The Good, the Bad, the Ugly: Spring Preview

Most teams in the conference have either started or are getting ready to start spring football. Each team in the conference will have certain aspects of the game that they will be keeping an extra close eye on. In this edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly,” we take a look at what the top storylines are this spring.

The Good

Can Taylen Green take the next step?

Green is an athletic specimen. We learned that he is capable of changing the game every time he touches the ball, but he still has a lot of room for growth. He needs to improve as a passer and his decision making still left a lot to be desired at times. With that being said, I think you could make a strong argument that Green is the best offensive player in the conference heading into the 2023 football season. He will be a trendy pick for preseason offensive player of the year.

The Bad

Will we see better offensive play?

There is no denying that injuries impacted the offensive production of many teams in the Mountain West. But in an era where offense dominates, it was a little shocking to see that only one team managed to average 30 points per game. Out of the top four offenses (Fresno State, Boise State, Air Force, San Jose State), only the Broncos and Spartans return their quarterbacks. Boise State should have the top offense in the league next year, but the Spartans should not be far off. Will Air Force and Fresno State be able to replace the important players they lost? Will Utah State return to their 2021 form? Can New Mexico, Nevada, and Colorado State find a pulse on offense? Nearly every team in the conference has significant questions they must answer on the offensive side of the ball.

Can the Bulldogs replace all of the departed skill talent?

It feels a little weird to say that I am more confident in Fresno State’s defense than I am in their offense right now. The Bulldogs lost nearly all of their talent at wide receiver and their primary running back in Jordan Mims. The Bulldogs also have the herculean task of replacing the best quarterback in the conference in Jake Haener. Bulldog fans should feel confident that head coach Jeff Tedford is up to the task.

The Ugly

Will the conference’s quarterback problem be solved?

One of my biggest takeaways from the 2022 football season was the lack of quality quarterback play. We saw a potential star emerge in Taylen Green and great play out of Jake Haener and Chevan Cordeiro. Outside of Cordeiro, Green, and maybe Millen and Brumfield, I’m not sure that any team in the conference feels confident about where they are at the quarterback position. Are there any potential starts? Maybe UCF transfer and likely Fresno State starter, Mikey Keene, can help the Bulldogs repeat.

What do you want to see from your team this spring? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.