Phil Steele releases preseason all-Mountain West conference teams

The preeminent college football magazine is Phil Steele and he released his digital magazine this week and here are a few nuggets from the Mountain West pages, as to not give it all a way.

The all-conference teams have been a source of debate and specifically with the quarterback selections between Boise State’s Brett Rypien and Wyoming’s Josh Allen. Rypien had the better statistical season but Allen is getting all of the NFL Draft buzz for next year.

Once again it is Rypien who earns the first-team preseason all-conference selection with Allen earning the second-team spot. Again, this should not be all that surprising since Rypien put up better numbers than Allen last year.

What is surprising on Steele’s list is that the fourth-team quarterback is someone who was not in the Mountain West last year and that is former Alabama quarterback David Cornwell who is at Nevada. The Wolf Pack wrapped spring with no clear starter in place but all signs point to Cornwell having the lead after a strong spring performance.

Other candidates of that four spot would be Hawai’i’s Dru Brown or Air Force’s Arion Worthman.

As for the overall selections it is a hodgepodge on the first-team selections with Boise State having four first-team players and a few others with three.

When including special teams it is San Diego State who has the most players as they are awarded with the top place kicker, kick and punt returner. That includes Rashaad Penny who is the two-time defending Mountain West special teams player of the year, and this year the top back for the Aztecs offense replacing Donnel Pumphrey.