Mountain West Wire

Jeremy and Matt are back to go through a few Mountain West football topics. The Mountain West released a vague letter of words about returning to sports and it seems that for football, those games will return in January. Air Force is teasing everyone with maybe playing Commander-in-Chief games. Finally, Will the AAC's success which could include multiple New Year's Six game be seen as legitimate with four conferences not playing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt are back to talk some Mountain West football and what things the two will miss the most about the year. Besides everything, the two discuss the games and storylines that are not going to happen this fall and hopefully they do happen in the spring but it will be to a lesser degree. There are many non-conference and conference games we are going to miss the most, but it will be the out of league slate that will not return. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy is joined by Andrew to try to figure out and guess how a college basketball season can take place. The dates for the season are still up in the air and that could have an impact on how a season is played,. Odds are that there will need to be a bubble scenario in different conferences and regions across the country. We get into a few plans for conference-only bubbles, non-conference bubbles and a few scenarios to make the NCAA Tournament happen and possibly be weird. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy is joined by Brandon Huffman who is the national recruiting editor for 247Sports to discuss how recruiting is impacted by COVID-19. There are not only four FBS conferences not playing this fall, including the Mountain West, but a good number of states that are pushing back high school football into the spring. We discuss how offering these athletes is becoming different, especially for the 2022 class, and how limited high school football will likely prevent poaching from Power 5 programs at the last second.  There also is the discussion about transfer athletes and if there will be a place to play for some of even the top FBS talent who want to play this fall. Then there is the aspect of negative recruiting from schools and leagues that are saying they value football more and other leagues that are saying we value your health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt are back to take a look at what have been for the UNLV and San Jose State's football season. These were the two teams we did not get to before the Mountain West decided cancel the fall season. We go through each team and what could have been by going through the rosters of each team. A big takeaway was that San Jose State has things going in the right direction and could have caused some noise in 2020. UNLV would under a new head coach has a lot to work on, especially a defense that has given up over 30 points per game for basically forever. We start the show discussing some news with New Mexico which is being sued by the family of Nahje Flowers who took his own life and the lawsuit alleges that head coach Bob Davie overruled doctors that said Flowers should not be playing but was forced to anyways. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt and Jeremy are back to take a look at some comparisons of teams that are similar in style, play and historical for the upcoming season. We run through the teams and do our best to comp Group of 5 and Power 5 teams to get on the bandwagon now. We also go through some news with transfer portal updates and who could go where, plus could the league see seniors pass on their final year if a spring season is not really in their best interest. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt are back to discuss the decision that the Mountain West made which was to cancel football in the fall with the plan to push it back in the spring. We dive into why that decision was made. Losing the season is a gut punch even if it was expected by a lot of people. There is a petition to get college football back for the Big Ten but that seems to be short-sighted with the medical evidence we know and a lot we do not know. We also go through many options of how a Mountain West spring football season could be done safely. They include a showcase, monthly games, rivals only and a shortened season of seven games. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy is joined by James Jimenez of Hustle Belt who covers MAC sports as the assistant site manager and creative director. We go over the reasons behind MAC canceled the football season and if it was the right choice (which is the right move). Health was clearly at the top as to why to not play football from both leagues, plus with actual football not happening yet, we don't know how much COVDI-19 will be transferred once the players get in close contact. We also discuss if there is anyway a spring season can happen safely even without a vaccine for coronavirus. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt discuss the new schedule for the upcoming Mountain West football schedule which is an eight-game league slate plus two non-conference games. This allows Air Force to schedule Army and Navy but the league says teams can schedule up to two more games, so there will be some teams that play anywhere between eight and 10 games. Then they discuss if there will even be a college football season with the MAC not playing this fall and UConn also forgoing football this fall. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt and Jeremy are joined by our Colorado State writer Josh Fredlund to discuss the allegations put on the Colorado State. The issues started with COVID-19 protocols allegedly being violated by the coaching staff. That started an investigation but that was not all. There are also allegations of racial issues within the program. There are a lot of players and coaches who back new head coach Steve Addazio so there is something going on in the program. There is a lot to figure out and the school is looking into the football department and the athletic department as this is not all encompassed within the athletic department.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt and Jeremy are back to preview the 2020 Boise State season. As of now, the Broncos have a full 12-game slate so we preview as normal. While this Boise State team does return 11 starts back from both sides of the ball there seems to not be any regression and possibly even an improvement over last year. The quarterback spot is one of the deepest in the league with starter Hank Bachmeier returning for his second year and he should take a big step forward, assuming he remains healthy. Running back is deep as well led by George Holani also heading into his sophomore season, the wide receiving group does lose talent but there is talent back. The offensive line and defensive line are the biggest question marks heading into the season. The former while losing four starters had plenty of backups who started in 2019, plus a few transfers who will help shore up that line. The defense loses some big names and usually every year there is a name that people aren't really familiar with that step up for a huge season an

Jeremy and Matt are back to preview the Nevada Wolf Pack team. This Nevada squad brings back a lot of its talent from last year and couple that with a strong November and this team could be in contention to win the West Division. The team now has just one quarterback in Carson Strong and he is entrenched as the starter and he did play in 10 games last year. There are other pieces as well that include one of the best WR's in Elijah Cooks, the entire offensive line returns and its two top running backs. That should be a success for a breakout offensive season. The defense returns 10 starters and if they can build upon consistency and be about average then that will allow the Wolf Pack to make a bowl game and challenge for a Mountain West title. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt provide a quick update to Air Force football with QB Donald Hammond III no longer in good standing and likely will not be with the Falcons team this year. This is a huge loss as Hammond was going to be our first-team quarterback and offensive player of the year, so the Falcons losing him is a big deal for their success in 2020. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt are back to preview the Air Force football season which is already down one game with the Purdue cancelation. The Falcons do lose a lot of talent, eight total starters, but their offense returns their key players in two of the best offensive lineman around, QB Donald Hammond III, and its top two running backs. The defense will have issues in the secondary with most of those starters gone and as per usual, if the Air Force defense can be just above average in yards per play allowed this team will very much compete for a Mountain West title. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matt and Jeremy are back to talk about the tumultuous upcoming college football season that is looking less and less not normal. The Pac-12 and Big Ten have announced that they are going with only conference games and that hurts the Mountain West by losing 15 games. The two discuss what a Mountain West football season will look like and what the most likely option could be. They also discuss any and all options, including getting in regional games that include BYU. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt are back to preview the 2020 Utah State which is a team that has a unique identity for this upcoming year. There is a new quarterback in Henry Colombi, a new starting running back in potential breakout star Jaylen Warren, the defense is brand new and there is a new offensive coordinator in Bodie Reeder who comes over from North Texas.  The schedule could be the biggest hurdle for the Aggies team in making a bowl game. They have Washington, Washington State and BYU in non-league play, and in the two cross-division games are San Diego State and Nevada. Looking at games in a vaccum there are a lot of winnable games but the layout of the schedule does not help. There is no key returning defender for the Aggies but there is usually a standout everyone will know, but we just don't have a real good idea who that can be. Also, head coach Gary Andersen is relying on a number of transfers to fill the defensive holes. This season could be wild for Utah State. --- Send in a voice message: https://an

Jeremy and Matt are back to take a look at what the upcoming college football season will look like now that athletes are back on campus. With players back for workouts in a small and divided group, there are still people resting positive for COVID-19 and these are non-contact workouts. How can the season go on as planned if non-contact activities cause some COVID-19 positive tests? What goes on when there has to be physical contact to play actual football. There will be an attempt to have a normal season but it will be tough if the virus keeps spreading the season will be shortened, condensed and, who knows, maybe even canceled. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt are back to preview the Hawaii Warriors 2020 football team which will, if nothing else, be an exciting team to watch in the Mountain West. They have a new head coach in Todd Graham and also lost a lot of offensive talent in Cole McDonald and the top three wide receivers but there is potential with who is returning and replacing those players. There is the go-go offense which people should look up and get to know and that unique style of play. As for the defense, they just need to take a small step up to help this team overall. The defensive line need more of a pass rush or disruption to help out the entire unit. Hawaii has the talent to be a contender in the West Division if things go well and repeat as division champs.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeremy and Matt are back to preview the 2020 New Mexico Lobos football season. The Lobos have moved on from the Bob Davie-era and made a great hire in Danny Gonzales who is a former Lobo coach and player. This hire was very popular with the Lobos fans as was being able to get back Rocky Long to the staff as he is the defensive coordinator. This team has some potential but with a lot of questions. Quarterback is up in the air but there is a lean toward Tevaka Tuioti who has the most experience and is the only New Mexico signal-caller to complete more than 50 percent of his passes. The top-five pass catchers are back and the running game has a lot of questions but options to tote the ball. The defense has some real issues with players transferring and overall not being that great, specifically in its pass defense. That is where Long and Gonzales come in as defensive coaches to get these players ready. This team likely won't go bowling but they will be an interesting team to watch. --- Send in a voice mess

Matt and Jeremy are back to preview the 2020 Wyoming Cowboys football season. This Wyoming team has a lot of potential and even the loss of the multiple NFL Draft picks, this team can still be in the running for the Mountain Division title. The Cowboys do need to settle out its quarterback situation between Levi Williams and Sean Chambers, plus the wide receiving group needs new faces. The defense could be as good as 2019 as the backups who were making plays in a limited role will now have a larger spot on the team and become potential all-conference players. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mwwire/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices