With the College Football Season inching ever closer Troy Dye and Royce Freeman were honored on Monday being named to the Bednarick and Maxwell Award Watch Lists.

Senior Running Back Royce Freeman is coming off an injury plagued 2016 season. It started well, but was derailed against Nebraska on the road. While he did play much of the season, he was average and appeared to have a nagging injury throughout 2016 that saw the Oregon Ducks finish the season 4-8.

Last season, a bright spot on the Ducks Defense was Troy Dye. He played well and was all over the field making plays. With the team returning to the 3-4 Defense after experimenting with the 4-3 last year with not much success, Dye will have a new role to learn but should be a voice on a Defensive Line that needs more experience.

Both Dye and Freeman will have the best opportunity to make the most of the upcoming season. Playmaking abilities could keep their names in the National Spotlight, but of course, wins will go a lot further than losses in Willie Taggart’s first season as Head Coach.

With an experienced Offensive Line entering the upcoming season, Freeman should find holes and have the ability to show off his breakaway speed as he did two seasons ago. The Oregon Senior had 945 yards and 9 touchdowns in 2016 and could break the 5000-yard mark for his career as an Oregon Duck in 2017 with a 1000 yard rushing season.

Fall Camp for Oregon Football starts next month with the first game of the season on Saturday, September 2nd hosting Southern Utah (5:15pm PT, Pac-12 Network)