Cowboys Picked 5th in Preseason MWC Poll

Eddie Yarbrough, Wyoming’s standout senior defensive end, was chosen by Mountain West Conference media to the conference’s Preseason All-Conference team on Tuesday.  The announcement was made as the 2015 Mountain West Media Days opened at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nev.

            It was the second consecutive year that Yarbrough was named to the Mountain West Preseason Team.  The native of Aurora, Colo., earned First Team All-Mountain West honors at the conclusion of both his sophomore (2013) and junior (2014) seasons.  He will be seeking his third postseason honor from the Mountain West at the conclusion of the upcoming 2015 season.

            Yarbrough is also one of the top returning defensive linemen in the nation in 2015, and is a leading All-America candidate.  He is one of nine returning First Team All-MW selections from 2014 to be voted to the preseason team.  He is one of 17 seniors to be named to the 25-man, 2015 Preseason All-Mountain West Teams. 

            Seven different schools were represented on the MW Preseason offensive squad, while six different MW schools had representatives on the defensive All-Conference team.

            As a team, the Cowboys were selected to finish fifth in the MW Mountain Division.  Wyoming received 64 total points in the vote of conference media.  Boise State was chosen as the preseason favorite in the MW Mountain Division.  The Broncos received 28 of 30 first-place votes, and 177 total points.  San Diego State was voted the preseason favorite in the West Division.  The Aztecs received 27 of 30 first-place votes, and like Boise State also received a total of 177 total points.

2015 MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH

Mountain Division (First-Place Votes), Total Points

1. Boise State (28) 177

2. Utah State (2) 150

3. Colorado State 108

4. Air Force 90

5. Wyoming 64

6. New Mexico 41

West Division

1. San Diego State (27) 177

2. Fresno State (3) 141

3. Nevada 113

4. San José State 91

5. Hawai‘i 70

6. UNLV 38

2015 MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM

Defense

DL Eddie Yarbrough* Sr. Wyoming

DL Alex Hansen** Sr. Air Force

DL Kamalei Correa* Jr. Boise State

DL Ian Seau** Sr. Nevada

LB Tanner Vallejo** Jr. Boise State

LB Kyler Fackrell Sr. Utah State

LB Nick Vigil* Jr. Utah State

DB Weston Steelhammer* Jr. Air Force

DB Donte Deayon** Sr. Boise State

DB Darian Thompson* Sr. Boise State

DB Damontae Kazee** Jr. San Diego State

Offense

QB Chuckie Keeton Sr. Utah State

WR Rashard Higgins* Jr. Colorado State

WR Devonte Boyd** So. UNLV

RB Donnel Pumphrey* Jr. San Diego State

RB Marteze Waller** Sr. Fresno State

OL Marcus Henry* Sr. Boise State OL Rees Odhiambo** Sr. Boise State

OL Alex Fifita Sr. Fresno State

OL Ben Clarke Sr. Hawaiʻi

OL Pearce Slater Sr. San Diego State

TE Steven Walker* Sr. Colorado State

Specialists

P Alex Boy** Sr. Nevada

PK Donny Hageman Sr. San Diego State

Ret. Carlos Wiggins Sr. New Mexico

Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Rashard Higgins, Jr., WR, Colorado State

Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Kyler Fackrell, Sr., LB, Utah State

Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year: Donny Hageman, Sr., PK, San Diego State

* - member of the 2014 All-Mountain West first team.

** - member of the 2014 All-Mountain West second team.