The pre-spring version of the CFN 2021 rankings with a first look at all the Mountain West teams.
2021 Mountain West Rankings: Pre-Spring
Mountain West: Mountain
1. Boise State Broncos
Why To Be Happy: The main men for the offense are back. The backfield of QB Hank Bachmeier and RB George Holani return along with the top receivers and three of the five starting linemen. There’s still a question mark about a few key defensive players, but the front seven will be fine.
What To Work On: As good as Boise State was, it didn’t run the ball well enough – the right side of the O line has to be replaced – and this wasn’t the normal killer Bronco D. Even with all of the issues and inconsistencies, the team still went to the Mountain West title, and …
Bottom Line: The Andy Avalos era should kickstart things back to a championship level. Bryan Harsin was obviously fantastic – Auburn seems more than happy to get him – and the 39-year-old Avalos is inheriting a good team that should be the favorite to win the Mountain West title.
2. Colorado State Rams
Why To Be Happy: The parts that really needed to return are returning. QB Patrick O’Brien is transferring out, but this was probably going to be Todd Centeio’s job anyway. TE Trey McBride is coming back for one more year, and on the defensive side, getting back DE Scott Patchan and DT Manny Jones is massive.
What To Work On: The production has to be there. This will once again be among the best teams in the country at getting into the backfield, but can the offense come up with a third down conversion? Can that pressure from the D translate into takeaways?
Bottom Line: Let’s try this again. From off-the-field issues to the COVID problems, the Colorado State 2020 season never got going. It was only a four game season going 1-3, but Year Two under Steve Addazio should be far stronger.
3. Wyoming Cowboys
Why To Be Happy: Experience won’t be an issue. The Cowboys are loaded at quarterback with Levi Williams expected back after suffering a broken leg, RBs Trey Smith and Xazavian Halladay return behind a veteran O line that should return all five starters, and with Garrett Crall back on the end, the defensive front is all back full.
What To Work On: The offense has to start working again. The Cowboys didn’t have any semblance of a passing attack, they struggled to come up with third down conversions, and everything stalled late in the season. Now …
Bottom Line: Wyoming has to find its groove again. You know what it wants to do – control the clock and the tempo, run well, get the D to dominate – and it’ll have the experience to do it.
4. Utah State Aggies
Why To Be Happy: Utah State has a terrific head coach in Blake Anderson. Arkansas State might have struggled over the last few years, but Anderson will bring the offense, the explosion, and he should be great with a bit of a reset. He gets a loaded O line, he’s hitting the transfer portal hard, and he’s bringing QB Logan Bonner from ASU to help push for the gig.
What To Work On: Yeah, there’s experience, and now it all has to work. Utah State was awful on both sides of the ball, there wasn’t a passing game, the points were hard to come by, and the defense was the worst in the Mountain West. But …
Bottom Line: This will be a relatively quick fix. Utah State was a mess from the start, and now things should settle in with Anderson getting a decent base of players to push for an instant improvement.
5. Air Force Falcons
Why To Be Happy: This was a good Air Force team that should be just as strong as long as the offensive line can boost up fast. Haaziq Daniels turned into a reliable quarterback and leading rusher Brad Roberts returns at fullback. There are enough defensive backs returning to be okay, but …
What To Work On: It’s Air Force, so there are always players ready to roll in the system, but while more teams are loaded with veterans in this weird year, the Falcons have to replace the entire offensive line and five of the seven starters on the defensive front.
Bottom Line: Yeah, it’s Air Force. It’s going to be fine in time, but it’s hardly a plus to lose the key parts that the 2020 team will. The running game will still be amazing, but can the defense be among the best in the nation again?
6. New Mexico Lobos
Why To Be Happy: The Lobos will finally have some continuity, starting with the offensive line that should have all five starters returning, DE Joey Noble returns to a defensive front three that’s loaded with veterans, and the offensive backfield gets back enough key parts to get fired up.
What To Work On: The passing game has to be better. It’s not efficient enough, it’s not explosive enough and … the secondary has to be better, too. The pass defense has to be stronger against the good offenses, the D as a whole has to be better, and …
Bottom Line: The Lobos might be quickly be a whole lot better. Few teams had to go through more than New Mexico did in 2020 – no true home games, and now it should be be a whole lot stronger with a double-digit number of seniors expected to be back.
– 2021 Pre-Spring Big Ten West
2021 Mountain West: West Rankings: Pre-Spring 7-12
2021 Mountain West Rankings: Pre-Spring
Mountain West: West
1. Nevada Wolf Pack
Why To Be Happy: If you thought the passing game was a whole lot of fun last year, you’re going to love what’s coming. QB Carson Strong is back, and so are his receivers including Elijah Cooks, a star who missed most of last year hurt. Just as big is the defensive side with a loaded group of veterans returning for the the front line along with LB Lawson Hall.
What To Work On: The running game should do more. It’s too tempting to not throw and keep throwing with Strong under center, but the Wolf Pack have a deep, good group of backs to work around, too. The Pack should do more than 122 yards per game.
Bottom Line: The Wolf Pack came up just short last year with a loss at Hawaii and a tough battle defeat to San Jose State. This year they should be the class of the West.
2. San Jose State Spartans
Why To Be Happy: Let’s do it all again. QB Nick Starkel is back for another year, getting back OT Jackson Snyder is massive, and just enough talent is back on defense to keep the success of last year rolling. The season ended with a thud after the team was barely itself in the bowl loss to Ball State – thanks to COVID issues, but this version will be great again.
What To Work On: The receiving corps has to find new playmakers with Tre Walker the main receiver gone, and the running game has to improve. Everything clicked for the offense overall, but averaging 133 yards per game on the ground could stand to be better.
Bottom Line: If 2020 was a shocker, 2021 needs to be an emphatic confirmation that San Jose State is just that good now under Brent Brennan. The Spartans will once again be the ones to beat in the West.
3. San Diego State Aztecs
Why To Be Happy: Let’s get this passing game going. There are options on the Aztecs, but bringing QB Jalen Mayden and WR Tyrell Shavers from Mississippi State adds two former big-time high school talents with the upside to upgrade the O. The line might need some work, but the offense should be better. Now …
What To Work On: The secondary isn’t starting over, but it’s close. Three starters are gone to the NFL and it might be a full-scale overhaul with the possibility of all five main men done. However …
Bottom Line: The defense continues to be amazing. It was third in the nation, No. 1 in the Mountain West, and the standards haven’t dipped. Brady Hoke needs more out of his passing game in his second year and the D can’t slip.
4. Fresno State Bulldogs
Why To Be Happy: The offense should be fantastic. It was good and fun at times in the first year under head man Kalen DeBoer, but it wasn’t consistent. QB Jake Haener started putting up big numbers, RB Ronnie Rivers is back for another year, and the offensive front should be good. Getting back DT Kevin Atkins and DE Kwami Jones might help the Bulldogs have the best D line in the Mountain West if …
What To Work On: The run defense has to be better. Fresno State was one of the best teams in the nation at generating plays in the backfield, but it got gouged very, very badly by good ground games. The D line has to hold up better, and the O line has to prevent sacks, and …
Bottom Line: Look out. It was a shaky 2020 with the only wins coming against three of the worst teams in the Mountain West, but the talent is there to bounce back huge if the lines are better.
5. Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
Why To Be Happy: Year Two under Todd Graham should be a bit more consistent with the offensive backfield in place to shine again and the defense likely to return most of the top tacklers. Using the transfer portal works for the program, and it’s getting in enough decent replacements to keep this going, and …
What To Work On: The passing game was fine, but it has to hit more downfield passes. There has to be a better running game, more time given to Chevan Cordeiro to work, and … the O line needs some rebuilding. A slew of young guys have to rise up.
Bottom Line: Can the team that showed up in the bowl win over Houston and was good enough to win a few big Mountain West games do that on a regular basis? That might take a bit, but at least the team has a place to play with the Aloha Bowl closing down, and Graham has talent to work with.
6. UNLV Rebels
Why To Be Happy: The Rebels got their guy back. Charles Williams is one of the better running backs in the Mountain West, and he’s returning for one more shot. He should have an improved O line to work behind, and the passing game has the parts to be bette. Enough talent is back on D to hope for a turnaround, but …
What To Work On: The lines have GOT to be stronger. The offensive front couldn’t do anything to keep defenses out of the backfield, and the defensive side couldn’t stop anyone’s ground game.
Bottom Line: This is still going to be an overhaul under Marcus Arroyo. This was never going to be an overnight change, and it’s still going to take a while to get enough pieces to compete for anything big. Being more competitive will be a good start.
