This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

At this point, it's easier to remember which award lists Chuckie Keeton isn't on.

The Utah State quarterback's name has been thrown into another preseason watch list, this one for the Maxwell Award - the National College Football Awards Association's annual honor for the top college football player in the country.

One of 76 players on the list, Keeton is also among six Mountain West athletes, including Derek Carr (QB, Fresno State), Kasey Carrier (RB, New Mexico), Cody Fajardo (QB, Nevada), David Fales (QB, San Jose) and Adam Muema (RB, San Diego State). Keeton is the only Utahn on the Maxwell list.

Keeton has enjoyed a higher profile since his prolific numbers last season (307.1 offensive ypg, 35 total TDs) catapulted him into the conversation for the top tier of quarterbacks in FBS football. He's been named to the CBS Sports Heisman Trophy Watch list and a number of preseason all-Mountain West teams. One of the few notable team's he's been left off is the College Sports Madness preseason Mountain West team, which featured Carr, Fajardo and Fales ahead of him.

The NCFAA also released the Bednarik Award watch list on Monday, but no Utah State players made the cut. Four Mountain West players were named to the initial list.

Some extra Aggie links:

• Stephanie Loh of the San Diego Union-Tribune is doing Mountain West rankings for every position. Tight end D.J. Tialevea is her No. 6 pick in the conference.

• Mountain West Connection is doing short previews of Utah State's opponents in the non-conference schedule. The website kicks off with Utah, who the Aggies will play in the season opener in Salt Lake City on Aug. 29.

• An ESPN recapping realignment lists Utah State men's basketball as one of its "Winners." The article says USU and San Jose State "escaped the deteriorating WAC and landed in one of the nation's fastest-rising hoops conferences: the Mountain West. Utah State has made eight NCAA tournament appearances since 2000, but will have to step up its game even more if it hopes to compete consistently with the powers of its new league."

— Kyle Goonkgoon@sltrib.comTwitter: @kylegoon