Broncos boast top QB unit in league
Experience at quarterback will benefit Mountain West Conference heavyweights Boise State, San Diego State and Fresno State during the 2018 season.
Here is a look at where each Mountain West school ranks at the quarterback position:
Brett Rypien earned second-team all-conference honors last season after the third-year starter led Boise State to its first Mountain West Conference title since 2014. Rypien enters this season with more career starts (36) in the league than any other returning quarterback. Redshirt freshman Chase Cord has a strong arm and high expectations. He’ll compete with juniorcollege transfer Jaylon Henderson for backup duties.
There’s little doubt Christian Chapman will be the incumbent at quarterback for San Diego State. The Aztecs are 23-6 under the senior’s leadership, making him one of the elder statesmen of the conference. Sophomore Mark Salazar and junior Ryan Agnew saw their fair share of snaps this spring and should battle for the backup role in the fall.
Marcus McMaryion made huge strides in his first season as the Fresno State starter, leading the Bulldogs to a 9-2 record despite being a late addition to the team as a graduate transfer from Oregon State. Familiarity with the program should benefit McMaryion heading into 2018. Chason Virgil’s departure opens the door for junior-college transfer Jorge Reyna and freshman Kyle Lindquist to vie for the backup spot.
Armani Rogers earned 2017 Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors after amassing more than 2,200 yards of total offense. The sophomore is the crown jewel of coach Tony Sanchez’s four seasons with the program and a key piece of the Rebels’ future.
The Wolf Pack have the top returning passer in the Mountain West Conference back in Ty Gangi, who set career marks for passing yards (2,746) and passing touchdowns (25) in COMMENTARY 2017. While Nevada has an incumbent starter, the team must develop some depth at the position to be competitive.
Quarterback could be a position of concern for Air Force heading into 2018. Senior Arion Worthman — who led the Falcons to a 4-6 start before suffering a season-ending MCL injury — returns, but his health could be a concern. Isaiah Sanders impressed in his brief stint as a starter and could do a lot in practice to make the case he should keep the job.
Jordan Love set the school’s single-season freshman mark for passing yards in 2017 when he threw for 1,631 yards with eight touchdowns and six interceptions. Love is one of nine starters returning on offense for the Aggies and while he’s the favorite to start the season, he could be challenged by freshmen Henry Colombi and Andrew Peasley.
Josh Love earned the starting job in preseason camp last season, but he was eventually replaced in the lineup by Montel Aaron, who started eight games — including the final five of the season. Aaron figures to play a larger role in the offense in Year 2 under coach Brent Brennan, but that’s not to say things could change if senior Michael Carrillo, freshman Terrell Carter, sophomore Ryan Johnson or Love impress.
Lamar Jordan’s departure leaves the Lobos searching for a new starter in the offseason. Redshirt sophomore Tevaka Tuioti, who finished second on the team behind Jordan in total offense (847 yards), enters the offseason as the most likely choice because of his big-play capabilities. Redshirt seniors Coltin Gerhart and Derek Martinez could push for the job if Tuioti struggles.
Two-year starter Dru Brown made the surprising decision to transfer to Oklahoma State. Brown’s departure creates a huge vacuum at the position. To make matters worse, redshirt junior Cole Brownholz also decided to transfer to Incarnate Word. Redshirt sophomore Cole McDonald, who was used sparingly last season mostly in running packages, is familiar with the offense.
The news that Collin Hill re-tore his ACL last month shook up the quarterback competition at Colorado State. Hill, who was expected to be the favorite to replace Nick Stevens heading into 2018, missed spring practice and his status for the upcoming season is in jeopardy. Junior J.C. Robles and redshirt freshman Justice McCoy will see the majority of work for the Rams.
There’s so much uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position at Wyoming heading into this spring thanks to departure of two-year starter Josh Allen. Senior Nick Smith spent the past three seasons as the backup, making him the early favorite for the job. But don’t count out sophomore Tyler Vander Waal, who redshirted last season, and incoming freshman Sean Chambers.