BYU football: Tanner Mangum and Fred Warner named to major watchlists

BYU football superstars Tanner Mangum and Fred Warner were named to some prestigious award watchlists.

BYU football has a big season ahead. But if Tanner Mangum and Fred Warner keep themselves on these watchlists throughout the season, the Cougars will be in a good place.

Mangum was named to the Maxwell Award watchlist, while Warner was named to the Bednarik Award watchlist.

The Maxwell Award is given to the nation’s player of the year. The last BYU football player to capture the award is Mangum’s offensive coordinator, Ty Detmer.

Detmer won the award in 1990 after completing 361 of 562 passes for 5,188 yards and 41 touchdowns. Only one other player has ever thrown for more touchdown passes in the year they won the Maxwell Award – Marcus Mariota (42).

Mangum made just one start last season, but led BYU football to a win over Wyoming in the Poinsettia Bowl. In 2015 he was named the Touchdown Club of Columbus Freshman of the Year after throwing for 3,377 yards and 23 touchdowns.

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The Bednarik is awarded to the nation’s top defensive player.

Warner is coming off a great season for BYU football. He led the Cougars in tackles (86) and forced two fumbles, picked off two passes and posted 1.5 sacks.

His best games came in a losing effort against West Virginia and in BYU football’s win over Wyoming.

Against WVU Warner posted 14 total tackles. Against Wyoming he had 10 tackles, 1.5 for a loss.

Last season, Warner’s numbers took a bit of a dip, but that’s because the coaches needed his coverage abilities. With the secondary mostly intact from a season ago, I fully expect Warner to be freed up on more blitzes. He could be primed to have an incredibly big year for BYU football.