Columnist Dean Juipe: MWC coaches get chance to sound off

Dean Juipe

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2002 | 9:17 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

The idea was to see what these guys had to say for themselves, coaching, as they do, in a football league that seems to have collectively underachieved and that right now has only two teams that are bowl eligible.

Is the Mountain West Conference really as bad as it sometimes looks? And are two of its eight head coaches finishing out the season with a foot in the grave?

Answers were tenuous and opinions were varied as we took a stab at it Tuesday.

Utah coach Ron McBride, on the hottest of the hot seats, didn't make himself available and deferred to defensive coordinator Kyle Whittingham, who sized up the 2-6 Utes in a less-than-flattering manner. "It's amazing the way we're finding ways to lose," he said, Utah having been picked to win the conference by many yet standing 0-4 in league play today. McBride, 63, is experiencing only his third losing season in 13 but rumors have him dangerously close to either stepping down or being cast aside.

Perhaps BYU coach Gary Crowton can relate. That sparkling 12-2 record he compiled last season as the rookie coach of the Cougars looks more and more like a byproduct of the LaVell Edwards era, now that Crowton's second BYU team is 0-3 in the conference and a pedestrian 3-5 overall.

"The fans ... they can get mad a little bit," Crowton said, fully aware that they're not too happy in Provo. "We haven't been very good but I feel we're getting better. It's been frustrating. We had such a good season last year (and losing) is different for BYU."

But it's not all that unusual at New Mexico and this year's 4-5 Lobos are no exception. "I don't think there's a big difference between the top teams in our league and the bottom ones," said coach Rocky Long, blaming that old standby -- parity -- for everyone's ills.

Healthier than most is Colorado State yet it has a huge game at Air Force scheduled for Thursday. The Rams, as the catch phrase goes, control their own destiny in that they're 3-0 in league play (and 7-2 overall) and have not only Air Force but BYU and San Diego State still to play.

"There's a sense of satisfaction," said coach Sonny Lubick, although poor weather has driven his team indoors for its practice sessions.

Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry has to regroup at a most inopportune time, as the Falcons have gone from 6-0 to 6-2 in two weeks after losses to Notre Dame and -- shockingly -- Wyoming.

"I was wary of the Wyoming team," he said, wariness being a trait understood by all coaches. "I don't think (that loss) was a hangover from Notre Dame ... but I was a little disappointed in our intensity."

As for hosting Colorado State on Thursday, DeBerry said "I really don't give a rip what the weather is." But he did say it was cold Tuesday morning in Colorado Springs when he reported to work at 5:30.

Wyoming coach Vic Koenning has felt the heat of 1-10, 2-9 and currently 2-6 seasons, but he has little warmth to share.

"Nobody can say I haven't worried (about being fired)," he said. "We're doing the best we can. If the people associated with the program can't see us getting better ... if they can't see the sincerity and the work ethic, I can't worry about that."

The poor man is worried about a few things, however, and -- amazingly -- they all wear UNLV jerseys.

"We're playing a super, super team," he said of facing the Rebels on Saturday, either disregarding the facts of the matter or indirectly chiding the UNLV coaching staff for mishandling the abundance of talent supposedly at its disposal.

"I just think they're extremely, extremely talented," Koenning added. "I'm talking about unbelievably skilled athletes. No one can imagine the stable of running backs they have there; they've got them coming out their ears. (And) nobody's stopped (quarterback) Jason Thomas and (they have) some really fine receivers, also."

Well geez, Vic, just do the best you can.

Which is all coach John Robinson can ask of his UNLV squad, given its 1-2 and 3-5 records and inability to play a decent game back-to-back weeks.

"Every game you play in this league is a toss-up," he said before attempting to right Koenning on the strength and depth of the Rebels' erratic offense.

"I don't think we're a great running ballclub," Robinson said. "We're OK ... but our passing game's not going too well. The offensive line is an issue for us and we have some wildly inaccurate passing games. Whatever we do it's disastrous for us."

San Diego State was feeling disaster-struck when it opened 0-5 but it has since won three MWC games in a row to share a spot at the top of the standings heading into a game at BYU.

"We're learning how to win football games," said coach Tom Craft, expressing a sentiment not usually heard around the Mountain West. He did, however, fall into line with his coaching cohorts by admitting "we let a few games get away from us" earlier in the year.

In all probability, the Aztecs will let a few more slip away as well with not only Brigham Young but New Mexico, Colorado State, Air Force and Hawaii yet to play.