<figcaption class="wp-caption-text" id="caption-attachment-121489">University of Wyoming kicker Cooper Rothe was named to the 2019 Preseason All-Mountain West Team. (UW Athletics photo)(Editor’s note: UW Athletics release)
LAS VEGAS — Mountain West Conference Media Days kicked off in Las Vegas on Tuesday with the announcement of the 2019 Preseason All-Conference Team. University of Wyoming senior place-kicker Cooper Rothe was named to the team. He was also selected as the MW Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year in voting by conference media members. Rothe returns as one of the nation’s leading All-America candidates at place-kicker.
Rothe earned First Team All-Mountain West honors as a junior in 2018. He also was named the Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year at the conclusion of the 2018 season. He ended the 2018 season as one of three national finalists for the Lou Groza Award. Rothe led the nation in field-goal percentage a year ago, making 16 of 17 field-goal attempts (94.1 percent). He will enter his senior season with 44 career field goals, which ranks him No. 4 among all returning active Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) players in made field goals. Over the past two seasons, Rothe has successfully converted an amazing 31 of 35 (88.6 percent) field-goal attempts. He has started every game of his college career, beginning with the very first game of his true freshman season of 2016 through the final regular-season game of 2018 — 39 consecutive starts.
Also representing Wyoming at MW Media Days this year is senior linebacker Logan Wilson and head coach Craig Bohl. Wilson has been named to two national preseason watch lists thus far this year. He was named to the Butkus Award Watch List that honors the nation’s top linebacker, and he was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List. The Bednarik Award is presented annually to the nation’s Defensive Player of the Year.
The West Division will be featured on the Tuesday in the first of two days at the Mountain West Media Days at Green Valley Resort in Las Vegas. The Mountain Division will take the stage on Wednesday.
In addition to the All-Conference team, the Mountain West released the Preseason Predicted Order of Finish. Wyoming was selected to finish fourth in the MW Mountain Division in the preseason vote of MW media. Boise State was picked as the favorite in the Mountain Division receiving 15 first-place votes and 120 total points. Utah State was selected to finish second, receiving the other six first-place votes and 108 total points. Air Force received 73 points to edge out the Cowboys, who were selected to finish fourth (66 points), followed by Colorado State (52 points) and New Mexico (22 points).
Fresno State is the preseason favorite to win the West Division, receiving 17 of 21 first-place votes for 122 total points. San Diego State received three first-place votes and 106 total points to place second. Nevada (74 points), Hawai’i (67 points, including one first-place vote), UNLV (51) and San Jose State (21) round out the West Division preseason poll.
Wyoming was one of 10 Mountain West schools — out of 12 conference institutions — to have at least one player on this year’s Preseason All-Mountain West team.
Of the 25 individuals selected, 14 are seniors, nine are juniors and two are sophomores.
2019 MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Offense
QB Jordan Love** Jr. Utah State
WR John Hightower Sr. Boise State
WR Cedric Byrd II Sr. Hawai‘i
RB Juwan Washington Sr. San Diego State
RB Toa Taua So. Nevada
OL Ezra Cleveland* Jr. Boise State
OL John Molchon* Sr. Boise State
OL Jake Nelson Sr. Nevada
OL Keith Ismael* Jr. San Diego State
OL Justin Polu Sr. UNLV
TE Jared Rice** Sr. Fresno State
Defense
DL Jordan Jackson** Jr. Air Force
DL David Moa Sr. Boise State
DL Curtis Weaver* Jr. Boise State
DL Tipa Galeai** Sr. Utah State
LB Mykal Walker* Sr. Fresno State
LB Kyahva Tezino* Sr. San Diego State
LB David Woodward ** Jr. Utah State
DB Jeremy Fejedelem Sr. Air Force
DB Juju Hughes** Sr. Fresno State
DB Tariq Thompson** Jr. San Diego State
DB DJ Williams So. Utah State
Specialists
PK Cooper Rothe* Sr. Wyoming
KR/PR Savon Scarver* Jr. Utah State
P Ryan Stonehouse* Jr. Colorado State
Special Teams Player of the Year: Cooper Rothe, Sr., PK, Wyoming
Offensive Player of the Year: Jordan Love, Jr., QB, Utah State
Defensive Player of the Year: Curtis Weaver, Jr., DL, Boise State
* – member of the 2018 All-Mountain West first team
** – member of the 2018 All-Mountain West second team
2019 PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Mountain Division
Rank Team (first-place votes) Points
1. Boise State (15) 120
2. Utah State (6) 108
3. Air Force 73
4. Wyoming 66
5. Colorado State 52
6. New Mexico 22
West Division
Rank Team (first-place votes) Points
1. Fresno State (17) 122
2. San Diego State (3) 106
3. Nevada 74
4. Hawai‘i (1) 67
5. UNLV 51
6. San José State 21
