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It’s Monday and we’re back after the weekend. The links keep pressing on, so check out the latest Mountain West and college sports-related news from around the web, plus the original content we have coming your way this week.
Should the AAC go on the offensive?
This article is written from the viewpoint of the American Athletic Conference, but it applies to the Mountain West as well. Instead of waiting for the Big 12 to possibly poach some of their schools or watch another conference poach Big 12 schools, why doesn’t the AAC or the MWC strike first and convince a few schools to join the ranks? The MWC could benefit from having a Texas footprint if a school like Texas Tech, plus Kansas or Kansas State joined the fray. Is it a long-shot? Of course. Should it be attempted? Most definitely.
Texas & Oklahoma will notify Big 12 next week of intention to leave the league, sources told @Stadium. “The feeling is they’ll then notify (the SEC) next week (to officially apply for SEC’s league membership),” source said
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 23, 2021
Mountain West teams keeping their players.
Fewest players lost to the transfer portal over the last year:
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) July 21, 2021
2: AFA, Army, Wyoming
3: BYU, Stanford, Toledo
4: App St, Rice
5: Miami-FL, Ohio, Ohio St, UTSA
6: Boise, Pitt
7: Baylor, Clemson, Ga St, Iowa St, Louisiana, Navy, Tulsa, UAB, UConn, WMU
MWC odds of winning the conference.
Mountain West Championship odds per William Hill:#BoiseState - 120#Nevada: +400#SJSU: +450#Wyoming: 10/1#SDSU: 12/1#Hawaii: 12/1#FresnoState: 15/1#CSU: 40/1#AirForce: 40/1#UtahState: 50/1#NewMexico: 200/1#UNLV: 200/1 pic.twitter.com/8CxLDw2wVh
— Jay Tust (@KTVBSportsGuy) July 24, 2021
Watchlist season continues with the Mackey Award.
Four TEs have been named to the @JohnMackeyAward watch list ‼️
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) July 23, 2021
#AtThePeak | #MWFB pic.twitter.com/OEdNOjx7z5
Coaching hire.
Lobo fans! Let's welcome to the Duke City our new head men's tennis coach Chris Russell!!! Coach Russell has 14 years of head coaching experience and the 6⃣-time conference Coach of the Year has over 30 years experience in Division I Tennis!!!! #GoLoboshttps://t.co/ds3zt7pI0N pic.twitter.com/doyUScV0SQ
— UNM Men's Tennis (@UNMLoboMTennis) July 22, 2021
On the horizon:
- Later today: A new MWC Recruiting Roundup, with the latest news, offers, and commits.
- Coming Tuesday: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: West Division Recruiting
- Coming Wednesday: Peak Perspective: Follow Up From Media Days (and beyond)