2011 College Football Preview: Mountain West

As usual, my 2011 College Football Preview includes information compiled from a variety of sources, most notably the work of Phil Steele. Check out his preview publications and material on his website. I also scour local newspapers and school websites for updated information, but it should be noted that all information contained in team and conference previews is only current up to the date of that post's publication.

MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE
Predicted Order of Finish
1. Boise State
2. TCU
3. Air Force
4. Wyoming
5. Colorado State
6. San Diego State
7. New Mexico
8. UNLV

Top Storylines to Watch in the Mountain West

The new guy. As the Mountain West mourns the losses of Utah and rival BYU, the league is still strong, thanks to the addition of Boise State from the WAC. The Broncos have been a monster in college football for some time, posting a staggering 61-5 record over the last five years, with three of those losses coming in 2007. Three-year starter Kellen Moore is back under center for Boise, carrying a TD-interception ratio of 99-19 into this season. That's solid. Senior running back Doug Martin is back, as is senior receiver Tyler Shoemaker. Senior left tackle Nate Potter has been first-team All-WAC twice, and he's an odds-on favorite for similar honors in the MWC this year. Chris Petersen's team returns seven starters on defense. Among them are senior tackles Billy Wynn and Chase Baker, senior ends Tyrone Crawford and Shea McClellin, and linebackers Aaron Tevis and Byron Hout, both seniors. This is a serious national championship contender, and it doesn't hurt them at all that key MWC games against TCU and Air Force will both be contested on the blue carpet.

The lame duck. Boise is in, and Fresno State and Nevada might be on the way soon, but the loss of TCU will hurt the league in a way, because they no longer have a foot in the door in Texas. TCU's decision to move to the Big East was controversial in a way, in large part because of the league's decision to move a home game against Boise to Idaho after TCU announced it was departing. On the field, this figures to be a tough season for the Horned Frogs, who posted back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons (only loss was the 2009 Fiesta Bowl to Boise), and beat Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl last year to complete a 13-0 campaign. As usual, TCU will be led by its defense, which hasn't allowed more than 20 points per game in a season since 2004. Linebackers Tanner Brock and Tank Carder are back, as is defensive end Stansly Maponga. The offense took some hits, as quarterback Andy Dalton -- the school's all-time leading passer by nearly 3,000 yards -- departed, along with leading receiver Jeremy Kerley and top offensive linemen Marcus Cannon and Jake Kirkpatrick. Going to Baylor and Air Force right out of the chute won't help matters, but I still think there's a decent chance TCU will be unbeaten when they head to Boise Nov. 12. It's not too early to get excited about that one.

Air Force is doing it ... again. It's probably a bit insulting now to talk with amazement about how Air Force -- with stringent admissions standards and often an undersized team -- continues to remain more than competitive in today's college football landscape. Instead, this has become old hat. The Falcons have not won fewer than eight games in any of their four years under coach Troy Calhoun, and there's no reason to think they will struggle to hit that number again this year. Senior quarterback Tim Jefferson returns for a fourth year at the controls, something rather unprecedented in the Air Force system. And, yet, it's the second class in a row that's featured a four-year starter for them (Shaun Carney from 2004-2007). Jefferson can throw enough to keep defenses honest, and he's the kind of run threat you expect from the option offense. Senior back Asher Clark returns after a 1,000-yard season, and junior Wesley Cobb should also see plenty of carries. Eight starters are back on defense, including nose tackle Ryan Gardner, a key figure in the team's 3-4 defense, one that struggled mightily to defend the run last year (over 200 yards per game). An experienced secondary helps keep teams from running away with games. An early home date with TCU will tell us a lot about this Air Force team, one that has a realistic shot at ten or more wins.

Rocky Long returns. Well, to the league, that is. Long is the new head man at San Diego State, taking over for Brady Hoke after he moved on to Michigan. Long coached at New Mexico for a decade, taking the Lobos to five bowls in seven years before being shoved out the door. The Lobos are 2-22 since. Long takes over a team that Hoke did a tremendous job with, getting them to nine wins and a bowl win over Navy last year. The Aztecs do have senior quarterback Ryan Lindley back after a tremendous season last year, and running back Ronnie Hillman returns after tearing up defenses as a freshman, but SDSU loses six starters from a Long-led defense that had some struggles a year ago. That's the new head man's priority: get more out of that defense, including a lot more big plays. A winning season is a solid bet here, but they'll have to make quick strides defensively to match the nine they won in 2010.

The Rest of the Story 

I'm hitching up to the Wyoming bandwagon. The Cowboys return 14 starters, have an emerging star in back Alvester Alexander, and should be significantly better on defense. If Dave Christensen can find a quarterback, he'll have a team capable of going bowling for the third time since 1993. ... Colorado State should also be a lot better this year. The Rams suffered through a 3-9 season, but now-sophomore quarterback Pete Thomas made strides each start. Just think about how much better he will be thanks to last year's experience. ... There's no doubt that Mike Locksley is in trouble at New Mexico. He has a better team on paper, but they're 2-22 the last two years and not looking to be better than four or five wins this year. Doesn't help that former UNM coach Long is now a head man for a league rival. ... Former Montana head coach Bobby Hauck is trying to build UNLV into a contender, and one year won't show those results. Look for the Rebels to play a ton of young players as Hauck stocks the shelves with his players. For now, though, only marginal improvement can be reasonably expected after a 2-11 campaign.

College Football 2010: Mountain West

Yes, we're doing a College Football Preview again. Yes, you know I love Phil Steele's work. Order from his plethora of preview options here. I'm also armed with The Sporting News College Football 2010, and I picked up the Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook this year, too. I've also done research through local newspapers and school websites to try to get the most up-to-date information on the teams.

Mountain West Conference
1. TCU
2. Utah
3. BYU
4. Air Force
5. San Diego State
6. Wyoming
7. Colorado State
8. UNLV
9. New Mexico

Stories to Watch in the Mountain West

TCU reloads for another BCS run. The pieces are certainly in place for the Horned Frogs to make another trip to a BCS bowl. Leading rusher Joseph Turner is gone, but efficient senior quarterback Andy Dalton returns, off a strong season that saw him take very good care of the football while throwing accurately. He's one of nine starters back on offense, so the Frogs figure to improve on last year's solid total of 38 points per game. There's nothing flashy about this offense. They have balance in their game, don't rely on one running back, and they don't have any superstar receivers. Seniors Jeremy Kerley and Jimmy Young lead the way there, but neither is a dominating presence, and defenses aren't able to clamp down on an obvious go-to guy. At running back, look for Matthew Tucker and Ed Wesley to carry the load. Gary Patterson's defense is always good, and they bring back seven starters from a ferocious unit that allowed less than 13 points per game despite having teams like BYU, Clemson, and Boise State on the schedule. Senior tackle Cory Grant and senior linebacker Tyler Luttrell are the top players on a unit that should be even better than it was last year. With Oregon State, SMU, and Baylor on the non-conference schedule (only Baylor travels to Fort Worth), TCU is hiding from no one, and if they go 12-0, they'll have earned it.

Can Utah pose a threat? We thought BYU -- with senior quarterback Max Hall leading the way -- could challenge TCU in the Mountain West last year. No dice. The Cougars were thrashed by the Horned Frogs on national television in Provo, and TCU never looked back on their way to an undefeated regular season. Like BYU last year, Utah appears to be the top challenger this year, and they get to play TCU at home. Kyle Whittingham returns a good chunk of offensive talent, including sophomore quarterback Jordan Wynn, who took over the offense at mid-season and led the team to improvement down the stretch. With a full season, Wynn could become a big-time player in the MWC. While the defense only brings back four starters, the Utes have fielded solid defensive teams for the better part of the last seven years, so there's no reason to think they won't do it again. Look for junior end Derrick Shelby and freshman linebacker V.J. Fehoko to become huge names on this defense. Utah has a rough path to the TCU game Nov. 6. They face Pittsburgh (home) and Iowa State (road) in non-conference play, and they travel to Wyoming and Air Force in league action. After the TCU game, the Utes travel to Notre Dame and host BYU, so it's hardly a cakewalk schedule for one of the real darkhorse contenders to "bust" the BCS.

Can Air Force crack the "Big Three?" Lately, Utah, BYU, and TCU have owned the MWC. Air Force has gone 5-3 in league play each of the last two years, but only managed a fourth-place finish each time. They haven't beaten any of those three teams since 2007, when they bested TCU and Utah in back-to-back weeks. That's only six games total, but it's a lot when you're talking about a team's ability to crack the top three of a conference. Air Force is good, but they have some issues to overcome this year if they are to get in the top three of the MWC. While the skill position players all return -- led by quarterback Tim Jefferson, only a junior, and running backs Jared Tew, Asher Clark, and Savier Stephens. The offensive line is completely blown up, however, and they figure to lack experience up front. The projected five starters have combined for only one collegiate start among them, but this isn't a new challenge for Air Force. It's quite common for them to have to replace a lot of starters on both sides of the ball, because they typically have a slew of seniors in their starting lineup. On defense, the Falcons will rely on end Rick Ricketts, outside linebacker Andre Morris, and cornerback Reggie Rembert, all seniors. They have skill and experience all over, and they should be very efficient once again this year. The schedule is manageable, with only a non-conference trip to Oklahoma looking somewhat daunting, along with a road date with TCU in league play.

Wyoming tries to recreate the magic. 7-6 probably doesn't sound like much of a magical season, but for Wyoming, it got the job done last year. A team that lost games 41-10 (Texas), 24-0 (Colorado), 52-0 (BYU), and 45-10 (TCU) managed to go bowling despite being outscored by an average of 27-18 over its 13 games. The Cowboys then stunned Fresno State in double overtime in the New Mexico Bowl. For Wyoming to get back to a bowl game, a lot has to go right. Dave Christensen returns eight starters on offense, including sophomores at quarterback (Austin Carta-Samuels) and running back (Alvester Alexander). Both must significantly improve and become the big guys on this team. The secondary will improve -- largely because it can't get much worse -- and look out for sophomore safety Shamiel Gary, who was strong as a true freshman. As Christensen gets more of his recruits in Laramie, things will get better. It will help that the Cowboys will be better on the field, but the schedule includes Texas and Boise State in non-conference play, and it's hard to imagine this team winning more than five games unless things go quite right again.

Best of the rest
Hall is gone at BYU, and now the rest of the league may be a bit perturbed at the school's willingness to go indie in football and leave the MWC. That said, the losses of Hall and Harvey Unga will make it very tough for Bronco Mendenhall to keep the Cougars in the league's top echelon. ... Like Christensen at Wyoming, San Diego State coach Brady Hoke has quickly improved matters. The Aztecs won four last year, and they were very competitive in a lot of their losses. Hoke has a solid quarterback in junior Ryan Lindley, who could blossom into a pretty good NFL prospect if he keeps improving. ... After a bowl game in his first season and a 3-0 start in his second, Steve Fairchild fell hard at Colorado State. The Rams lost their last nine games last year, though four of them were by less than ten points. Expect the Rams to use a freshman quarterback -- Pete Thomas -- for at least a part of the season. That might be scary, but it's a sign of the future, because Thomas is a highly-regarded recruit. Fairchild did well to get him to Fort Collins. ... Former Montana coach Bobby Hauck takes over at UNLV. The Rebels won five last year, but it wasn't enough to save Mike Sanford's job. Now, Hauck will bring a winning mindset to what has been traditionally a losing program. He has 15 starters back, including underachieving senior quarterback Omar Clayton, who could do some big things in Hauck's system. ... It was a tumultuous first season for New Mexico coach Mike Locksley, but things are going to look up soon. Locksley was suspended for a game because of an altercation with an assistant, but he has done well in recruiting, and his team wasn't as bad as 1-11 indicates last year. If they can figure out the quarterback position, the Lobos could surprise, but it's not likely they'll be good enough for a bowl game.

Preseason Mountain West Superlatives
Best QB: Andy Dalton, TCU
Best RB: Eddie Wide, Utah
Best WR: Jimmy Young, TCU
Best offense: Utah
Best defense: TCU
Best coach: Gary Patterson, TCU
Coach in the most trouble: Mike Locksley, New Mexico
Best non-conference matchup: Oregon State vs. TCU at Dallas, Sept. 4
Worst non-conference matchup: Northwestern State at Air Force, Sept. 4

Boise State to the Mountain West?

All the talk about conference expansion seems to have focused on the wrong leagues.

Sure, the Big Ten, Pac 10, and Big East are among the "notable" "power" conferences involved in talks about membership changes. There's no question that moves by one of the "notable" "power" conferences will set off a chain reaction of stuff happening.

However, the most significant and noteworthy move could come from outside college football's power structure. Such a move might cause a change in what we all think the power structure really is.

As June starts, we are approaching what could be a significant day in the history of the Mountain West Conference. The league meets next week, amid speculation that they will be looking to add Boise State to the already-formidable lineup.

Dr. Saturday has more on this, making it sound like it's pretty much a done deal if the conference goes through with the formal invite.

Let's not make a mistake about this. It's a football move. Doc explains as best he can.

... even rival presidents would have a hard time begrudging Boise a move that would mean more money, less travel, better competition and, if the stars align, a shot at an automatic BCS bid. As you may be aware, that title comes with a pretty significant bump in pay grade.

To recap, the Mountain West must pass the BCS' three-pronged test for an automatic bid to one of the big-money bowls, which takes into account a) The average rank of each conference's highest-ranked team in the final BCS standings; b) The average computer rank of the entire conference lineup at the end of the regular season; and c) A complicated point system that measures the percentage of each conference's lineup in the top 25 of the final BCS standings, all over a given four-year period.

For the next BCS negotiations, the four-year period in question will be 2008-11, and though the MWC's "Big Three" – BYU, TCU and Utah – have kept the conference in pretty good standing so far according to criteria a) and c), the bottom half of the league remains an anchor when it comes to the averaging the standing of the entire conference. By that crucial measure, the Mountain West ranks seventh; the BCS requires a top-six finish in all categories. (With likely exceptions for the Big Ten, Big 12, SEC, Pac-10 and ACC, of course, should the need ever arise – those carefully negotiated bowl tie-ins must be fulfilled, after all. Otherwise, based on the first two years of the ongoing evaluation period, the ACC would seem to be on particularly thin ice.) Adding Boise's nearly flawless record to the mix would dramatically increase the MWC's chances of making the cut; if nothing else, it would provide enough of a boost to increase their chances of being granted an exception, however farfetched that scenario may be. Above all, it makes the Mountain West a stronger conference on the field, and therefore a more marketable conference off it – certainly too good to remain in the television ghetto of Versus and the mtn.

The idea of the Mountain West stealing an automatic BCS bid is pretty hilarious. Even if they can't do it, the addition of Boise State gives them a pronounced top four of Boise State, TCU, Utah, and BYU. You have Air Force just outside that group, but perfectly capable of picking off any or all of those top four teams in the right year.

It's a football move, though. With all due respect to Boise's other athletic programs, the Mountain West is looking to boost its football profile, and they know they can't do it if they simply wait for New Mexico and UNLV to form more consistent programs. Wyoming isn't putting them over the hump, either.

The intention is obvious. The Mountain West wants to be stronger in the most important college sport you'll find.

To me, though, the most interesting offshoot of a Boise State invite to the Mountain West is its potential implications on the Big East and ACC.

Regardless of whether the Mountain West can swipe an automatic BCS bid, the league could fire the first shot in a historic run of expansion that could change the landscape of the sport. Without anything else happening, Boise State moving would apply a ton of pressure on the Big Ten and Pac 10, both of whom seem to want to expand to parts unknown. You've talked the game, and now the piddly little Mountain West has played the game before you could pull anything off. Better back up that big talk, or wind up looking pretty dumb in the end.

In essence, there would then be heat on the Big East and ACC, both of whom could get raided in expansion efforts, and both of whom could find it tough to stay in "automatic BCS bid" territory.

All because of Boise State.

Boise State could start the avalanche of conference expansion. Wow.

Imagine what would have been said to someone who uttered those words five years ago.

College Football 2009: Mountain West

This year's College Football Preview uses information gathered from many sources. As usual, my full endorsement goes to Phil Steele and his College Football Preview, which is the most comprehensive publication of its kind available. I also used The Sporting News College Football Preview, along with school websites and local newspapers, in my research for these preview posts. Please contact me ASAP if you have updated information that can be used to make this work more accurate.

1. BYU
2. Utah
3. TCU
4. Air Force
5. UNLV
6. San Diego State
7. Colorado State
8. New Mexico
9. Wyoming

Fab Four: Top Storylines in Mountain West

Will the BYU line hold up? No one can question the quality of talent BYU has in their offensive backfield. The Cougars are blessed with arguably the best quarterback (Max Hall) and running back (Harvey Unga) in the MWC. In order for the two to operate at the highest efficiency, BYU needs to replace four lost starters on the offensive line. The only guy back from last year's starting five is sophomore left tackle Matt Reynolds, a freshman All-American from a year ago who was very good keeping Hall's blind side protected. BYU does have some older players to draw from on the line, including senior center R.J. Willing and junior linemen Jason Speredon and Nick Alletto. One of the reasons Hall was so successful last year was he was only sacked 19 times in 13 games. Six of those came during an embarrassing loss to TCU. While Hall should be able to count on good blind-side protection, BYU will head into the season opener against Oklahoma with some uncertainty up front. It won't be a good way to start the season, but things should be solved by the conference opener against Colorado State.

TCU will be good enough, again. Gary Patterson just finds a way to churn out a quality football team every year, no matter what they lost the year before. Defensively, the Horned Frogs are in for another challenge. In this offense-driven era of college football, TCU has allowed no more than 18.7 points per game in any of the last four seasons. Last season, the Horned Frogs permitted double-digit scoring just six times, with a season-high of 35 allowed to national championship contender Oklahoma. With just four starters back on defense, TCU may have to lean a bit on their offense in 2009. Quarterback Andy Dalton returns, as do leading rusher Joseph Turner and leading wide receivers Jimmy Young and Bart Johnson. After averaging 33 points per game, TCU could be poised for a big offensive year. With trips to Virginia and Clemson among the Frogs' first three games, they're going to need the support as the defense finds itself.

Big year for UNLV. The patience of the UNLV administration is about to be rewarded. After giving football coach Mike Sanford a three-year extension after a 5-7 finish in 2008, the Rebels are ready to take the next step. A defense that had its moments a year ago returns seven starters, including leader and tackling machine Jason Beauchamp. Quarterback Omar Clayton returns, ready to trigger a spread offense that picked up a touchdown per game over 2007, and will only get better as they continue to develop a ground attack. Helping UNLV even more this year will be a schedule that includes seven home games, including three straight to start the season. Games at Wyoming and New Mexico are totally winnable, as are home dates with Sacramento State, Hawaii, San Diego State, and Colorado State. Finding a couple more wins could make for a very big season in Vegas.

Is Brady Hoke the answer? This is a question we may need a few years to answer. Chuck Long tried, but just didn't get much good done at San Diego State. When he left after a 2-10 season in 2008, the Aztec program was very lucky to bring in former Hoke, the former coach at Ball State. Hoke comes in and inherits a stocked cupboard of players looking for some direction. The Aztecs sport a slew of experienced defensive players, and former New Mexico head man Rocky Long will try to get something out of that group. Meanwhile, quarterback Ryan Lindley, wide receiver Vincent Brown, and leading rusher Atiyyah Henderson are all back from last year. Even a marginal improvement means the Aztecs should be able to climb out of the Mountain West cellar. True bowl contention might not come right away, but with Hoke in charge and fully confident in his coaching acumen after a 12-2 season at Ball State, anything can happen.

Best of the rest

Blitz machine Stevenson Sylvester leads a maniacal Utah defense, which hopes to keep the Utes near the top of the Mountain West despite the loss of some key pieces on offense. Expect running back Matt Asiata to be the key guy on offense early in the season. ... Air Force has won 17 games in two years under coach Troy Calhoun. This should be another strong year for the Falcons, who still run the ball as well as anyone, but have integrated a more efficient passing game. ... Nice bowl run for Colorado State under rookie coach Steve Fairchild, but it's going to be tough to repeat that feat. The Rams lost a ton of skill-position talent, along with six starters from a defense that struggled, even when things were going well. ... Mike Locksley takes over at New Mexico, where the Lobos struggled to a 4-8 finish last year. Without defensive ace Long on staff, expect UNM to have issues keeping teams off the scoreboard. Considering that the Lobos haven't averaged 30 points per game since 2003, it could be a long season. ... For Wyoming, the promise of a Las Vegas bowl win back in 2004 has been tempered. The Cowboys are 19-28 since, including 4-8 last year, enough to get coach Joe Glenn fired. Former Missouri assistant Dave Christensen is the new boss. He has 16 starters, but has to find a quarterback and restructure this offense. With Christensen's offensive background, expect it to be a short turnaround, but a tough schedule that includes a visit from Texas and trip to Colorado will keep Wyoming from climbing the ladder right away.

Preseason Mountain West Honors and Notables
Offensive Player of the Year: Max Hall, QB, BYU
Defensive Player of the Year: Jan Jorgensen, DE, BYU
Coach of the Year: Mike Sanford, UNLV
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mike Sanford, UNLV
Best Non-Conference Game: Oklahoma vs BYU (at Arlington, Tex.), September 5
Worst Non-Conference Game: Nicholls State at Air Force, September 5

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '08: MOUNTAIN WEST

Welcome to The Ciskie Blog's 2008 College Football Preview. As usual, you can expect a rundown of every Division I-A (or "Football Bowl Subdivision", if you prefer) conference, as well as a brief look at the independents. Some of the information used to compile these previews came from various football preview publications that I took the time to review this summer. I give a full endorsement to Phil Steele's College Football Preview (the national edition, as well as his various regional magazines). I also have looked at Sporting News, Athlon Sports, and Blue Ribbon (via ESPN Insider). Information was also gathered from local newspapers and school websites. Please use the comments section or e-mail for feedback, questions, and any corrections you feel need to be noted.

1. BYU
2. TCU
3. Utah
4. New Mexico
5. Wyoming
6. UNLV
7. Air Force
8. Colorado State
9. San Diego State

TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN MOUNTAIN WEST
BYU = BCS? Head coach Bronco Mendenhall has coined the phrase "Quest for Perfection" to describe the upcoming season. They've won ten in a row since a loss to Tulsa in their third game of 2007. Efficient, accurate QB Max Hall now has 13 starts under his belt. The top rusher and top four receivers return. Things are setting up well in Provo. Hall (right) threw 26 touchdowns a year ago, and he gets to throw to Austin Collie, Dennis Pitta, and Michael Reed again. Harvey Unga returns as feature back after compiling over 1,800 yards from scrimmage last year. Mendenhall does have to patch together a defense, but he gets to build it around athletic DE Jan Jorgensen, who picked up 14 sacks last year. MLB David Dixon is the only returning starter who doesn't play on the defensive line. Guys like Scott Johnson, Brandon Howard, and G Pittman aren't experienced corners, but they're plenty talented to handle starting assignments.

Utah looks to rebound from injury-riddled season. Starting QB Brian Johnson (right) missed significant time and was probably never 100 percent. Starting RB Matt Asiata broke his leg in the season opener. Leading receiver Brent Casteel blew out his knee in the Utes' second game. As a result, it took quite some time for Utah's offense to find its footing. By the time it finally did, the Utes were staring up from a 1-3 hole. They finished by winning eight of their last nine, including a Poinsettia Bowl win over Navy. With that in mind, Johnson, Asiata, and Casteel are all going to be healthy. Add to that RB Darrell Mack (also pictured), who stepped in and ran for over 1,200 yards, and WR Brandon Godfrey, who caught 50 passes and is Utah's leading returning receiver. Oh, and Kyle Whittingham still has guys like DEs Koa Misi and Paul Kruger, along with OLB Stevenson Sylvester, on the defense. While this is likely to be a very good team again, their top-end players don't quite match up to BYU's.

Colorado State changes coaches. Sonny Lubick did great things in Fort Collins. He won 108 games in 15 years, led the Rams to nine bowl games, and he also won or shared six conference championships, most recently in 2002. Lubick struggled to get this program going in recent years, however. The Rams have won just sven games over two years, haven't won a bowl game since the 2001 New Orleans Bowl, and the administration convinced Lubick to retire after last season. Enter Steve Fairchild, a former CSU QB and most recently the offensive coordinator for the NFL's Buffalo Bills. Fairchild has quite a task in front of him, and making it tougher is the fact that the Rams return just 12 starters. In a way, this is a good thing, as Fairchild has no reason not to conduct a competition for most, if not all, starting positions. The offensive coaches took an unusual step to helping the new QBs out. They've programmed their passing plays into Madden 08 for the PlayStation 2, and the four candidates take turns playing it every day. Fairchild was a good hire, but this rebuild is going to take a while.

Wyoming tries to bounce back. The Cowboys' 2007 collapse was capped by coach Joe Glenn's embarrassing one-finger salute toward the Utah sideline after an onside kick. Glenn had guaranteed a win over Utah, and the Utes apparently decided a 43-0 lead wasn't enough. Your mileage may vary on the Utes' decision to onside, but you can't justify Glenn's inability to control his emotions. A 4-1 start crumbled away in a 1-6 finish. After the loss to Utah, Wyoming got blown out by BYU and upset by Colorado State. The talent exists for Glenn to engineer a turnaround. Junior QB Karsten Sween, senior RB Devin Moore (pictured), and junior WR Greg Bolling lead the offense, which sports all five starters from last year on the offensive line. Three junior linemen (Mitch Unrein, Fred Givens, and John Fletcher) and senior LB Ward Dobbs are the best players on defense. Glenn expects seniors Michael Ray and Quincy Rogers to provide stability in the secondary.

Air Force tries to follow a great year. Troy Calhoun maxed out the talents of his players a year ago, leading them to a nine-win season that included wins over Mountain West powers TCU and Utah. The Falcons have to find a way to follow up on that this year, and it is going to be potentially tougher than last year was for Calhoun. To do it again, he and his staff are going to have to max out the talents of 14 new starters, including a new QB, new RBs, and new receivers. Defensively, Air Force has to find new starting corners and replace most of its LB depth. The biggest loss is that of QB Shaun Carney, who totaled over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and directed the offense to nearly 30 points per game, increasing production by nearly a touchdown per game from a year earlier.

BEST OF THE REST
Gary Patterson has won at least ten games four times in seven years at TCU, and this team has the talent to make it five out of eight. An uncharacteristically leaky defense should be healthier, and the Horned Frogs have plenty of experience on offense. Quick: Name the only Mountain West school to be bowl-eligible each of the last seven years. You probably got it wrong, as it's not likely you'd guess New Mexico. The Lobos snapped a 46-year bowl win drought last year with a 23-0 win over Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl, and Rocky Long hopes his young team can find a way to get back to the postseason this year. No seat is hotter than that of Mike Sanford at UNLV. The Rebels have won just six games in three years, though things are looking up this season. Omar Clayton and Travis Dixon are locked in a solid QB competition heading into fall camp. Sanford finally has some experienced receivers and runners to operate his spread offense. It's up to those players to stay healthy, and the defense to improve quicker than it has been. Losing a starting QB isn't something that is going to lead to higher expectations when your team is coming off a 4-8 season. San Diego State has to replace Kevin O'Connell, along with leading receivers Brett Swain and Chaz Schilens. Of course, a defense that allowed a staggering 34 points per game is going to have to come around for Chuck Long if his team is to climb into the upper division of this league.

PRESEASON AWARDS AND NOTABLES
Offensive Player of the Year: Max Hall, QB, BYU
Defensive Player of the Year: Jan Jorgensen, DE, BYU
Coach of the Year: Gary Patterson, TCU
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mike Sanford, UNLV
Best Non-Conference Game: Utah at Michigan, August 30
Worst Non-Conference Game: Stephen F. Austin at TCU, September 6

COLLEGE FOOTBALL '07: MOUNTAIN WEST

1. TCU
2. BYU
3. Utah
4. Colorado State
5. Wyoming
6. New Mexico
7. San Diego State
8. UNLV
9. Air Force

-->TOP FIVE STORYLINES IN MOUNTAIN WEST

5. Can Colorado State climb back up the ladder? The Rams were one of the MWC's signature programs from the league's inception. CSU ran together a string of 10 straight winning seasons until a 4-7 2004 campaign. The Rams got back off the mat by going 6-6 in 2005, but were embarrassed by Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl. An injury-hampered Colorado State team struggled to a 4-8 record last year, winning only one conference game. Oftentimes, the importance of running the ball is overstated, but the Rams were embarrassingly bad at it last year, averaging just 2.5 yards per carry. Part of that issue was due to the preseason loss of star Kyle Bell, who returns from a knee injury this year. Also back is senior QB Caleb Hanie, and the Rams have a total of 18 starters back, which ties for a league high. It stands to reason that in a league where the middle is very mediocre, Colorado State has a good chance of vaulting back into bowl contention.

4. Can Troy Calhoun have success with a multiple offense at Air Force? The Falcons ran Fisher DeBerry's option for over 20 years, and they won a lot of games doing it. However, wins began to dwindle away in recent years, as DeBerry went just 13-21 in his last three years. Enter Calhoun, an alum who brings in a more varied offensive look. You'll still see option, but Calhoun promises a variance, and it doesn't appear that he'll make the same mistake Todd Berry made when he took over at Army and immediately changed from the option to a passing offense. Expect Calhoun to play to the strengths of senior QB Shaun Carney and open things up when needed. While Air Force has some athletes, they've been plagued lately by a general lack of size and speed on defense, and there's no reason to think Calhoun's leadership can change that right away.

3. What is the ceiling for Utah's offense? On paper, the Utes appear to have the ability to easily top 30 points per game. They won't score at the pace of Alex Smith's 2004 team (45.3 PPG), but if Brian Johnson can even approach the level he played at before he was injured in 2005, the Utes are going to be really good. All the pieces are back around Johnson, including feature back Darryl Poston, who will be joined in the backfield by JC transfer Matt Asiata and junior Darrell Mack. Brent Casteel leads a talented group of receivers, and the offensive line is almost intact from last year. Coach Kyle Whittingham should be able to field a strong defense, led by senior NT Gabe Long and senior LBs Malakai Mokofisi and Joe Jiannoni. The opener at Oregon State won't be easy, and neither will dates with UCLA (home) and Louisville (road), but Utah should be battle-tested when it comes time to face fellow MWC contenders TCU and BYU on the road.

2. How will BYU build on a great 2006? The Cougars, led by senior QB John Beck, rolled to wins in their last ten games, including a 38-8 thrashing of Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl. Beck is gone, but Arizona State transfer Max Hall is ready to assume the offense, if he can win the long battle with Brenden Gaskins for the job (no starter announced as of this writing). The Cougars have a tough early schedule to greet their new leader, with a home game against Arizona followed up by trips to UCLA and Tulsa. The Cougars will lean on their defense early, as they try to replace Beck, leading rusher Curtis Brown, and their top four receivers.

1. Is TCU capable of making a run at a BCS bowl? Considering that the Horned Frogs lost six offensive starters, including steady QB Jeff Ballard, receiver Quentily Harmon, and oft-injured RB Lonta Hobbs, it's going to be tough. The running burden falls totally on Aaron Brown now. Brown was the 2005 MWC Freshman of the Year, but he struggled through injuries last year. The quarterbacking duties are probably going to fall on sophomore Marcus Jackson, who saw limited time as a freshman. Like BYU, it's expected that TCU will go as far as their defense can take them, and Gary Patterson usually has a pretty good defense. This year should be no exception, as TCU brings back nine of the starters from a unit that held opponents to a measly 12.3 points per game last year.

CISKIE BLOG PRESEASON MOUNTAIN WEST AWARDS AND NOTABLES

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Brian Johnson, QB, Utah
Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Tommy Blake, DE, TCU
Preseason Coach of the Year: Sonny Lubick, Colorado State
Coach on the Hot Seat: Mike Sanford, UNLV
Bowl Bound: TCU, BYU, Utah
Bowl Bubble: Colorado State, Wyoming, New Mexico
Best Non-Conference Game: Colorado State vs. Colorado, September 1
Worst Non-Conference Game: South Carolina State at Air Force, September 1