White Oklahoma
2005: Vince Young Texas
2006: Brady Quinn Notre Dame
2007: Tim Tebow Florida
2008: Tim Tebow Florida
2009: Colt McCoy Texas
