Conference Champion

A Wide Open Mountain West Conference
By Jim Kruger

Picking the Mountain West Conference Champion for the 2006 season could be riskier than riding shotgun with Mel Gibson on a Friday night. Whatever team does finish first in the Mountain West this year, they very well should expand the respect the conference has gained with the success of Utah in 2004 and last year with Texas Christian University.

TCU’s 8-0 conference record, 11-1 overall, was definitely a shocker considering the Horned Frogs were picked to finish fifth by most prognosticators. Ya’ think the MWC teams should have noticed something when TCU knocked off Oklahoma in Norman in their opening game last year?

I am looking at the MWC as a three-team race this year between the afore-mentioned reptiles along with Joe Pesci’s favorite team, the Utah Utes, and Donny Osmond’s preferred school, BYU. San Diego State is the Rip Van Winkle of the league.

I believe Utah is going to win the race to the top of the MWC. First, they play both TCU & BYU at home. The Utes have a very efficient quarterback in Brian Johnson, who was fourth in the nation last year in total offense. This will be the second year under head coach Kyle Whittingham after Urban Meyer went south to work on his tan. Whittingham should be more comfortable in the head role this year.

Utah had the best recruiting class in the MWC and could have some real beasts in the defensive line with JUCO transfer Aaron Tonga and freshman Joe Faifili. The defense will be led by all-MWC cornerback Eric Weddle in a strong secondary. The biggest question mark is at running back, where there are a lot of young candidates.

BYU has the quarterback with the best chance of moving to the next level, John Beck. BYU ranked sixth in the nation last year in passing offense scoring 33 points per game. This year, with eight starters returning on the offensive side, the Cougars are going to be even more explosive, especially after getting a year under their belt with offensive coordinator Robert Anae’s spread system. Yep, BYU lost star WR Todd Watkins, but they have true frosh speedster McKay Jacobson for Beck to hit deep. The running attack should improve with a quality veteran offensive line.