LINDY'S ALL CONFERENCE TEAMS

Lindy’s announces its 2013 All-MW Teams

Lindyssports.com Staff

August 23, 2013 at 11:08 am.

Joe Southwick returns as starting QB, with DE Demarcus Lawrence leading the defense. Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Boise State Still Tops in a Quarterback’s League

Whether it’s the Mountain or West division, the Mountain West is a quarterback’s conference. Five quarterbacks ranked in the national top 17 of total offense in 2012.

Fresno State’s Derek Carr and San Jose State’s David Fales are top NFL prospects. Wyoming’s Brett Smith, Utah State’s Chuckie Keeton and Nevada’s Cody Fajardo could contend for all-conference credentials in many leagues.

In fact, Keeton already did. He was co-first team All-WAC when that league went out in a blaze of glory. And Fajardo, who had more total yards per game than any of them (325.6 per game) was second team All-Mountain West last year.

In any other year, a returning starter at Boise State (Joe Southwick) would merit all-conference consideration. Not in the 2013 Mountain West.

“It’s impressive. It makes it tough on defensive coordinators,” said Fresno State second-year coach Tim DeRuyter.

He credits the league with developing the two- and three-star recruits passed over by some of the usual college powers.

And, yes, something does look different this year.

The original eight-school loop now has a conference championship game and two six-school divisions. The MW swooped in on San Jose State and Utah State from the WAC, coincidentally having breakout years, when Boise State and San Diego State briefly plotted geographically outrageous Big East membership.

The immediate strength is in the West with Fresno State and San Jose State closely followed by San Diego State and Nevada. On the other side, it’s everyone chasing established Boise State.

“It’s cyclical,” Colorado State coach Jim McElwain said of the apparent division imbalance. “Coming from the SEC, there’s a certain side that maybe has the best teams, but five years ago it might not have been that way.”

Similarly, DeRuyter, with prior stints as an AFA player and assistant, said the Mountain division was the stronger one a decade ago.

Boise State has proven its staying power as the only FBS school to win at least 10 games a year since 2006. The blue-carpet boys are still drawing mostly two- or three-star prospects on Signing Day, but Chris Petersen cranks out NFL draft picks. Seven Broncos have been taken in the first two rounds since 2006.

In a rebuilding year on offense, Boise State stayed in the fray last season with defense. Even with all the star power at quarterback, DeRuyter said, “There are some quality defenses. It’s what Boise State has done. It’s what Rocky (Long) is doing at San Diego State. We’re making strides.”

All those quarterbacks will showcase their talents with the league marking its return to ESPN this fall.

 

OFFENSE – FIRST TEAM OFFENSE – SECOND TEAM
QB Derek Carr Sr. Fresno State QB David Fales Sr. San Jose State
RB Adam Muema Jr. San Diego State RB Jon Lee Jr. Air Force
RB Kasey Carrier Sr. New Mexico RB Tim Cornett Sr. UNLV
WR Davante Adams So. Fresno State WR Matt Miller Jr. Boise State
WR Noel Grigsby Sr. San Jose State WR Brandon Wimberly Sr. Nevada
TE Marcel Jensen Sr.. Fresno State TE Crockett Gillmore Sr. Colorado State
C Tyler Larsen Sr. Utah State C Weston Richburg Sr. Colorado State
OL Austin Wentworth Sr. Fresno State OL Charles Leno Sr. Boise State
OL Eric Schultz Sr. Utah State OL Joe Bitonio Sr. Nevada
OL Matt Paradis Sr. Boise State OL Ben Clark So. Hawaii
OL Nicholas Kaspa Sr. San Jose State OL Robert Waterman Jr. UNLV
AP Colin Lockett Sr. San Diego State AP Chase Clayton Jr. New Mexico
PK Nolan Kohorst Sr. UNLV PK Jared Roberts Jr. Colorado State
DEFENSE – FIRST TEAM DEFENSE – SECOND TEAM
DL Demarcus Lawrence Jr. Boise State DL Tavita Woodard Sr. Hawaii
DL Tyeler Davison Jr. Fresno State DL Shaquil Barrett Sr. Colorado State
DL Brock Hekking Jr. Nevada DL Sam Meredith Jr. San Diego State
DL Travis Raciti Jr. San Jose State DL Andy Jennings Sr. Fresno State
LB Jake Doughty Sr. Utah State LB Cory James So. Colorado State
LB Jake Fely Jr. San Diego State LB Dallas Bollema Sr. New Mexico
LB Keith Smith Sr. San Jose State LB Derek Largent Jr. San Diego State
DB Derron Smith Jr. Fresno State DB Blair Burns Jr. Wyoming
DB Bene Benwikere Sr. San Jose State DB Christian Spears Jr. Air Force
DB Nate Berhe Sr. San Diego State DB Sean Alston Jr. Fresno State
DB L.J. Jones Sr. Fresno State DB Jeremy Ioane So. Boise State
P Ben Skaer Sr. New Mexico P Seamus McMorrow So. San Diego State

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