The countdown to the 2025 season continues; we have spent the past few months previewing each position group in the Mountain West. This week, we will be wrapping up the defensive portion of our series by looking at each secondary. Let’s take a look at how each team stacks up in this edition of “The Good, the Bad, the Ugly.”

The Good

Air Force

This group was a bit of a mixed bag last fall. They allowed the fewest passing yards per game in the Mountain West, but they intercepted only four passes and opposing quarterbacks completed nearly 65% of their passes. Ultimately, it comes down to not letting teams beat you over the top and making tackles in the open field, and Air Force was excellent in both of those departments. I expect this group to be a strength for the Falcons this season.

Nevada

The biggest strength of Nevada’s 2024 football team was their secondary. Jeff Choate and his staff did an excellent job of building one of the most formidable secondaries in the conference. The Wolf Pack allowed under 200 yards per game, intercepted 11 passes, and allowed only 13 touchdowns through the air. The loss of NFL draft pick Kitan Crawford will be tough to replace, but this coaching staff has proven that they are up to the task.

Hawaii

I went back and forth on this group, but I ultimately landed on putting them in the “Good” category. The Rainbow Warriors’ secondary was solid for most of the 2024 season and returns a solid core from last season. They will need to be more opportunistic. Six interceptions won’t cut it this season.

San Jose State

One of the most exciting secondaries in the conference last season was also one of the most frustrating. The Spartans were far and away the best team in the conference when it came to takeaways and San Jose State led the Mountain West with 21 interceptions. But they did allow over 3000 passing yards and opposing quarterbacks completed 62% of their passes. This group won’t be perfect, but I do expect them to be among the top in the conference and give their offense plenty of opportunities to put points on the board.

Colorado State

I like this group and it might be a bit of a risky pick. The Rams were inconsistent in the secondary last season, and they didn’t face some of the better passing offenses in the Mountain West. Last season, Colorado State did a decent job of slowing down Nick Nash and Justin Lockhart when they took on San Jose State, and they return a decent amount of experience in the secondary. It will be interesting to see if this group can take the next step.

The Bad

Boise State

This secondary was the biggest weakness of Boise State’s defense last season and the coaching staff made it a clear priority this offseason with a number of additions through the transfer portal and the junior college ranks. Ty Benefield (safety) and A’Marion McCoy (corner) will be starters, but the competition for the other three spots are up for grabs. After last year’s performance, I’m not quite ready to put this group in the “Good” category, but they should be better this fall.

San Diego State

I’m just not sold on Sean Lewis’ staff and their ability to turn this program around after a disappointing 2024 season. The secondary struggled last fall allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 65% of their passes and allowing 21 touchdowns to only seven interceptions. The Aztecs will have a manageable schedule this year with their toughest out-of-conference games coming against Washington State and Cal. If this secondary is for real, they will be able to slow these two teams down.

Fresno State

Cam Lockeridge is gone and so are a number of other contributors from last season’s team. The secondary will look different this fall and so will the defensive scheme under new head coach Matt Entz. This adjustment to Entz’ hard-nosed style of football will take time. As we have discussed in previous weeks, this team is full of unknowns. I think the secondary is just another example of an unproven crew that will be looking to make a statement.

Wyoming

In one of the bigger surprises of the 2024 season, the Wyoming secondary struggled to slow down opposing defenses last fall. They gave up nearly 220 yards a game and only intercepted six passes. The Cowboys’ identity rests in a style of football that forces opponents into making mistakes and being disciplined in the open field. Wyoming’s secondary struggled in both of those areas last season. I expect this group to be better, but it is far from a strength of this team.

UNLV

Like most teams with huge roster turnover and a new staff, this group will rely heavily on transfers. Many of those transfers are coming from Power Five programs and were highly ranked coming out of high school. The success of this group will come down to how they gel and if Mullen’s staff will be able to get the most out of a group that has plenty of talent. The Rebels were an opportunistic group last season; they had 17 interceptions but gave up 236 yards per game. It will be interesting to see if Mullen’s staff has the same aggressive approach.

The Ugly

New Mexico

The secondary will be completely different this fall, and the good news is they can’t be any worse than they were in 2024. New Mexico had one of the worst past defenses I have ever seen last season, allowing 280 yards per game. On top of that, opposing quarterbacks had 30 touchdown passes to only three interceptions. If you are a Lobo fan, you have to be hopeful that Jason Eck’s staff will do a better job than Bronco Mendenhall’s staff did last season.

Utah State

Bronco Mendenhall and his staff will go from one bad secondary to another. Utah State’s defense was awful in pretty much every aspect last season and their secondary was no exception. The Aggies did a decent job taking away the ball with 13 interceptions but struggled in every other regard, allowing 255 yards per game and 28 touchdown passes. The most puzzling statistic was opposing quarterbacks completing 68% of their passes. Mendenhall’s staff will have their hands full, and after how their secondary did in New Mexico, I am not optimistic.

How do you feel about your team’s secondary? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.