LAS VEGAS-Wednesday, Utah State was selected to place 7th in the Mountain West during the first day of the conference’s media days at The Circa Resort & Casino of Las Vegas.
Boise State was selected first in the conference with 38 first-place votes and 543 net points.
The projected standings are as follows:
- Boise State (38) 543
- UNLV (4) 471
- Fresno State (4) 460
- Air Force 384
- Colorado State 337
- Wyoming 296
- Utah State 285
- San Diego State 251
- Hawai’i 214
- San José State 185
- New Mexico 85
- Nevada 77
Additionally, senior receiver Jalen Royals was named to the All-Mountain West preseason first team offense and junior defensive back Ike Larsen was named to the conference’s preseason first team defense.
Royals posted 71 receptions for 1,080 yards and 15 scoring receptions last season for the Aggies.
Last season, Larsen, a former Sky View High School star, recorded four interceptions, six passes defensed, a forced fumble and 4.5 tackles for a loss.
Boise State junior tailback Ashton Jeanty is the preseason offensive player of the year for the Mountain West. Jeanty ran for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns last season while netting 1,916 scrimmage yards and 19 net scores for the Broncos.
His teammate, senior defensive tackle Ahmed Hassanein, is the conference’s preseason co-defensive player of the year. Hassanein recorded 12.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and 16.5 tackles for a loss last season for the Broncos.
UNLV senior linebacker Jackson Woodard is the conference’s other preseason co-defensive player of the year. Last season for the Rebels, Woodard, an Arkansas transfer, recorded 2.5 sacks, an interception and four defensed passes.
UNLV senior punt/kick returner Jacob De Jesus, is the conference’s preseason special teams player of the year. De Jesus averaged 16.1 yards per punt return and 25.7 yards per kickoff return last season for the Rebels.
Utah State starts the regular season August 31 by hosting NCAA FCS Robert Morris at Merlin Olsen Field at Maverik Stadium.
