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Boise State Athletics
Rypien, Horton Named Preseason Award Candidates
7/16/2018 8:57:00 AM | Football
BOISE, Idaho -Â College football's Watch List Season officially began Monday morning as Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien and cornerback Tyler Horton were named preseason candidates for the Maxwell Award and Bednarik Award, respectively, by the Maxwell Football Club.
For Rypien, Monday's announcement marks the third-straight season in which he has been named a preseason candidate for the Maxwell Award, given annually to the nation's top player. Horton, meanwhile, was named a preseason candidate for a major college football award for the first time in his career with the announcement of the candidates for the Bednarik Award, given annually to college football's top defensive player.
The seniors, each named to the 2018 Preseason All-Mountain West Teams of PhilSteele.com and Athlon Sports this offseason, will also represent Boise State at the Mountain West Football Summit next Tuesday, July 24. Â
Rypien earned his third-straight All-MW nod in 2017, being named to the Second Team. After a slow start to the campaign, which included an injury that knocked him out of Sept. 9's game at Washington State and forced him to miss the Sept. 14 game against New Mexico, Rypien has found his groove during Boise State's final seven games. Over that stretch, Rypien completed 162-of-256 passes (63.3 percent) for 2,231 yards and 15 touchdowns, bringing his 2017 totals to 2,877 passing yards and 16 touchdowns along with a 62.6 completion percentage.
Emerging as a leader in his position group in 2017 was Horton, Boise State's top coverage man. Consistently drawing the assignment of covering the opposition's top receiver, Horton stepped up to the challenge, being named to the All-Mountain West First Team as he picked off two passes and led the Broncos with 11 pass-breakups. He also proved his value as a tackler, ranking fifth on the team with 44 tackles (26 solo), including 3.0 tackles-for-loss.
Horton also showed a nose for the football, as in addition to his two interceptions, he recovered two fumbles, with one clinching Boise State's 59-52 overtime win at Colorado State on Nov. 11, and the second being returned 21 yards for a touchdown Nov. 18 against Air Force.
Boise State opens its 2018 campaign Saturday, Sept. 1, at Troy at 4 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on ESPNews.
For Rypien, Monday's announcement marks the third-straight season in which he has been named a preseason candidate for the Maxwell Award, given annually to the nation's top player. Horton, meanwhile, was named a preseason candidate for a major college football award for the first time in his career with the announcement of the candidates for the Bednarik Award, given annually to college football's top defensive player.
The seniors, each named to the 2018 Preseason All-Mountain West Teams of PhilSteele.com and Athlon Sports this offseason, will also represent Boise State at the Mountain West Football Summit next Tuesday, July 24. Â
Rypien earned his third-straight All-MW nod in 2017, being named to the Second Team. After a slow start to the campaign, which included an injury that knocked him out of Sept. 9's game at Washington State and forced him to miss the Sept. 14 game against New Mexico, Rypien has found his groove during Boise State's final seven games. Over that stretch, Rypien completed 162-of-256 passes (63.3 percent) for 2,231 yards and 15 touchdowns, bringing his 2017 totals to 2,877 passing yards and 16 touchdowns along with a 62.6 completion percentage.
Emerging as a leader in his position group in 2017 was Horton, Boise State's top coverage man. Consistently drawing the assignment of covering the opposition's top receiver, Horton stepped up to the challenge, being named to the All-Mountain West First Team as he picked off two passes and led the Broncos with 11 pass-breakups. He also proved his value as a tackler, ranking fifth on the team with 44 tackles (26 solo), including 3.0 tackles-for-loss.
Horton also showed a nose for the football, as in addition to his two interceptions, he recovered two fumbles, with one clinching Boise State's 59-52 overtime win at Colorado State on Nov. 11, and the second being returned 21 yards for a touchdown Nov. 18 against Air Force.
Boise State opens its 2018 campaign Saturday, Sept. 1, at Troy at 4 p.m. MT. The game will be televised on ESPNews.
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