Capsule previews for Mountain West teams ahead of 2016 season

WEST DIVISION

SAN DIEGO STATE

Last season: 11-3, 8-0 MW (first in the West Division). Defeated Air Force 27-24 in the Mountain West championship. Beat Cincinnati 42-7 in the Hawaii Bowl.

Coach: Rocky Long (overall record: 108-92, 16 years; school record: 43-23, five years)

Returning starters: 7 offense, 7 defense

Three players to watch: RB Donnel Pumphrey, CB Damontae Kazee, QB Christian Chapman

Three key losses: RB Chase Price, RT Pearce Slater, LB Jake Fely

Outlook: The Aztecs feature the reigning and preseason MW Players of the Year on offense (Pumphrey, a Canyon Springs High School product), defense (Kazee) and special teams (Rashaad Penny). San Diego State is riding a 10-game win streak, second-longest active run in the Football Bowl Subdivision behind Alabama (11). The schedule is favorable as they avoid Boise State and Air Force. If they can get past Cal at home on Sept. 10, they should have a good shot at going 12-0.

UNR

Last season: 7-6, 4-4 MW (tied for second). Beat Colorado State 28-23 in the Arizona Bowl.

Coach: Brian Polian (overall record: 18-20, three years; school record: 18-20, three years)

Returning starters: 9 offense, 5 defense

Three players to watch: QB Tyler Stewart, RB James Butler, WR Jerico Richardson

Three key losses: RB Don Jackson, LB Jordan Dobrich, LB Matthew Lyons

Outlook: The Wolf Pack lost offensive coordinator Nick Rolovich, who left to become the head coach at Hawaii, but UNR returns virtually its entire starting offense, including Stewart and Butler — last season’s leading rusher with 1,342 yards and 10 TDs. The Wolf Pack also bring back their top four receivers (Richardson, Hasaan Henderson, Wyatt Demps and Jarred Gipson) and entire offensive line. UNR must replace six of its front seven on defense, including its three starting linebackers, but are still well-equipped to go to a bowl game for the 11th time in 12 years.

SAN JOSE STATE

Last season: 6-7, 4-4 MW (tied for second). Beat Georgia State 27-16 in Cure Bowl.

Coach: Ron Caragher (overall record: 59-44, nine years; school record: 15-22, three years)

Returning starters: 9 offense, 7 defense

Three players to watch: QB Kenny Potter, WR Tyler Winston, TE Billy Freeman

Three key losses: RB Tyler Ervin, CB Jimmy Pruitt, WR Hansell Wilson

Outlook: The Spartans will be hard-pressed to replace do-everything Ervin, who compiled 2,637 all-purpose yards (1,601 rushing, 334 receiving, 702 return) and 16 TDs last season. San Jose State faces a tough schedule that includes a pair of Power 5 teams (Utah, Iowa State), road trips to San Diego State and Boise State and a late-season home date against Air Force.

FRESNO STATE

Last season: 3-9, 2-6 MW (tied for fourth).

Coach: Tim Deruyter (overall record: 29-23, four years; school record: 29-23, four years)

Returning starters: 7 offense, 5 defense

Three players to watch: QB Chason Virgil, WR Jamire Jordan, WR Da’Mari Scott

Three key losses: RB Marteze Waller, LB Ejiro Ederaine, LB Kyrie Wilson

Outlook: The Bulldogs have had their production cut almost in half since quarterback Derek Carr departed in 2013, when they went 11-2 and averaged 43.4 points per game. Those numbers dipped to 6-8 and 26.5 in 2014 and to 3-9 and 22.3 last season, when Fresno State finished with its fewest wins since 1978. The Bulldogs, who had four different starting quarterbacks in a six-game stretch last season, are hoping redshirt freshman Virgil can stay healthy after he suffered a season-ending injury in his first career start against Utah.

UNLV

Last season: 3-9, 2-6 MW (tied for fourth)

Coach: Tony Sanchez (overall record: 3-9, second year; school record: 3-9, second year)

Returning starters: 5 offense, 7 defense

Three players to watch: WR Devonte Boyd, RB Lexington Thomas, LB Tau Lotulelei

Three key losses: QB Blake Decker, FS Peni Vea, RB Keith Whitely

Outlook: The Rebels were winning or within a touchdown in the fourth quarter in nine of their 12 games in 2015. A bigger, faster and deeper UNLV team should turn a few of those losses into wins in Year 2 of the Sanchez era. The offensive line has bulked up and the young running backs and receiving corps are explosive. A thin defense that wilted down the stretch last season has been bolstered by a few transfers and returns 11 of its top 15 tacklers, including its starting linebackers. If quarterback Johnny Stanton can get the ball to the Rebels playmakers, UNLV should have a chance to go bowling for only the fifth time in school history.

HAWAII

Last season: 3-10, 0-8 MW (sixth).

Coach: Nick Rolovich (overall record: 0-0, first year)

Returning starters: 9 offense, 4 defense

Three players to watch: RB Paul Harris, QB Ikaika Woolsey, RB Diocemy Saint Juste

Three key losses: WR Quinton Pedroza, LB Julian Gener, LB Benetton Fonua

Outlook: Former Rainbow Warriors quarterback Rolovich will try to revive his alma mater’s once-potent offense, which averaged 35.6 points per game in 2010 and 2011, when he served as Hawaii’s offensive coordinator before bolting for the same role at UNR. While Hawaii, which went 4-28 in league play the last four years, should improve, it appears headed for another rough season. The Rainbow Warriors lost their opener to California, 51-31, on Friday in Australia and the schedule doesn’t get any easier with road games at Michigan, Arizona, Air Force and San Diego State.

MOUNTAIN DIVISION

BOISE STATE

Last season: 9-4, 5-3 MW (second in the Mountain Division). Beat Northern Illinois 55-7 in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Coach: Bryan Harsin (overall record: 28-11, three years; school record: 21-6, two years)

Returning starters: 8 offense, 4 defense

Three players to watch: QB Brett Rypien, WR Thomas Sperbeck, RB Jeremy McNichols

Three key losses: RB Kelsey Young, WR Shane Williams-Rhodes, FS Darian Thompson

Outlook: The Broncos played below their lofty standards last season, when they lost back-to-back home games on their trademark Blue Turf, where they’re 96-6 since 2000, and failed to advance to the MW title game. Boise State appears ready to redeem itself this season behind a pair of preseason all-conference picks in Rypien and Sperbeck, who had 88 catches last season and a school-record 1,412 yards receiving. If the Broncos can beat Pac-12 teams Washington State and Oregon State early in the season, they should take an 11-0 record into their regular-season finale at Air Force.

AIR FORCE

Last season: 8-6, 6-2 MW (first). Lost 27-24 to San Diego State in the MW championship. Lost 55-36 to California in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Coach: Troy Calhoun (overall record: 67-50, nine years; school record: 67-50, nine years)

Returning starters: 4 offense, 8 defense

Three players to watch: TB Jacobi Owens, WR Jalen Robinette, QB Nate Romine

Three key losses: QB Karson Roberts, DE Alex Hansen, WR Garrett Brown

Outlook: Besides San Diego State and Boise State, Air Force was the only other school to receive first-place votes (two) in the MW preseason media poll. The Falcons beat the Broncos 37-30 on the Blue Turf last season on their way to the MW title game. Air Force appears capable of similar success this season as it returns its top five running backs — all of whom had 100-yard games last year. The Falcons also return eight starters on defense, including first team All-MW defensive backs Roland Ladipo and Weston Steelhammer. Air Force has won 12 straight games at home, where it’ll wrap up the regular season against Boise State in a matchup that will likely have MW title game implications.

UTAH STATE

Last season: 6-7, 5-3 MW (tied for second). Lost 23-21 to Akron in Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Coach: Matt Wells (overall record: 25-16, three years; school record: 25-16, three years)

Returning starters: 9 offense, 3 defense

Three players to watch: QB Kent Myers, RB Devante Mays, RB LaJuan Hunt

Three key losses: WR Hunter Sharp, LB Nick Vigil, LB Kyler Fackrell

Outlook: The Aggies return their top three rushers from last season, when they went to their fifth straight bowl game. Utah State was 17th in the FBS in yards allowed (332.5 per game) but return only three starters on defense and must replace a pair of first team all-MW linebackers in Fackrell and Vigil. The Aggies are 23-3 in their last 26 at home, where they’ll host Air Force and San Diego State this season. They have three tough road games at Southern California, Boise State and Brigham Young.

COLORADO STATE

Last season: 7-6, 5-3 MW (tied for second). Lost 28-23 to UNR in Arizona Bowl.

Coach: Mike Bobo (overall record: 7-6, second year; school record: 7-6, second year)

Returning starters: 6 offense, 4 defense

Three players to watch: RB Izzy Matthews, RB Dalyn Dawkins, LB Kevin Davis

Three key losses: RB Jasen Oden, WR Rashard Higgins, WR Joe Hansley

Outlook: The Rams lost their entire defensive line and return only four starters to a defense that allowed 27.2 points per game last season. Colorado State brings back six starters on offense, where it lost its top four wideouts, including Rashard Higgins, the school’s career receiving leader. The Rams, who will move into their new $220 million on-campus stadium in 2017, face a daunting road schedule with trips to Minnesota, Boise State, Air Force and San Diego State.

NEW MEXICO

Last season: 7-6, 5-3 MW (tied for second). Lost 45-37 to Arizona in New Mexico Bowl.

Coach: Bob Davie (overall record: 53-57, nine years; school record: 18-32, four years)

Returning starters: 5 offense, 10 defense

Three players to watch: QB Lamar Jordan, RB Teriyon Gipson, LB Dakota Cox

Three key losses: RB Jhurell Pressley, WR Carlos Wiggins, TE Reece White

Outlook: The Lobos made the fourth-biggest improvement in the FBS last season in yards allowed per game (81 less than in 2014) and are expected to make further strides this season behind the best defense in Davie’s four years in Albuquerque . Cox, who has averaged more than 100 tackles in each of the last three seasons despite suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in 2014, leads a group of 10 returning starters on defense . New Mexico, which went 3-33 in the three seasons before Davie took over in 2012, earned its first bowl berth in eight years last season.

WYOMING

Last season: 2-10, 2-6 MW (sixth)

Coach: Craig Bohl (overall record: 110-50, 13 years; school record: 6-18, two years)

Returning starters: 9 offense, 8 defense

Three players to watch: RB Brian Hill, WR Jake Maulhardt, WR Tanner Gentry

Three key losses: QB Cameron Coffman, DE Eddie Yarbrough, DE Siaosi Hala’api’api

Outlook: The Cowboys have averaged only 20 points per game the past two seasons under Bohl, who guided North Dakota State to three consecutive Football Championship Subdivision national titles from 2011 to 2013. Those numbers should improve behind nine returning starters on offense, led by Hill, who set the school’s single-season rushing record with 1,631 yards last year and had four 200-yard rushing games. However, the defense, which gave up 34 ppg last season, remains suspect and the schedule is brutal (vs. Northern Illinois, Air Force, Boise State, and San Diego State and at Nebraska and Colorado State).