Ranking The Mountain West Coaches

With the season nearly three weeks away it is time to start counting down the best players in the league in their respective position group. These lists will be a top 10 list broken down into 10-6 and then 5-1 to add some sort of suspense or intrigue.  Today begins with counting down the coaches and it will be just one post for all the teams. The rankings are based on the coaches record and success or failure within their league which is why UNLV's head man Bobby Hauck is not ranked.

These rankings reflect how the staff voted here at the site 

NR. Bobby Hauck, UNLV

His prior spot was at Montana where he won or shared the Big Sky conference title in his seven years, and took the Grizzlies to three FCS title appearances.
8. Mike Locksley, New Mexico  (1 season 1-11)

If I had chosen to rank Bobby Hauck I would have probably ranked him behind Locksley.  Last year was terrible with Locksley being accused of ageism, sexual harassment, and punched an assistant coach.  He better hope his recruiting efforts are really that good.

7. Brady Hoke, San Diego State  (1 season, 4-8)

Hoke has the weapons on offense but the defense gave up way too many points.  Hoke has infused some umph to the program which badly needs it.  Expect some big things for the Aztecs under Hoke.

6.  Steve Fairchild, Colorado State (2 seasons, 10-15)

Year one was good by winning the New Mexico Bowl and big things were expected last year with the most experienced offensive line in the nation and a three and zero start.  Then the bottom fell out with a nine game losing streak.  Quarterback issues last year were an issue, but expect this year to be better with four star recruit Peter Thomas most likely being the starting quarterback.

His coaching job in year one was nothing short of brillant.  The last few years of Joe Glenn were not kind with recruiting or building tough players.  Glenn was a loved figure but he lost his touch the last few years and never put the Pokes over the top.  Look for Wyoming to struggle this year, but they will be much more improved with a full year of his spread scheme under the belts of the offense.
4. Troy Calhoun, Air Force  (3 seasons, 25-14)

Calhoun really gets lost in the shadow in this league, but he has gone to three straight bowl games with a single bowl win.  Calhoun kept the tradition of good football that former head coach Foghorn Leghorn Fisher DeBerry by keeping the triple option alive.  What Calhoun has done that is different is the defense that has been established which was 11th in the nation last year.

3. Bronco Mendenhall, BYU  (5 seasons, 49-15)

Bronco has the same amount of conference titles as TCU's Gary Patterson, but has yet to make it to a BCS bowl game which is the reason for the the third spot.  His teams are always well disciplined and as you will read under Kyle Whittingham's blurb BYU rarely gets blown out.  

He has brought BYU back to the national spotlight which was lost under Gary Crowton and Mendenhall's first year, but  has guided BYU to ten or more games and finished in the top-25 four consecutive times.
2. Gary Patterson, TCU (10 seasons, 85-28)

After a 12-1 2009 season that included TCU's first ever appearance in a BCS Bowl TCU Head Coach Gary Patterson received 9 different "Coach of the Year" awards.  Coach Patterson is entering his 10th season as head coach of the Frogs and boasts a record of 85-28 (.752).  A defensive "guru" Patterson believes in one thing above all else when looking for talent, "Speed Baby!" 

1. Kyle Whittingham, Utah  (5 seasons, 47-17)

The main reason Whittingham is here is because he has won a BCS bowl game where Gary Patterson has not.  The only down year for Utah that was really Whittinghams team was 2006 in the year without Brian Johnson where the team was off and on.  His teams rarely get blown out with the loan exceptions being a 27-0 beat down in 2007 to UNLV, and last years waxing by TCU.  Overall his team is always prepared.

Follow Mountain West Connection via Twitter and Facebook for News Quick Hits and Random Nonsense.