Mountain West Conference Football Preview 2016
Mountain
#1 Boise State Broncos
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Coach: Bryan Harsin
Offensive Coordinator: Zak Hill and Scott Huff Defensive Coordinator: Andy Avalos Stadium: Albertsons Stadium (37,000) 2015 Record: 9-4 The Breakdown Offense: The best offense in the conference resides in Boise, Idaho. Brett Rypien proved he was ready for the challenge of being a Boise State QB in year one. He threw for 3,350 yards with 20 TD. He will get protection from four returning starters on the offensive line. With Thomas Sperbeck back that WR core will be near the best in the conference. Sperbeck was 6th in the nation in receiving yards last season. Chaz Anderson and Jake Roh were some of the other favorite targets for Rypien. As a sophomore Jeremy McNichols blew up. He totaled 1337 yards and 20 TD while grabbing 51 receptions. With all of the weapons that Boise state has they will have one of the best offenses in the country this season. Defense: The Broncos ranked 18th in the country in points allowed last season. They lose 7 starters from that team. The front four will be a focus in the fall since they lack experience there. The recruiting class features several talents on the line. How the front four progresses this season will weigh heavily on how successful the defense is. Linebackers Ben Weaver and Tanner Vallejo form a solid linebacking core. Middle Linebacker is open but looks to be held down by Joe Martarano. Depth is at a premium here as well. The secondary has some questions marks but you can’t question the talent they have on the roster. Dylan Summer-Gardner was a former 4 star recruit who has a good chance to start at safety. Chanceller James will be at the other safety spot, he was 4th in tackles last season. The departures of Darian Thompson and Donte Deayon will be tough to replace at the corner spots. Special Teams: Tyler Rausa is one of the better kickers in the country having made 25 kicks last season. Sean Wale is middle of the pack coming into the season but he has the talent to be even better. The return game will feature new faces after Terrell Johnson and Shane Williams-Rhodes graduated. Overview: Boise State will get tested early with a home game vs Washington State. That game could play heavily on Boise State’s chance to get into the playoff picture. The offense will likely average over 40 ppg this season. The defense will take a slight step back but if they continue to create turnovers they will put the Broncos in position to win games. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Brett Rypien, FR, QB 11 G, 428 ATT, 272 COMP, 63.6 PCT, 3350 Yards, 20 TD, 8 INT, 140.98 Rating Rushing Jeremy McNichols, SO, RB 12 G, 240 ATT, 1337 Yards, 20 TD Receiving Thomas Sperbeck, JR, WR 13 G, 88 REC, 1412 Yards, 8 TD Defense: Interceptions: Ben Weaver, JR, LB 13 G, 3 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Jabril Frazier, FR, DE 9 G, 2.5 Sacks Tackles: Ben Weaver, JR, LB 13 G, 34 Solo, 34 Assisted, 68 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 9-4 2014 12-2 2013 8-5 2012 11-2 2011 12-1 Boise State Schedule
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#2 Air Force Falcons
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Coach: Troy Calhoun
Offensive Coordinator: Mike Thiessen Defensive Coordinator: Steve Russ Stadium: Falcon Stadium (46,692) 2015 Record: 8-6 The Breakdown Offense: The offense might look a little different with Romine under center. With is passing ability the Falcons will go to air more often than they have in the past. His top target will be Jalen Robinette who has MWC accolades in his future. With the threat of Robinette and Romine being able to hit the rushing game should open up even more. Robinette averaged 24.65 yards per catch last season. Jacobi Owens is a stud and one of the best running backs in the loaded Mountain West Conference. Last season Owens has went over 1,000 yards the past two seasons. Keep an eye on Timothy McVey and his ability to make big plays. The line should be ok with just two starters back. Look for the Falcons offense to get their footing in the first two games with their passing attack before a huge game at Utah State. Defense: The Air Force defense is poised to have a big year. The defense went from averaging 40 ppg in 2013 to an average of 25 the past two seasons. The secondary is loaded with talent and is one of the best secondaries in the conference. Weston Steelhammer led the team in tackles, interceptions and totaled 10.5 tackles for loss. Alongside him is safety Brodie Hicks. Ronaldo Ladipo led the team in solo tackles with 52. The top three returning players in sacks come from the linebacking core. D.J. Dunn Jr. had 6 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss last season. Claude Alexander has no problem making noise in the backfield either. The push from the front three will play key this season. NG will be held by David Harris and Lochlin Deeks. Samuel Byers will need to fill the void left behind by Alex Hansen, good luck. Special Teams: Luke Streble is best remembered for the kick vs Boise State. He only had 11 kicks but he connected on them making 10. If the Falcons need him in a crucial spot they can trust him. The punting spot will be determined in the fall between Cecil Moskowitz and Steve Brosy. Overview: This year's offense and defense should take a step forward. Owens and Robinette give Air Force serious talent at the skill spots. Nate Romine should be able to give this offense a new dynamic. Weston Steelhammer will lead the defense and set the tone from his safety spot. Air Force has a really manageable schedule. Utah State, Boise State and Navy are important games for major success this season. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Nate Romine, JR, QB 4 G, 18 ATT, 7 COMP, 38.9 PCT, 143 Yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 131.18 Rating Rushing Jacobi Owens, JR, RB 14 G, 206 ATT, 1096 Yards, 7 TD Receiving Jalen Robinette, JR, WR 14 G, 26 REC, 641 Yards, 5 TD Defense: Interceptions: Weston Steelhammer, JR, DB 14 G, 5 INT, 0 TD Sacks: D.J. Dunn Jr., JR, LB 13 G, 6.0 Sacks Tackles: Weston Steelhammer, JR, DB 14 G, 46 Solo, 34 Assisted, 80 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 8-6 2014 10-3 2013 2-10 2012 6-7 2011 7-6 Air Force Schedule
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#3 Utah State Aggies
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Coach: Matt Wells
Offensive Coordinator: Jovon Bouknight and Luke Wells Defensive Coordinator: Frank Maile and Kendrick Shaver Stadium: Romney Stadium (25,513) 2015 Record: 6-7 The Breakdown Offense: First and foremost let’s say a farewell to Chuckie Keeton. Keeton was electric while at Utah State and will be missed. Who replaces him? Kent Myers who did a solid job in place of Keeton last season. Myers passed for 16 TD and only 3 INT. Meyers will have to find a new top target with the departure of Hunter Sharp. Wyatt Houston is a good outlet at TE. Andrew Rodriguez is the top returning WR. Several JUCO players will have a chance to be the guy at WR. The running game will be on full display with a line that returns four starters. Devante Mays and LaJuan Hunt are two workhorses at RB. The two combined for 14 TD last season. The production on the ground will need to improve this year with the passing attack having question marks. Meyers had 86 attempts last year but only managed 4.15 yard per carry. Defense: So many staples of the Utah defense are gone. Finding replacements at linebacker will be where most fans will focus. Respectfully so as the LB core totaled 352 tackles in 2015. Chasen Andersen and Brock Carmen got some experience last year. Alex Huerta is the player likely to lead the team in tackles this season. Derek Larson will get a look at OLB. The secondary will be strong with Jalen Davis back. Davis is the team's leading returning tackler. Davis and Devin Centers tied for the lead in most interceptions with 3 each. Dallin Leavitt will go straight to starting free safety after transferring from BYU. The front three welcomes back Ricky Ali’ifua at DE. Nose guard will be a spot to keep an eye on as we move into fall camp. Special Teams: Andrew Rodriguez is always a threat to return a punt for a TD. Wait and see what happens at kicker as their are several players competing for the spot. Aaron Dalton is back and should have an improved 2016 season. Overview: It is hard to tell what will happen on defense for the Aggies at this point with so much turnover. The offense is in good hands with Kent Myers. The conference schedule is no joke this season. They will go to Boise State and Nevada, face Air Force and San Diego State at home. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Kent Myers, SO, QB 9 G, 199 ATT, 121 COMP, 60.8 PCT, 1593 Yards, 16 TD,3 INT, 151.55 Rating Rushing Devante Mays, JR, RB 13 G, 165 ATT, 966 Yards, 9 TD Receiving Andrew Rodriguez, JR, WR 13 G, 27 REC, 281 Yards, 1 TD Defense: Interceptions: Devin Centers, JR, DB 13 G, 3 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Ricky Ali’ifua, JR, DE 12 G, 3.0 Sacks Tackles: Jalen Davis, SO, DB 13 G, 32 Solo, 19 Assisted, 51 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 6-7 2014 10-4 2013 9-5 2012 11-2 2011 7-6 Utah State Schedule
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#4 New Mexico Lobos
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Coach: Bob Davie
Offensive Coordinator: Bob DeBesse Defensive Coordinator: Kevin Cosgrove Stadium: University Stadium (39,224) 2015 Record: 7-6 The Breakdown Offense: New Mexico found something on offense and ran with it. Thier rushing attack ranked 9th in yards last season. They have Teriyon Gipson, Richard McQuarley and Daryl Chestnut back at RB. The running game produced a total of 42 scores, that will need to be duplicated this season. One key factor to the running game is QB Lamar Jordan. As much as Jordan adds to the rushing attack his ability to move the ball through the air will be very important. The Lobos don’t go to the air very often so hitting at a team average of 51.3 COMP Pct. will need to improve. Austin Apodaca is the better passer of the two so he will need to up his game this season after a poor 2015. Protection will be important for whomever is under center. The line is a big question mark across the board. The WR core leaves you wanting more. Dameon Gamblin led the team in receptions last season with 35. Delane Hart-Johnson is the deep threat as he averaged 29.73 yards per catch. Former QB Cole Gautsche will be at TE for his senior season. Defense: If fans are confident about this team, it is because of their front six. The linebacker core stacks up with anyone in the conference. Dakota Cox has first team all-conference skills. He led the team with 96 tackles and added 11 TFL, 5 sacks. Maurice Daniels led the team in sacks and TFL last season. Kimmie Carson was third on the team in tackles in his sophomore campaign. This group is deep and talented. DE Nik D’Avanzo leads the front three. From his spot, recording 53 tackles is impressive. William Udeh will be back at NT for his senior season. Garrett Hughes will be at the other DE position. The secondary lost one of their safeties, Markel Byrd in car accident. Ryan Santos and Daniel Henry return as starters. The corner spots are a big weakness on the defense. Fidning the right combination there will be vital. Nickelback, Lee Crosby, is back after a solid season. Special Teams: The special team unit is full of new faces. Kick return will need a new player to fill big shoes. Kicker Jason Sanders will be the full time kicker after going 3 for 7 last season. Newcomer Corey Bojorquez comes on at punter. Overview: The defense should keep this team in games, but they can’t afford to be put in bad spots by the offense. The offense is really on hold until the offensive line clicks. The first two games will play a huge role in their development. The conference schedule will be manageable for Bob Davie and Co. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Lamar Jordan, SO, QB 12 G, 118 ATT, 61 COMP, 51.7 PCT, 1045 Yards, 5 TD, 8 INT, 126.51 Rating Rushing Teriyon Gipson, JR, RB 12 G, 147 ATT, 850 Yards, 6 TD Receiving Dameon Gamblin, JR, WR 13 G, 35 REC, 424 Yards, 2 TD Defense: Interceptions: Lee Crosby, JR, DB 12 G, 2 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Maurice Daniels, JR, LB 13 G, 5.5 Sacks Tackles: Dakota Cox,JR, LB 51 Solo, 45 Assisted, 96 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 7-6 2014 4-8 2013 3-9 2012 4-9 2011 1-11 New Mexico Schedule
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#5 Colorado State
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Coach: Mike Bobo
Offensive Coordinator: Will Friend Defensive Coordinator: Marty English Stadium: Hughes Stadium (34,400) 2015 Record: 7-6 The Breakdown Offense: It would have been nice to have Rashard Higgins back for one more season at WR. Higgins led the team in receptions for three straight years. Not only is Higgins gone but the next three top receivers have departed. Xavier Williams is the team's top returning WR. JUCO commit Michael Gallup could be a factor this season at WR. Nick Stevens had an OK first season under center but year two might be more challenging with the issues the Rams have at WR. Stevens will have to make things happen for this team to compete in the division. The offensive line in front of him is one of the best in the conference. Led by center Jake Bennett who is only a junior. Dalyn Dawkins led the team in rushing yards last year. However he didn’t see the end zone very often with only two touchdowns. Izzy Matthews found the end zone 5 times as a freshman and will be the number 2 RB this season. Defense: Teams knew what to do when playing against the Rams last season, run the ball. CSU gave up 213 yards on the ground. Zero starters return on the line so look at that as a positive or negative. The new 3-4 defense should help negate the weakness of the line with a talent coup of linebackers. Kevin Davis and Deonte Clyburn combine for 175 tackles from their ILB positions. Kiel Robinson will be called upon to get after the QB this season. Josh Watson had 6 TFL last season as a freshman. Look for that number to grow into double digits this season. Two starters return in the secondary but a slew of newcomers will make up the deep roster. This season the Rams secondary will have to do better than 8 total interceptions. Only two players who grabbed an interception each are back this season. Special Teams: Hayden Hunt could very well win the Ray Guy award this season. Hunt was 5th in the country in punting average. Wyatt Bryan had his ups and downs last season but will be the guy at place kicker for the Rams. Overview: The defense will need to rebuild quickly for this team to have success. The offense will not be able to score enough points to get caught in shootouts. Nick Stevens is one of the better QB in conference but the surrounding talent at the skill spots might not be enough to take him much higher this season. The MWC schedule is not an easy one to navigate. |
Offense:
Passing Nick Stevens, SO, QB 13 G, 347 ATT, 211 COMP, 60.8 PCT, 2679 Yards, 21 TD, 12 INT, 138.71 Rating Rushing Dalyn Dawkins, SO, RB 12 G, 170 ATT, 867 Yards, 2 TD Receiving Xavier Williams, SO, WR 9 G, 19 REC, 231 Yards, 2 TD Defense: Interceptions: Kevin Davis, JR, LB 13 G, 1 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Kiel Robinson, SO, LB 12 G, 3.0 Sacks Tackles: Kevin Davis, JR, LB 13 G, 48 Solo, 53 Assisted, 101 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 7-6 2014 10-3 2013 8-6 2012 4-8 2011 3-9 Colorado State Schedule
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#6 Wyoming Cowboys
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Coach: Craig Bohl
Offensive Coordinator: Brent Vigen Defensive Coordinator: Steve Stannard Stadium: War Memorial Stadium (29,181) 2015 Record: 2-10 The Breakdown Offense: Josh Allen and Nick Smith enter the fall competing for the starting QB role. A long shot but QB Chandler Garrett comes in as the top recruit for the Cowboys. If things go sour maybe he gets some run this year. The production from whomever gets the starting role will have to be high for Craig Bohl to have a successful year 3. The receiving corps should help make one of the QBs successful this season. Tanner Gentry and Jake Maulhardt both had solid junior seasons. Gentry only played in 7 games but went over 100 yards three times and caught nine balls in two games. Maulhardt was a threat in the red zone with 8 grabs for 6 points. Brian Hill is a true workhorse he had 281 carries last season and totaled 1631 yards. The big question is why he only got into the end zone 6 times. Sad reality is they only got there 39 times and only converted 24 times. That gives the Cowboys the worst red zone conversion in the country. Defense: The defense doesn’t offer much solace. The secondary however does bring some positive vibes. The sophomore safety duo of Marcus Epps and Andrew Wingard give Wyoming a stronghold on the back end. Wingard will earn ALL MWC accolades the rest of his career. The defensive line brings all sorts of concerns. If they can’t get a push from the line WYO is back in the same spot on defense. Several underclassmen will be featured in the two deep depth chart so this will be a good season to learn what you have and move forward. Team leadership comes from linebackers Lucas Wacha and D.J. May. Wacha was second on the team in tackles with 96. D.J. May led the team with 10 passes defended which is tied for first in the country for a linebacker. Special Teams: The Cowboys coverage and return units were some of the best in the Mountain West last season. D.J. May and Tanner Gentry should put the Cowboys in good spots. A true freshman, Cooper Rothe, will step into kicking duties this season. Ethan Wood returns for his fourth year as the starting punter in Laramie. Overview: It all lies on what happens at QB for the offense. The skill positions are better than most MWC teams. The defense will struggle if the new defensive line doesn't create any threat. The Mountain West schedule is loaded. It would be a good year to get season tickets with SDSU, Boise State, Utah St and Air Force coming to town. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Nick Smith, FR, QB 5 G, 60 ATT, 27 COMP, 45.0 PCT, 245 Yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 86.97 Ratings Rushing Brian Hill, SO, RB 12 G, 281 ATT, 1631 Yards, 6 TD Receiving Tanner Gentry, JR, WR 7 G, 37 REC, 678 Yards, 4 TD Defense: Interceptions: Marcus Epps, FR, DB 11 G, 2 INT, 0 TD Sacks: D.J. May, JR, LB 11 G, 1.0 Sacks Tackles: Andrew Wingard, FR, DB 12 G, 83 Solo, 39 assisted, 122 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 2-10 2014 4-8 2013 5-7 2012 4-8 2011 8-5 Wyoming Schedule
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West
#1 Nevada Wolfpack
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Coach: Brian Polian
Offensive Coordinator: Tim Cramsey Defensive Coordinator: Scott Boone Stadium: Mackay Stadium (30,000) 2015 Record: 7-6 The Breakdown Offense: The offense should put up bigger and better numbers this season with Tim Cramsey in as the new O-Coordinator. Cramsey will have Tyler Stewart under center. Stewart’s numbers aren’t eye popping but he managed this team last season. He will need to go from manager to the reason Nevada emerges. Not once did the Wolfpack pass for over 300 yards in 2015. Stewart will be handing the ball off to JAmes Butler often this season with Don Jackson gone. Butler will go over 1,500 yards this season as the top option. He will be running behind a upperclassmen led offensive line. The receiving core is one that could be better than some think due to their depth. Jerico Richardson and Hasaan Henderson have been top options since 2014. Ahki Muhammad goes from corner to WR. Defense: The Nevada defense continues to improve year after year and now sets at 26.8 ppg. Linebacker has little experience this season. L.J. Jackson has the most experience with two starts in 2015. Alex Bertrando is the leading tackler from the linebacker spot with 30 in 9 games. The secondary has lots of talent. Asauni Rufus had 105 sacks in his freshman season. Dameon Baber is second in returning tackles with 65. Baber also had 6 interceptions. Kendall Johnson and Elijah Mitchell are back at corner. Nose Tackle Salesa Faraimo brings much needed to a departed defensive line. Ian Seau and Lenny Jones will need to be replaced as they totaled 17 sacks last season. Malik Reed and Patrick Choudja are expected to start at defensive end. Special Teams: Brent Zuzo is one of the most reliable kickers around. Alex Boy brings experience and consistency. Elijah Mitchell and Andrew Celis have proved to be reliable at their return positions. Overview: The Mountain West schedule is very fair to the Wolf Pack. Their two toughest games are San Diego State and Utah State both games at home. 7-6 shouldn’t happen again. This year’s team is setting up to be great. The linebacking core looks like the biggest question mark and if they excel this team will be great. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Tyler Stewart, JR, QB 13 G, 326 ATT, 186 COMP, 57.1 PCT, 2139 Yards, 15 TD, 7 INT, 123.06 Rating Rushing James Butler, SO, RB 13 G, 208 ATT, 1345 Yards, 10 TD Receiving Jerico Richardson, JR, WR 13 G, 68 REC, 750 Yards, 5 TD Defense: Interceptions: Dameon Baber, FR, DB 10 G, 6 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Salesa Faraimo, JR, NT 12 G, 1.0 Sacks Tackles: Asauni Rufus, FR, DB 13 G, 58 Solo, 47 Assisted, 105 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 7-6 2014 7-6 2013 4-8 2012 7-6 2011 7-6 Nevada Schedule
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#2 San Diego State Aztecs
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Coach: Rocky Long
Offensive Coordinator: Jeff Horton Defensive Coordinator: Rocky Long Stadium: Qualcomm Stadium (70, 561) 2015 Record: 11-3 The Breakdown Offense: The rushing attack should be in good shape with four starters back on the offensive line. Oh yeah, Donnel Pumphrey is back too. Pumphrey has a total of 4,272 rushing yards in three seasons. Getting the ball to Pumphrey in the passing game will be huge this season with a new QB under center. Christian Chapman got some experience last year as a freshman but only threw 49 passes. Many are hopeful that he will be better than Maxwell Smith. Chapman has the potential to get the ball down the field but his targets aren’t the best. Coming into the season there isn’t much to be excited about in terms of pass catchers. The past two season the Aztecs have not had a receiver go over 500 yards. Mikah Holder was the team's leading receiver last season and Eric Judge was in 2014. Both are back and will need to emerge as bigger threats. Defense: When Damontae Kazee decided to return instead of going to the NFL that gave SDSU another chance for double digit wins. Kazee had 8 interceptions and one to the house. Don’t expect QBs to throw his way a lot this season. Safeties Malik Smith and Kameron Kelly add to one of the better secondaries in the country. Calvin Munson is back at OLB, he leads the team in tackles, TFL and Sacks. Ryan Dunn started as a sophomore last season and is back again at OLB. Randy Ricks will get full time duties at MLB. The defensive line will bring the pain with Kyle Kelley and Alex Barrett. Last year the team produced 37 sacks which ranked tied for 13th in the country. Sergio Phillips and Jondarius Gardner will compete for nose guard. Special Teams: Rashaad Penny made things happen as the kick returner. He took three back for touchdowns in 2015. Tanner Blain knows how to pin opponents inside the 20. John Barron will be the kicker for the Aztecs and he hopes to make fans forget about Donny Hageman. Overview: The defense is going to be stout again despite a few departures. The offense will take another step forward if Christian Chapman emerges as the man at QB. The schedule works out well for SDSU. In non-conf play the get Cal at home and their toughest challenge will be at Nevada. Another double digit season is in the works in San Diego. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Christian Chapman, FR, QB 9 G, 49 ATT, 39 COMP, 59.2 PCT, 436 Yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 143.31 Rating Rushing Donnel Pumphrey, JR, RB 14 G, 309 ATT, 1653 Yards, 17 TD Receiving Mikah Holder, SO, WR 14 G, 439 Yards, 6 TD Defense: Interceptions: Damontae Kazee, JR, DB 14 G, 8 INT, 1 TD Sacks: Calvin Munson, JR, LB 14 G, 9.5 Sacks Tackles: Calvin Munson, JR, LB 14 G, 45 Solo, 53 Assisted, 98 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 11-3 2014 7-6 2013 8-5 2012 9-4 2011 8-5 San Diego State Scheudle
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#3T San Jose State
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Coach: Ron Caragher
Offensive Coordinator: Al Borges Defensive coordinator: Ron English Stadium: Spartan Stadium (30,456) 2015 Record: 6-7 The Breakdown Offense: We don’t often about tight ends but San Jose State has a good one in Bill Freeman. He is the top target for Kenny Porter and he is a reliable. His biggest game of the 2016 season came against Boise State. He had 7 grabs for 109 yards and a score. Tim Crawley, Justin Holmes and Tyler Winston are solid options as well. Four starters are back on the offensive line which should improve this season. The running game will benefit from that experience with the loss of Tyler Ervin. Ervin was 6th in the nation in carries and will be difficult to replace. Thomas Tucker has the most experience of the returning players. He will be joined by Malik Robinson. Kenny Porter made an impact early. He did miss two games but when he came back he started to play really well. He had three games in a row of 3 TD. Look for an even better season out of Potter. Defense: Ron English is in as the defensive coordinator and look for that to make a difference. The defensive line is the key to success. The team only had 17 sacks, Eugene Taylor led the team with 3 sacks. Three starters are back and add in a solid sophomore DT Bryson Bridges. Both Bridges and Sykes will play a huge role in this teams turnaround. Christian Tago is a stud at OLB. Tago had 125 tackles, 9 of those tackles for a loss. Frank Ginda was third on the team in tackles last year and will be at MLB. These two will be one of the more feared LB units in the MWC. The spartans had only 157.8 yards passing against them. Maurice McKnight is a special player at safety. He had 100 tackles in 2015, 66 in 2014. Andre Chachere and Dakari Monroe will start a corner. Special Teams: Another great punter from the MWC is Michael Carrizosa. His 47.50 average per punt is third best in the country. Bryce Crawford is in at kicker and how much a difference he will make is up in the air. Overview: Ron English should improve this defense. Last season we knew that the Spartans would be solid in the running game. This season the passing attack will be more of a focus. Are Kenny Porter and receiving core up for the challenge? San Jose State got the raw end of the MWC schedule. Cross division games vs Air Force and Boise State make it hard for them to get bowl eligible. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Kenny Porter, JR, QB 11 G, 270 ATT, 182 COMP, 67.4 PCT, 1984 Yards, 15 TD, 7 INT, 142.27 Rating Rushing Kenny Porter, JR, QB 11 G, 114 ATT, 415 Yards, 7 TD Receiving Billy Freeman, JR, TE 13 G, 48 REC, 586 Yards, 6 TD Defense: Interceptions: Andre Chachere, SO, DB 13 G, 2 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Eugene Taylor, JR, DL 12 G, 3.0 Sacks Tackles: Christian Tago, JR, LB 13 G, 68 Solo, 57 Assisted, 125 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 6-7 2014 3-9 2013 6-6 2012 11-2 2011 5-7 San Jose State Schedule
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#3T UNLV Rebels
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Coach: Tony Sanchez
Offensive Coordinator: Barney Cotton Defensive Coordinator: Kent Baer Stadium: Sam Boyd Stadium (36,800) 2015 Record: 3-9 The Breakdown Offense: Devonte Boyd is just hoping for a QB that can get him the ball. Boyd is one of the best WR that no one talks about. In his freshman and sophomore years he combined for 118 catches, 1877 yards and 11 TD. His fellow junior WR, Kendal Keys, is putting up solid numbers too. So who will play at QB? Two newcomers should get the best chance in true freshman Armani Rogers and JUCO transfer Johnny Stanton. Rogers got offers from plenty of PAC 12 schools but ended up committing to UNLV. Rogers is a dual threat option that could be a nice change of pace for UNLV. Keith Whitely only produced an average of 4.68 yards per carry last season. That won’t get it done so look for freshman Lexington Thomas to get a few more carries this season. The line is still a work in progress, so progression would be a positive this season. Defense: Giving up 457 yards per game isn’t a success story. The linebacking unit should however turn into a success story. Two newcomers, LaKeith Walls and Brian Keyes, will add depth. Ryan McAleenan had 86 tackles last season which was a team high. Tau Lotulelei had 70 from his WLB position. The front four will have to be better in stopping the run this season as they had a hard time stopping anyone last year. They held only two teams under 150 yards. DT Jeremiah Valoaga is the best of the bunch. The corner position is strong with Torry McTyler, Tim Hough and Robert Jackson. Two seniors will hold down the fort at safety Troy Hawthorne and Kenny Keys. Special Teams: Evan Pantels will start at punter for the Rebels. Kicker Nicolai Bornand has a big leg and is capable of hitting from 50 plus. New faces will be at the return spots with hopes that they can energize the positions. Overview: The quarterback situation needs to be locked down by the time conference play begins. The defense needs to show promise as they gave up way too many yards last season. Sanchez is bringing in better talent but it could be another year before we start to see the transition into wins. This year's road conference schedule is no easy task. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Kurt Palandech, SO, QB 11 G, 152 ATT, 75 COMP, 49.3 PCT, 794 Yards, 9 TD, 5 INT, 106.18 Rating Rushing Keith Whitely, JR, RB 12 G, 152 ATT, 711 Yards, 3 TD Receiving Devonte Boyd, SO, WR 12 G, 54 REC, 904 Yards, 7 TD Defense: Interceptions: Tim Hough, FR, DB 11 G, 4 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Tau Lotulelei, JR, LB 10 G, 3.0 Sacks Tackles: Ryan McAleenan, JR, LB 12 G, 52 Solo, 34 Assisted, Total 86 Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 3-9 2014 2-11 2013 7-6 2012 2-11 2011 2-10 UNLV Schedule
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#5 Fresno State Bulldogs
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Coach: Tim DeRuyter
Offensive Coordinator: Eric Kiesau Defensive Coordinator: Lorenzo Ward Stadium: Bulldog Stadium (41,031) 2015 Record: 3-9 The Breakdown Offense: It is not looking good for a program that has had a lot of good, proud moments but the past two years haven’t been great. The QB situation was at an all-time low last season. This year, it can only get better. Multiple players will be up for the job but Chason Virgil seems to be the frontrunner. The running game doesn’t look to be reliable with a new o-line and a running back group that is unproven. Dontel James will get the most carries but expect several players to earn carries this season. The WR core is one bright spot on offense. Jamire Jordan led the team in catches, yards and TD as a freshman. KeeSean Johnson is another player who made an impact as a freshman with 37 catches. Defense: The defense was just as bad as the offense. What did Tim DeRuyter do to improve his defense? He brought in former South Carolina DC, Lorenzo Ward. Ward will implement the 3-4 defense. The three man front will feature new faces with a couple of JUCO DT. The secondary is the strongest group of them all with 2 starters back. Tyquwan Glass, had 62 tackles and 4 INT in 2015. Daquawn Brown will make this secondary even better after sitting out last season as a transfer. Potts and Brown will get full time work at the safety positions. The linebacking core losses two of their top three tacklers this season. ILB will be fine with Jeff Camilli back. Tobenna Keke and James Bailey will be at OLB. Special Teams: Freshman Blake Cusick will be called upon to punt for the Bulldogs. Kody Kroening will be the kicker ihs season. He only had 8 attempts last year but he made 25 percent of them. Overview: With all the uncertainty at QB it is hard to see Fresno State having a successful 2015 season. The defense should improve but it won’t be enough to carry this team. Rebuilding continues for the Bulldogs. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Kilton Anderson, FR, QB 8 G, 157 ATT, 78 COMP, 49.7 PCT, 817 Yards, 2 TD, 5 INT, 91.22 Rating Rushing Kilton Anderson, FR, QB 8 G, 51 ATT, 211 Yards, 5 TD Receiving Jamire Jordan, FR, WR 12 G, 46 REC, 540 Yards, 5 TD Defense: Interceptions: Tyquwan Glass, JR, DB 12 G, 4 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Justin Green, SO, LB 10 G, 3.0 Sacks Tackles: Jeff Camilli, JR, LB 11 G, 35 Solo, 41 Assisted, 76 Total Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 3-9 2014 6-8 2013 11-2 2012 9-4 2011 4-9 Fresno State Schedule
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#6 Hawaii Rainbows Warriors
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Coach: Nick Rolovich
Offensive Coordinator: Nick Rolovich Defensive Coordinator: Kevin Lempa Stadium: Aloha Stadium (50,000) 2015 Record: 3-10 The Breakdown Offense: Eight starters are back for the Rainbow Warriors. Out of the eight starters they don’t have a proven QB to rely on. Ikaika Woolsey has played in a lot of games but has a problem with throwing INTs. Aaron Zwahlen is who the fans will want to see coming into the season. Beau Reilly will also be in the mix for the starting job. The rushing game is in good hands with Paul Harris. The senior went over 1,100 yards in his first season with Hawaii and will look to be an even bigger factor this season. Behind Harris the RB spot is very thin. The offensive line however is strong with four starters back and should be even better in paving the way for Harris. If you have to find a new QB you need to have targets, Hawaii has targets. Last season two freshman Devan Stubblefield and Dylan Collie made an impression and totaled 59 catches and 5 touchdowns. Marcus Kemp is the senior leader and has led the team in catches the past two seasons. Hawaii has depth here so if the injury bug kicks in they will be fine. Defense: Not much went right for Hawaii last season. Teams pounded them for an average of 239.8 yards per game on the ground. They gave up over 35.6 ppg while their offense wasn’t even averaging over 20. The one positive we could point to on the defense, Kennedy Tulimasealii, has been dismissed from the team. That leaves the team in a really bad spot on the defensive line. OLB Jerrol Garcia-Williams returns with a great 2015 season under his belt. Jahlani Tavai will be at MLB. The unit is not very deep and has a lot of sophomore and freshman filling in the two deep roster. The secondary has experience but are they talented enough to get the job done? Trayvon Henderson returns to SS, Damien PAcker is at FS. Daniel Lewis Jr. Started in place of Trayvon Henderson so they will have depth at the position. Jalen Rogers returns at corner and Jamal Mayo will likely earn the spot opposite of him. Special Teams: If it involves kicking the ball, Rigoberto Sanchez is handling those duties. He only got 11 attempts at FG last year so with an improved offense he should get more chances. The return game gets a lot of work, John Ursua and Keelan Ewaliko will do their best to put the team in a good spot. Overview: The offense has some hope with talented skill position players and a line that is getting better. The defense however may be even worse this season. The schedule is loaded with good teams. The final game of the season vs. UMass will be a good chance for a W. Hawaii fans already thinking about 2017. |
Top Returners:
Offense: Passing Ikaika Woolsey, JR, QB 13 G, 149 ATT, 73 COMP, 49.0 PCT, 908 Yards, 5 TD, 6 INT, 103.20 Rating Rushing Paul Harris, JR, RB 197 ATT, 1132 Yards, 6 TD Receiving Marcus Kemp, JR, WR 36 REC, 563 Yards, 2 TD Defense: Interceptions: Dany Mulanga, FR, DB 10 G, 1 INT, 0 TD Sacks: Kennedy Tulimasealii, JR, DL 13 G, 3.5 Sacks Tackles: Jerrol Garcia-Williams, JR, LB 10 G, 55 Solo, 34 Assisted, Total 89 Last Five Year Win Totals 2015 3-10 2014 4-9 2013 1-11 2012 3-9 2011 6-7 Hawaii Schedule
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