Thrice As Nice.

Three TCU Horned Frogs Make The Maxwell Award Watch List.

Hopes are high for the upcoming fall football season out at Fort Worth's Texas Christian University these days. Any why not? Last year's stellar 12-1 season saw the Horned Frogs win a Big 12 Championship, complete a 42-3 rout of Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl and earn so many postseason honors that it's still a wonder how that team didn't make the College Football Playoff.

That painful memory bears a silver lining, though: All those feats accomplished by last year's squad has vaulted this Gary Patterson-coached team back into the national spotlight for this current preseason.

And how: Just this morning, it was announced that TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin, wide receiver Josh Doctson and tailback Aaron Green have all been named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is awarded annually to the nation's top player. If three sounds like a lot, that's because it is; the only team with more players on the watch list is the defending champion Ohio State Buckeyes squad, which boasts four.

Traditionally, Gary Patterson teams are known for their smothering defenses, but last year's new air-raid offense proved a catalyst for success. The Horned Frogs were the nation's most improved team last season in both total offense (+188 yards per game) and scoring offense (+21 points per game), finishing in the top five nationally in both categories. This season, the trio at the helm of that offense will make up a side that returns 10 starters, all of whom boast a chip on their shoulder after missing out on opportunity to play in last year's College Football Playoff.

This most recent announcement also adds to the laundry list of awards and accolades received of late by Boykin, who finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting last season. The reigning Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year and TCU’s single-season record-holder for passing yards (3,901), touchdown passes (33) and total offense (4,608) will also be throwing out the first pitch at this Wednesday's Texas Rangers game as part of festivities for what’s being called “TCU Night” at Globe Life Park.

For wide receiver Doctson, who set single-season records for receiving yards (1,018) and touchdown catches (11) last year, this nod follows the All-Big 12 honors he earned last season. Tailback Green, meanwhile, led TCU in rushing with 912 yards and nine touchdowns last season

As if all this current love the team is getting weren't good enough, TCU also received some other good news of late, earning a verbal commitment from four-star high school quarterback Shawn Robinson from Denton's Guyer High School. Robinson also held offers from Alabama, USC and Oklahoma.

Yup, it's sure good to be a Horned Frog right about now.