Two A Days: The Mountain West

1. Boise State- Replacing the FBS’ all-time leader in wins, Kellen Moore, won’t be easy for the Broncos; neither will replacing running back Doug Martin, wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker, and four other starters from an 11-win squad from last season. Stepping up to fill Moore’s shoes will be junior Joe Southwick who threw for 198 yards and a touchdown last season in mop-up duty. Aiding Southwick’s transition will be wideout Matt Miller who hauled in 8 touchdowns and 647 yards last season. Perhaps the biggest hole to fill will be on defense where only two starters return. Luckily for the Broncos, their recent success has had a huge impact on recruiting and there are plenty of viable options to replace what is missing. (Final Prediction: 11-1, 8-0, Maaco Bowl)

2. Nevada-This season the Wolfpack moved from the Boise State dominated WAC, to the Boise State dominated Mountain West.  Quarterback Cody Fajardo (1,707 yards passing, 694 rushing, 17 touchdowns) will be the Wolfpack’s best shot to unseat the Broncos and usher in a new order for the Mountain West. On defense, 6 starters return, but the front seven is inexperienced as a unit and must step up if the Wolfpack want to capture the conference title in their first season. Leading the unit will be senior defensive back Duke Williams who notched 78 tackles last season, including 4.5 for a loss. Final Prediction:  (8-4, 6-2, Poinsettia Bowl)

3. Fresno State-Senior running back Robbie Rouse (1,549 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns) and junior  quarterback Derek Carr (3,544 yards, 26 touchdowns) lead a Bulldogs offense that will be on par with any conference opponent. Senior linebacker Travis Brown (85 tackles, 3 sacks) is also one of the conference’s best, and the return of safety Phillip Thomas who missed last year with a broken leg will help the defense adjust to a new 3-4 scheme. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they must make trips to Nevada and to the dreaded “smurf turf” of Boise State. These trips, in conjunction with new schemes on both sides of the ball means the Bulldogs will be playing for third. Final Prediction (8-4, 6-2, Independence Bowl)

4. Wyoming-The Cowboys hope sophomore quarterback Brett Smith can match his superb freshman campaign in which he racked up over 3,300 yards of total offense and accounted for 30 touchdowns. If Smith can keep his torrid pace up, the Cowboys could make some significant noise in 2012, and maybe even reach a bowl game for the first time in years. Alvester Alexander will complement Smith out of the backfield after picking up 695 rushing yards last season. On defense, the Cowboys are led by safety Luke Ruff who notched 102 tackles in 2011 and will be a leader on the unit. Final Prediction: (7-5, 5-3, New Mexico Bowl)

5. Air Force-The Falcons return just six starters and will struggle to rise above the middle of the conference. Senior linebacker Alex Means (77 tackles, 9.5 for a loss, 6 sacks) leads the team and will need to have another monster season for the Falcons to achieve success. On offense, the quarterback, running back, and leading receiver all must be replaced in addition to five other starters. Air Force is used to losing a high number of starters every year and will handle it better than most programs, especially under coach Troy Calhoun who stayed with the team despite offers from a number of larger schools. Final Prediction: (7-5, 5-3, Armed Forces Bowl)

6. Colorado State-Chris Nwoke had a breakout sophomore season in which he racked up 1,130 yards for the Rams, and with new coach Jim McElwain’s run-heavy offense, Nwoke will be counted on to match his output from 2011. The Rams also return all-conference center Weston Richburg to a solid line that should anchor the new offense. On defense, leading tackler Shaquil Barrett returns after leading the team with 99 tackles last season. Also returning to a strong linebacker unit is senior James Skelton who finished second on the team with 91 tackles and also added two forced fumbles. Final Prediction: (6-6, 4-4, no bowl)

7. Hawaii-The biggest change for the Warriors in 2012 will be the adaptation of an offense that includes a tight end, a position not seen at Hawaii since the late 90s. Leading the Warriors new offense (installed by new head coach Norm Chow) will be Billy Ray Stutzmann (nice name) who hauled in 910 yards last season and is one of the few returning stars. The defense is also in shaky shape, with only 4 starters returning from a year ago, and only 2 of the front seven. It is a definite rebuilding year for the Warriors who will be much stronger a few years down the road. Final Prediction (5-7, 3-5, no bowl)

8. San Diego State-The Aztecs return 15 starters, including 9 on offense, and should take a step forward in 2012. Senior corner Leon McFadden is already getting NFL looks and earned them with a 47 tackle, 2 interception, and 17 pass breakup 2011. McFadden leads a strong defense and an even stronger secondary that should be the team’s strength. On offense, the Aztecs will rely on Colin Lockett  (970 yards, 8 touchdowns) to ease the transition of new quarterback Ryan Katz (an Oregon State transfer). Final Prediction: (4-8, 2-6, no bowl)


9. New Mexico-Perhaps the most confusing coaching hire of the offseason was made by the Lobos as they hired former ESPN analyst Bob Davie to lead the program, despite Davie being out of coaching since the 90s. Quarterback BL Holbrook (1,490 yards, 4 TDs in 8 games) is one the few players on the team that can make an impact and will be counted on to lead the team or the Lobos could find themselves in the cellar of the league yet again. Final Prediction: (2-10, 1-7, no bowl)



10. UNLV-The Runnin’ Rebels should run from the competition this season, after a miserable 2011, 2012 doesn't look much better. Despite returning 12 starters (6 offense, 6 defense) the Rebels are still one of the worst teams in the conference. They will live up to their name however, with a strong ground game that returns five starters on the line plus tailback Tim Cornett (671 yards, 7 touchdowns) who has led the team in rushing the past two seasons. Defensively, the Rebels will count on John Lotulelei to help the defense improve from its abysmal level last season. Final Prediction:  (1-11, 0-8, no bowl)

Offensive Player of the Year: Chris Nwoke, RB, Colorado State
Defensive Player of the Year: Leon McFadden, CB, San Diego State