Thus far, we’ve taken a look at the Sun Belt, the MAC, and Conference USA. This week, we will break down the Mountain West Conference.
Q: Who is the player to watch in the Mountain West Conference?
Terry Johnson:
On Twitter @SectionTPJ
Without question, it’s Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien.
From the moment that I published my “5 Group of 5 Quarterbacks to Build a Program Around” piece, college football fans from across the nation (not just out West) tore into me for not including Rypien on the list.
Who could blame them? Rypien had a monster season last year, completing 272 of 428 passes for 3,350 yards with an impressive 20/8 TD-to-INT ratio. He was especially impressive in the second half of games last fall, completing 60.8% of his throws with nine TDs against only three interceptions.
In addition, he played well when the game was on the line. In drives where Boise was either tied or within seven points either way, Rypien completed 107 of 161 passes (66.45%) for 1,176 yards and an 8/2 TD-to-INT ratio.
What coach wouldn’t want a signal caller who can deliver in a tight contest?
As great as his numbers were last year, Rypien’s stats should be even better in 2016. With Jeremy McNichols (1,337 yards, 20 TD), a veteran offensive line (94 career starts), and four of his five top targets from last season returning, he has plenty of weapons to work with, and will have no trouble carving up opposing defenses.
Don’t be surprised if he earns All-American honors at some point in his career.
Kevin Causey
On Twitter @CFBZ
If Faton Bauta somehow wins the Colorado State starting QB job then I reserve the right to change my pick to him just because his story is so interesting. However, since Bauta is up against a returning starter and I don’t know how much playing time he will get my pick is……
Kent Myers of Utah State.
Myers has been caught in the shadow of Chuckie Keeton but is a very good QB in his own right. In 2015, he split time with Keeton and finished with 16 TD vs 3 INT with over 1,500 passing yards. He also added 357 rushing yards and 3 rushing TD.
Keeton is gone but Myers is definitely one to keep an eye on for Utah State.
Joe Dexter
On Twitter @BuckeyeRadio
Paul Harris might be one of the 50 most common names in America, but there’s a good chance that even college football zealots don’t even know of Hawaii’s running back who goes by Mr. Paul Harris.
The Columbus, Ohio, native struggled to start last season, but really shined in the month of November, gaining 58 percent of his yardage for the season during that timeframe. He also averaged a season-high 6.54 yards per carry during the final month of the regular season.
What makes Harris a player to watch is that he is so diverse as a running back. He’s not going to score often in the Hawaii offense, thanks the the short yardage ability of fellow running back Melvin Davis. Yet, Harris has shown great vision for a smaller back in the middle of the field. Even more impressive is his speed in space. If you leave him open in the flat, or the Rainbow Warriors seal the edge on counters and sweeps — defenses are in major trouble.
Harris isn’t going to be a go-to guy on third down. He isn’t your go-to guy in short yardage situations. 97 percent of his touches were on first and second down.
However, whenever someone averages more than 6.4 yards per carry over the final month of the season, I’m definitely keeping an eye on him the following year.
Eli Hershkovich
On Twitter @EliHershkovich
I’ll pick Brian Hill from Wyoming.
The 6-foot-1, 211 pound workhorse rushed for 1,631 yards on 281 touches (5.8 YPC), eclipsing Ryan Christopherson’s 1,455 yards in ‘94 for the single-season school-record. He even ranked first in the conference and ninth in the country, behind some well-known studs, like Alabama’s Derrick Henry (2,219 yards), Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey (2,019 yards), Louisiana State’s Leonard Fournette (1,953 yards), and Ohio State’s Ezekiel Elliott (1,821 yards).
Although Hill ran for at least 200 yards four times a season ago, he stumbled against elite competition. The Belleville, Illinois native compiled just 76 yards on 23 carries (3.3 YPC) versus Boise State, who finished fifth in FBS Division I in rushing defense, along with owning the second-best record (9-4) in the Mountain West. He failed to improve upon those numbers against San Diego State, who placed seventh in the nation in that same category, as well as winning the conference title (11-3), scavenging for only 76 yards on 20 touches (3.6 YPC).
While the junior could boast machine-like totals in the 2016-17 campaign, he must be extremely well-oiled when facing the top dogs. On top of the aforementioned conference foes, Hill will battle Nebraska’s ninth-ranked rushing defense (3.77 YPC) and Northern Illinois, who positioned itself at No. 71 (4.0 YPC) in 2015-16. If the all-around tailback discovers a way to break through, he could launch himself into conversation for the Doak Walker Award.
