Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Rebels football:

Boise State dominates the Mountain West’s preseason polls; UNLV selected 9th

The Rebels were one of just two teams to have no players on the preseason all-conference team while the Broncos led the way with 5

UNLV Helmet 2012

UNLV Photo Services

The Rebels have new football helmets for the 2012 season. Changes include a stripe down the middle, a different color scheme on the block “UNLV” lettering and a darker overall color.

Boise State enters this season on top of the Mountain West.

The Broncos, who next year will play football in the Big East, are predicted to finish first and have the most preseason all-conference team selections, it was announced Tuesday at the Mountain West’s media days at the Cosmopolitan. The polls are selected by members of the media.

UNLV is predicted to finish ninth and joins New Mexico (10th) as the only teams without a player on the 25-man preseason team.

The Broncos received 27 of 30 first-place votes for a total of 296 points, a comfortable distance ahead of second-place UNR (244). The other first-place votes went to Fresno State (2) and San Diego State (1).

The conference’s new blood is represented well as UNR and Fresno State placed second and third, respectively, and Fresno State junior quarterback Derek Carr was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. His defensive counterpart is San Diego State senior defensive back Leon McFadden.

Last year, McFadden led the league in passes defended (17) and also had two interceptions. Playing in the Western Athletic Conference as a junior, Carr threw for 3,544 yards with 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

Boise State senior return man Mitch Burroughs is the Special Teams Player of the Year. The Broncos placed five members on the preseason team. UNR and Colorado State each had four.

Below is the full preseason lists:

2012 PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

Rk. Team (1st-place votes) Points

1. Boise State (27) 296

2. UNR 244

3. Fresno State (2) 231

4. Wyoming 213

5. San Diego State (1) 173

6. Air Force 170

7. Hawaii 116

8. Colorado State 111

9. UNLV 63

10. New Mexico 33

2012 PRESEASON TEAM

Offense

QB — Derek Carr, Jr., Fresno State

WR — Matt Miller, So., Boise State

WR — Colin Lockett, Jr., San Diego State

RB — Robbie Rouse, Sr., Fresno State

RB — Chris Nwoke, Jr., Colorado State

OL — Chris Barker, Sr., UNR

OL — Joe Kellogg, Sr., Boise State

OL — Weston Richburg, Jr., Colorado State

OL — Nick Carlson, Sr., Wyoming

OL — Jeff Nady, Sr., UNR

TE — Gavin Escobar, Jr., San Diego State

Defense

DL — Mike Purcell, Sr., Wyoming

DL — Mike Atkinson, Sr., Boise State

DL — Paipai Falemalu, Sr., Hawaii

DL — Jack Reynoso, Jr., UNR

LB — Travis Brown, Sr., Fresno State

LB — Shaquil Barrett, Jr., Colorado State

LB — Alex Means, Sr., Air Force

DB — Leon McFadden, Sr., San Diego State

DB — Duke Williams, Sr., UNR

DB — Luke Ruff, Sr., Wyoming

DB — Jamar Taylor, Sr., Boise State

Specialists

P — Pete Kontodiakos, Sr., Colorado State

PK — Parker Herrington, Sr., Air Force

Ret. — Mitch Burroughs, Sr., Boise State

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Derek Carr, Jr., QB, Fresno State

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Leon McFadden, Sr., DB, San Diego State

Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year: Mitch Burroughs, Sr., RS, Boise State

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.

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