Cougars Picked by Media and Coaches as Early MWC Favorite

The BYU Cougars are the consensus favorites to win the inaugural Mountain West Conference football title, according to participants of the new conference's first-ever media day in Colorado Springs Monday. In voting by both the coaches and the media, BYU placed first followed by Air Force and San Diego State. Individual preseason honors were headlined by senior linebacker Rob Morris, who was selected as the MWC preseason Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year and was described by guest speaker and ESPN analyst Lee Corso as the "best linebacker in the country." Five Cougars were voted to the preseason all-conference team, including Morris, quarterback Kevin Feterik, cornerback Brian Gray, defensive lineman Byron Frisch and placekicker Owen Pochman.

MWC Coaches' Poll

Place/Team (1st place votes) Pts.

1. BYU (5) 47

2. Air Force (3) 44

3. San Diego State 32

4. Utah 30

5. Colorado State 29

6. Wyoming 22

7. New Mexico 13

8. UNLV 7

MWC Media Poll

Place/Team (1st place votes) Pts.

1. BYU (35) 372

2. Air Force (1) 282

3. San Diego State (4) 253

4. Utah (4) 252

5. Wyoming (5) 248

6. Colorado State 206

7. New Mexico 81

8. UNLV 70

PRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE TEAM

(voted on by media)

Offense

WR Wendell Montgomery Wyoming

WR Damon Gourdine San Diego State

OL James Norman Air Force

OL Mike Malano San Diego State

OL Sam White Utah

OL Blane Saipaia Colorado State

OL Dan Delcorio Wyoming

TE Andy Kassotis Utah

QB Kevin Feterik BYU

RB Mike Anderson Utah

RB Jonas Lewis San Diego State

Defense

DL Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila San Diego State

DL John Frank Utah

DL Clark Haggans Colorado State

DL Byron Frisch BYU

LB Rob Morris BYU

LB Craig Thorstenson Air Force

LB Rick Crowell Colorado State

DB Brian Urlacher New Mexico

DB Brian Gray BYU

DB Al Rich Wyoming

DB Rico Curtis San Diego State

Specialists

K Owen Pochman BYU

P Deone Horinek Colorado State

PR Damon Gourdine San Diego State

KR Damon Gourdine San Diego State

Player of the Year

Rob Morris, BYU

Offensive Player of the Year

Mike Anderson, Utah

Defensive Player of the Year

Rob Morris, BYU

Newcomer of the Year

Jeremi Rudolph, UNLV