As we approach the beginning of the 2023 college football season, we want to highlight some of the top players in each conference by announcing our SIS Preseason All-Conference teams. We used our all-encompassing player value stat, Total Points, along with other metrics and our scouting work as leading references in putting together our selections.

You can learn more about Total Points and the statistics referenced here.

Offense

Air Force is heavily featured on this list and with good reason. John Lee Eldridge III was dominant in 2022. While the Air Force offense lends some help to their rushing attack, Eldridge’s 42 Total Points was Top 15 among RBs in the entire FBS last season. Caleb Rillos may not have been much help as a receiver, but his 24 Total Points as a run blocker ranked 2nd among FBS TEs. Thor Paglialong and Adam Karas from Air Force return as the Top 2 Total Points getters per Snap among all OL in the Mountain West (min 300 snaps).

Tory Horton and his 28 receiving Total Points ranked 14th in the country among all WRs. Terrell Vaughn could’ve made the team at WR or Returner, showing versatility in both areas, with 500+ KR yards and a TD as a returner and a 90.2% On-Target Catch Rate as a receiver. 

Defense

The big returner to the MW defense is Mohamed Kamara. His 42 Total Points not only led all front-seven returners in the conference, but his 53 pressures ranked Top 10 and his 18.8% Pressure Rate ranked Top 25 in the country.

Jordan Bertagnole and DeVonne Harris both return to help the Wyoming defense. Bertagnole’s 5.5 sacks and 24 pressures and Harris’s 8 sacks and 36 pressures give Wyoming’s defensive line push from both the interior and around the edge. Cody Moon was a do-it-all player for New Mexico last season, playing significant snaps on the edge, at off-ball LB, and in the slot. He’ll bring his 6.1 Points Above Average as a run defender and 2.3 Points Above Average as a pass rusher to San Diego State in 2023.

Cam Lockridge was lockdown in 2022. His Total Points in pass defense, Total Points per Play, and Points Above Average were all Top 20 among FBS CBs. Jayden Goodwin’s 49 Total Points, which led Mountain West safeties, are impressive as a raw total, but what’s even more impressive is that his overall Points per Play led all FBS safeties and his Points per Play in run defense was 4th-best.

Specialists

John Hoyland was 21-of-24 in 2022, and his four made FG from 50+ tied for the NCAA lead. Jack Browning made our Honorable Mention All-American team following the 2022 season. As a dual-position guy, he excelled at kicker and punter, but his 21 Total Points as a punter was by far the best in the conference. 

While Christian Washington likely plays second fiddle to Terrell Vaughn at the Returner spot, Washington’s reasoning for this honor still holds merit. The true freshman’s 26.7 yards per kick return was best in the conference among all qualified returners, plus he took one to the house.