Boise State landed quarterback Brett Rypien and running back Jeremy McNichols to the preseason watch list for the 80th annual Maxwell Award, the Maxwell Football Club announced Tuesday.
The list includes 90 players from around the country, with Rypien and McNichols making Boise State one of 23 schools in the country to have at least two selections.
Rypien is coming off of a debut 2015 season in which he was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year and to the all-conference first team after leading the loop in passing yards (3,353), total offense (3,276 yards), completions (273) and attempts (429).
McNichols started 12 games and led the Mountain West in scoring (156 points), touchdowns (26) and rushing touchdowns (20), ranking tied for second in the nation in the first two categories and tied for sixth in the latter.
Boise State opens the 2016 season Saturday, Sept. 3 at Louisiana.
On defense, Boise State did not have a name listed on the Bednarik Award Watch List, which is given to the top defensive player. Last year Boise State saw Kamalei Correa along with Darian Thompson named to the watch list.
Both of those players were drafted this past April in the NFL Draft. Kamalei Correa went to the Baltimore Ravens and Darian Thompson was picked by the New York Giants.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced October 31, 2016, while the three finalists for each award will be unveiled November 21, 2016. The winners of the 2016 Maxwell and Bednarik Awards will be announced as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 8, 2016.
