MT WEST 2003
COLORADO STATE RAMS O:8 D:7
The Rams had themselves a fantastic 2002 season. They won the Mt West title outright, and were a very exciting squad to watch. HC Sonny Lubick has done a masterful job with this program, and he has the returning talent to get it done again in 2003. QB Bradlee Van Pelt returns for his senior season to lead a very potent offense. This kids got the heart and guts you love to see your starting QB have. I’ve seen him lower his shoulder against guys twice his size when scrambling, and then dust himself off to run the hurry up offense. His play is erratic at times, but the kids a gamer & gets the job done more times than not. The RB core loses a stud, but they’ve got some solid replacements looking to make their mark in Tristan Walker & Rashaan Sanders. They should still put up solid numbers as the veteran O-line looks to improve on last season’s output of 4.6 yards per carry. The WR core is headed by its all everything player Joel Dreesen who was voted 1st team Mt West a year ago. This has all the makings of a very solid offense, and they will most likely put just as many points on the board if not more in ’03. The defense returns 7 starters from a year ago, and are a much more experienced group overall. The D-line wasn’t that great last year, but they return 6 of 8 hogs and should pack more of a punch. The LB core returns 3 full time starters from a year ago, and all 3 are all-conference caliber. Eric Pauly, Drew Wood, and Adam Wade are all seniors, and look to be the best LB core in the conference. The secondary looks to be the biggest question mark on the stop unit. CB Dexter Wynn is solid, but every other spot looks a bit shaky. They do have better overall depth, so maybe they’ll find a few guys that are capable. The kicking game is left in the fine hands of Jeff Babcock, and the dangerous Dexter Wynn will be returning both punts and kicks. Last season ended on a sour note, and the Rams of 2003 will come out with blood in their eyes. They have a more manageable schedule, and have an excellent shot of repeating as MT West champs.
-- CSU is 5-1 ATS their L/6 season openers (8/30 vs. Colorado).
NEW MEXICO LOBOS O:10 D:7
Head coach Rocky Long has seen his Lobos pick up 1 more win every year since he’s arrived, and he’s got his best unit ever since taking over. The Lobos return a total of 17 starters, and look to build upon last year’s momentum. The offense returns 10 starters from a year ago, and will have to be more potent. QB Kelly comes off a solid 2002 campaign that saw him throw for 1900 yards and 14 TD’s. He has conference’s best O-line blocking for him which should give him plenty of time to find his receiver’s downfield. MT West freshman of the year RB Dontrell Moore returns as well, and looks to make an even bigger impact in ’03. He looks to be the best RB in the conference provided he stays healthy. The WR core really underachieved last season, and I expect them to turn it up a notch this year. The Lobos have themselves a gigantic front wall, a capable QB, speedy WR’s, and a solid WR core. Putting more points on the board will only help their cause b/c they have a very tough defense. The defense returns 7 from a year ago, but loses its MVP. Their DC moved to Provo in the off-season so they brought in an experienced DC, Osia Lewis, who coached with Rocky Long before. The D-line looks very solid anchored by Renteria and Kegler who are both seniors. They have plenty of depth, and will be tough to contain. The LB core is loaded with depth & experience, and return SR LB Billy Strother who was voted the team’s defensive player of the year. The Lobos have to find solid CB’s as they’re depended on immensely in the 3-3-5 scheme, but they have a solid pair of safeties returning in Ratcliff & Golden. The special teams returns completely intact, and will be a major force throughout the season. Heck, maybe they’ll give Katie a shot at redeeming herself….LOL. This is by far HC Long’s best unit, and they get the conference big dawgs at home in CSU & BYU. Winning those 2 games will definitely give them the upper hand in winning the Mt West as the rest of their schedule is very manageable. I expect the Lobos to win at least 1 more game than last year, and keep HC Long’s streak intact. This team is definitely going bowling in 2003.
-- The Lobos are 9-3 ATS as a home fav, and 10-6 ATS as a road pup the L/4 years.
BYU COUGARS 0:5 D:10
Many fans of the Cougars were left shaking their heads after last year’s nightmare season, but I believe the Cougars will be much improved in ’03. HC Gary Crowton’s first season was fantastic as the Cougars went 12-2, but the honeymoon came to a screeching halt last year as BYU suffered its first losing season in 30 year’s. This year’s squad has a much different flavor to it. The defense returns 10 starters from a year ago, and has added a new DC to their attack. Bronco Mendenhall comes over from New Mexico, and he brings over his very nasty 3-3-5 defense. The Cougars have loads of talent on the defensive side of the ball that will thrive in this new set. Expect them to be very tenacious, and to force many turnovers. The front 7 has tremendous depth and experience, and will be a tough unit for opposing offenses to contain. The secondary boasts a solid CB duo in Barney & Gilford, and is one of the best in the conference. This unit will be much better this season, and it could be one of the best in the nation stat-wise. The offense has some major impact players on it, but it also has some question marks. The first being the play of QB Matt berry. He has to show more consistency. The O-line needs to find 3 new starters, but is loaded with talent and should become a force as the season progresses. RB Marcus Whalen returns for his junior campaign, and looks to topple the 1000-yard mark. The WR core is a bit inexperienced, but should thrive under HC Crowton’s format. The special teams should be fantastic with the return of pretty much everyone, but a replacement punt returner must be found. Last year was a major step back for the Cougar’s, but I like the way their team shakes up this season. The picked up a fantastic defensive coordinator, and I expect HC Crowton to have his offense back on target. Provo doesn’t smile upon efforts like last season, and you can bet they’ll be voicing their opinions if things haven’t changed out of the gate. Last year was an absolute embarrassment for BYU, and I foresee them atoning for their sins in 2003.
-- BYU is 7-5 ATS as a home fav under Crowton, but 2-7 ATS as a road chalk.
UNLV REBELS O:5 D:6
WTF has happened to the Rebels the L/2 year’s?? They looked like a team on the rise after the 2000 season, and then went into the tank. Thank god that over-hyped QB Jason Thomas is gone, and in is Kurt Nantkes who led the Reb’s to a shocking win over CSU in their road finale last season. This offense is loaded with talent, & QB Nantkes has the gun to get the ball to his playmakers. The RB core is stacked with talent in Larry Croom & Dominique Dorsey, and they figure to have a solid year behind a more experienced front wall. The O-line returns 3 starters from a year ago, but also picks up some solid JUCO help that were in for the spring & will be ready to contribute once the season begins. The WR core is also very solid, and boasts one of the conferences best in JR WR Earvin Johnson. This has all the makings of a very potent attack, and will play a major role in UNLV’s turnaround in ’03. The defense looks to be the problem area for the Rebels. They’re very thin on the D-line, and that could become a problem if injuries pile up again. They did recruit some highly touted JUCO’s though, so hopefully they catch on to the schemes quickly. The LB core is the unit’s strongest link, and one of the best in the conference. Ryan Claridge, Adam Seward, & John Andrews are All MT West 1st team candidate’s. The secondary boasts one of the conference’s best Safeties in Jamaal Brimmer, but they have to find 3 other starters at the other positions. The special teams looks to go from a weakness to a strength in ’03 with the return of both kickers. I truly feel the rebels are the dark horse in the Mt. West for this season. They get most of the conference big dawgs at home, and have a manageable non-conference slate. HC John Robinson is a very good coach winning twice as many games as he’s lost, and even he says this is his best team yet. They’re flying under the radar right now, but they’ll definitely be under the watchful eye of the nation come October. They will have a winning season in ’03, and will definitely go bowling.
-- UNLV is 1-3 ATS their L/4 Homecoming games (vs. Utah 10/18)
AIR FORCE FALCONS O:7 D:6
HC Fisher DeBerry continues to amaze me by putting solid teams on the field every year with the amount of players he loses annually. This year is a different story though as he returns a total of 13 starters from a year ago, and gets his QB back for his senior season. This team is very fundamentally sound, and has loads of heart. The only thing lacking for this group is talent. What they lack in talent, they excel in smarts. This is a very smart football team, and the offensive attack is literally run to perfection. Their wishbone attack is prolific, and QB Harridge runs it like a pro. He rushed for 1300 yards, and scored a mind boggling 22 TD’s!!! His RB trio is damn good, but has to step it up to replace last seasons star. The O-line is ecstatic to welcome back 4 full time starter’s from a year ago, so you can rest assure the offensive attack will be tough to stop once again. The defense is a bit small, but they get to the ball quickly. They return 6 from a year ago, but have some glaring deficiencies. They’ll need to replace their #1 tackler from a year ago, and fill the holes in their secondary that only returns 2 starters. This defense will have a tough go of it at first, but should be better come conference play. The Falcons are a very gritty team, but they’ve got their work cut out for them if they plan on making any noise in the MT West this season. They have to travel to BYU, CSU, and New Mexico, & I truly don’t see them winning any of those SU. Even with the return of all those starters, I just don’t see them being a major player in the conference.
-- The Falcons are 3-7 ATS as a double-digit favorite the L/3 years.
WYOMING COWBOYS 0:7 D:8
The new coaching staff has this program revitalized. They return 15 starters from a year ago, and have one of the most potent offenses in the conference. They have to step up on defense to have any shot of escaping the basement in the standings, and I believe they’ll do just that. The Cowboys look top be a team to grab the points with this season due to their fantastic offense.
UTAH UTES O:5 D:5
New coaching regime lead by Urban Meyer formerly of Bowling Green. The Ute’s underachieved over the years, and ultimately cost Ron McBride his job. The offense lacks punch, and has to replace 2 starters on the O-line. The defense still looks pretty tough. This will be a rebuilding season for sure.
SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS O:6 D:7
The Aztecs have a nice looking defense, but lack the firepower on offense even with their solid QB. They have to find themselves a running game, or else it’s going to be a very long year for them.
COLORADO STATE RAMS O:8 D:7
The Rams had themselves a fantastic 2002 season. They won the Mt West title outright, and were a very exciting squad to watch. HC Sonny Lubick has done a masterful job with this program, and he has the returning talent to get it done again in 2003. QB Bradlee Van Pelt returns for his senior season to lead a very potent offense. This kids got the heart and guts you love to see your starting QB have. I’ve seen him lower his shoulder against guys twice his size when scrambling, and then dust himself off to run the hurry up offense. His play is erratic at times, but the kids a gamer & gets the job done more times than not. The RB core loses a stud, but they’ve got some solid replacements looking to make their mark in Tristan Walker & Rashaan Sanders. They should still put up solid numbers as the veteran O-line looks to improve on last season’s output of 4.6 yards per carry. The WR core is headed by its all everything player Joel Dreesen who was voted 1st team Mt West a year ago. This has all the makings of a very solid offense, and they will most likely put just as many points on the board if not more in ’03. The defense returns 7 starters from a year ago, and are a much more experienced group overall. The D-line wasn’t that great last year, but they return 6 of 8 hogs and should pack more of a punch. The LB core returns 3 full time starters from a year ago, and all 3 are all-conference caliber. Eric Pauly, Drew Wood, and Adam Wade are all seniors, and look to be the best LB core in the conference. The secondary looks to be the biggest question mark on the stop unit. CB Dexter Wynn is solid, but every other spot looks a bit shaky. They do have better overall depth, so maybe they’ll find a few guys that are capable. The kicking game is left in the fine hands of Jeff Babcock, and the dangerous Dexter Wynn will be returning both punts and kicks. Last season ended on a sour note, and the Rams of 2003 will come out with blood in their eyes. They have a more manageable schedule, and have an excellent shot of repeating as MT West champs.
-- CSU is 5-1 ATS their L/6 season openers (8/30 vs. Colorado).
NEW MEXICO LOBOS O:10 D:7
Head coach Rocky Long has seen his Lobos pick up 1 more win every year since he’s arrived, and he’s got his best unit ever since taking over. The Lobos return a total of 17 starters, and look to build upon last year’s momentum. The offense returns 10 starters from a year ago, and will have to be more potent. QB Kelly comes off a solid 2002 campaign that saw him throw for 1900 yards and 14 TD’s. He has conference’s best O-line blocking for him which should give him plenty of time to find his receiver’s downfield. MT West freshman of the year RB Dontrell Moore returns as well, and looks to make an even bigger impact in ’03. He looks to be the best RB in the conference provided he stays healthy. The WR core really underachieved last season, and I expect them to turn it up a notch this year. The Lobos have themselves a gigantic front wall, a capable QB, speedy WR’s, and a solid WR core. Putting more points on the board will only help their cause b/c they have a very tough defense. The defense returns 7 from a year ago, but loses its MVP. Their DC moved to Provo in the off-season so they brought in an experienced DC, Osia Lewis, who coached with Rocky Long before. The D-line looks very solid anchored by Renteria and Kegler who are both seniors. They have plenty of depth, and will be tough to contain. The LB core is loaded with depth & experience, and return SR LB Billy Strother who was voted the team’s defensive player of the year. The Lobos have to find solid CB’s as they’re depended on immensely in the 3-3-5 scheme, but they have a solid pair of safeties returning in Ratcliff & Golden. The special teams returns completely intact, and will be a major force throughout the season. Heck, maybe they’ll give Katie a shot at redeeming herself….LOL. This is by far HC Long’s best unit, and they get the conference big dawgs at home in CSU & BYU. Winning those 2 games will definitely give them the upper hand in winning the Mt West as the rest of their schedule is very manageable. I expect the Lobos to win at least 1 more game than last year, and keep HC Long’s streak intact. This team is definitely going bowling in 2003.
-- The Lobos are 9-3 ATS as a home fav, and 10-6 ATS as a road pup the L/4 years.
BYU COUGARS 0:5 D:10
Many fans of the Cougars were left shaking their heads after last year’s nightmare season, but I believe the Cougars will be much improved in ’03. HC Gary Crowton’s first season was fantastic as the Cougars went 12-2, but the honeymoon came to a screeching halt last year as BYU suffered its first losing season in 30 year’s. This year’s squad has a much different flavor to it. The defense returns 10 starters from a year ago, and has added a new DC to their attack. Bronco Mendenhall comes over from New Mexico, and he brings over his very nasty 3-3-5 defense. The Cougars have loads of talent on the defensive side of the ball that will thrive in this new set. Expect them to be very tenacious, and to force many turnovers. The front 7 has tremendous depth and experience, and will be a tough unit for opposing offenses to contain. The secondary boasts a solid CB duo in Barney & Gilford, and is one of the best in the conference. This unit will be much better this season, and it could be one of the best in the nation stat-wise. The offense has some major impact players on it, but it also has some question marks. The first being the play of QB Matt berry. He has to show more consistency. The O-line needs to find 3 new starters, but is loaded with talent and should become a force as the season progresses. RB Marcus Whalen returns for his junior campaign, and looks to topple the 1000-yard mark. The WR core is a bit inexperienced, but should thrive under HC Crowton’s format. The special teams should be fantastic with the return of pretty much everyone, but a replacement punt returner must be found. Last year was a major step back for the Cougar’s, but I like the way their team shakes up this season. The picked up a fantastic defensive coordinator, and I expect HC Crowton to have his offense back on target. Provo doesn’t smile upon efforts like last season, and you can bet they’ll be voicing their opinions if things haven’t changed out of the gate. Last year was an absolute embarrassment for BYU, and I foresee them atoning for their sins in 2003.
-- BYU is 7-5 ATS as a home fav under Crowton, but 2-7 ATS as a road chalk.
UNLV REBELS O:5 D:6
WTF has happened to the Rebels the L/2 year’s?? They looked like a team on the rise after the 2000 season, and then went into the tank. Thank god that over-hyped QB Jason Thomas is gone, and in is Kurt Nantkes who led the Reb’s to a shocking win over CSU in their road finale last season. This offense is loaded with talent, & QB Nantkes has the gun to get the ball to his playmakers. The RB core is stacked with talent in Larry Croom & Dominique Dorsey, and they figure to have a solid year behind a more experienced front wall. The O-line returns 3 starters from a year ago, but also picks up some solid JUCO help that were in for the spring & will be ready to contribute once the season begins. The WR core is also very solid, and boasts one of the conferences best in JR WR Earvin Johnson. This has all the makings of a very potent attack, and will play a major role in UNLV’s turnaround in ’03. The defense looks to be the problem area for the Rebels. They’re very thin on the D-line, and that could become a problem if injuries pile up again. They did recruit some highly touted JUCO’s though, so hopefully they catch on to the schemes quickly. The LB core is the unit’s strongest link, and one of the best in the conference. Ryan Claridge, Adam Seward, & John Andrews are All MT West 1st team candidate’s. The secondary boasts one of the conference’s best Safeties in Jamaal Brimmer, but they have to find 3 other starters at the other positions. The special teams looks to go from a weakness to a strength in ’03 with the return of both kickers. I truly feel the rebels are the dark horse in the Mt. West for this season. They get most of the conference big dawgs at home, and have a manageable non-conference slate. HC John Robinson is a very good coach winning twice as many games as he’s lost, and even he says this is his best team yet. They’re flying under the radar right now, but they’ll definitely be under the watchful eye of the nation come October. They will have a winning season in ’03, and will definitely go bowling.
-- UNLV is 1-3 ATS their L/4 Homecoming games (vs. Utah 10/18)
AIR FORCE FALCONS O:7 D:6
HC Fisher DeBerry continues to amaze me by putting solid teams on the field every year with the amount of players he loses annually. This year is a different story though as he returns a total of 13 starters from a year ago, and gets his QB back for his senior season. This team is very fundamentally sound, and has loads of heart. The only thing lacking for this group is talent. What they lack in talent, they excel in smarts. This is a very smart football team, and the offensive attack is literally run to perfection. Their wishbone attack is prolific, and QB Harridge runs it like a pro. He rushed for 1300 yards, and scored a mind boggling 22 TD’s!!! His RB trio is damn good, but has to step it up to replace last seasons star. The O-line is ecstatic to welcome back 4 full time starter’s from a year ago, so you can rest assure the offensive attack will be tough to stop once again. The defense is a bit small, but they get to the ball quickly. They return 6 from a year ago, but have some glaring deficiencies. They’ll need to replace their #1 tackler from a year ago, and fill the holes in their secondary that only returns 2 starters. This defense will have a tough go of it at first, but should be better come conference play. The Falcons are a very gritty team, but they’ve got their work cut out for them if they plan on making any noise in the MT West this season. They have to travel to BYU, CSU, and New Mexico, & I truly don’t see them winning any of those SU. Even with the return of all those starters, I just don’t see them being a major player in the conference.
-- The Falcons are 3-7 ATS as a double-digit favorite the L/3 years.
WYOMING COWBOYS 0:7 D:8
The new coaching staff has this program revitalized. They return 15 starters from a year ago, and have one of the most potent offenses in the conference. They have to step up on defense to have any shot of escaping the basement in the standings, and I believe they’ll do just that. The Cowboys look top be a team to grab the points with this season due to their fantastic offense.
UTAH UTES O:5 D:5
New coaching regime lead by Urban Meyer formerly of Bowling Green. The Ute’s underachieved over the years, and ultimately cost Ron McBride his job. The offense lacks punch, and has to replace 2 starters on the O-line. The defense still looks pretty tough. This will be a rebuilding season for sure.
SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS O:6 D:7
The Aztecs have a nice looking defense, but lack the firepower on offense even with their solid QB. They have to find themselves a running game, or else it’s going to be a very long year for them.
