This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The middle of July is traditionally the slowest segment of the year for sports news. Aside from the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, there's not much going on.

No, NBA summer league basketball doesn't do it for me.

Perhaps that's why all the preseason college football awards watch lists start coming out at this time of the year.

Monday, a couple of BYU football players made those lists. That doesn't mean a whole lot, but it is always interesting to see which guys the program's sports information department is going to push for postseason honors.

Quarterback Tanner Mangum is on the watch list for the 81st annual Maxwell Award and linebacker Fred Warner is on the watch list for the 23rd annual Chuck Bednarik Award.

The Maxwell Award is given to the College Football Player of the Year. The Bednarik Award goes to the College Football Defensive Player of the Year.

Mangum threw for 3,377 yards and 23 touchdowns as a freshman in 2015. In 2016, he started in just one game while backing up Taysom Hill, and led the Cougars to a 24-21 win over Wyoming in the Poinsettia Bowl.

It is worth noting that BYU OC and QBs coach Ty Detmer won the Maxwell Award in 1990.

Warner has started in 25 games at OLB and played in 36 games at BYU. The senior led BYU in tackles with 86 last year and has made six career interceptions.

Semifinalists for both awards will be announced on Oct. 30 and the three finalists will be announced on Nov. 20. The winners will be announced on Dec. 7 as part of the Home Depot College Football Awards Show.