Mountain West Conference call: Utah trying to leave lasting impression

Whether any real change comes to college football is difficult to say, but Utah's upset victory over Alabama in last season's Sugar Bowl was a step in that direction.

Because the Utes were the nation's only undefeated team and had beaten a Southeastern Conference powerhouse in SEC country and yet still had next to no chance to win the national championship, a series of events were touched off.

The state's attorney general, Mark Shurtleff, opened an investigation into the Bowl Championship Series, and Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson recently presented a playoff proposal to the BCS, which probably won't go anywhere but, as he has said, starts the conversation.

"I don't know if what we did last year in itself creates change," Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said today in a league conference call. "As long as we can continue to raise the issue, I don't know about a playoff, but maybe the Mountain West can get an automatic (BCS) bid."

Though the Utes have finished undefeated twice since 2004, with a pair of BCS victories mixed in, this appears to be a rebuilding year. Utah is searching for a starting quarterback, with incoming freshman Jordan Wynn making a strong push with juniors Corbin Louks and Terrance Cain.

Whittingham said he wants one starter next season.

"I've never been a fan of the two-quarterback system," Whittingham said. "We did a lot last year and two years ago with Corbin Louks as our changeup. I guess I'd never say never, but I don't see (two QBs) happening this fall."

DOWN STATE IN PROVO

Last season was a learning experience for Brigham Young coach Bronco Mendenhall, whose Cougars entered with BCS aspirations but fell well short. BYU went 10-3, losing to Arizona in the Las Vegas Bowl.

"The expectations climbed to a really unprecedented rate, and as a first-time head coach in that situation and the team it certainly made us play tighter, not have as much fun and be distracted," Mendenhall said. "I didn't do a nearly good enough job."

Mendenhall acknowledged the "quest for perfection" motto backfired. He said it wasn't intended as a goal to go undefeated, though many outsiders read it that way.

"That added even more pressure," he said. "I would've insulated (the players) more if possible, and I did everything I knew how to do. The current information age is very invasive, and it travels very quickly.

"Really, one of the worst things that happened to us was beating UCLA 59-0 early in the year. That seemed to put the stamp on that everybody was correct when ... myself, my coaches and even my players still knew we had a lot of work to do, but that influenced (us) some."

Like his neighbors to the north, Mendenhall has some rebuilding to do, most notably at offensive line where four starters will need to be replaced. But he said he was encouraged by spring practices.

"I would say that's one of the bright spots, and I think it's reflective more of where we are as a program," Mendenhall said. "Are there questions? Absolutely, there are questions. They're not as seasoned, they're not as experienced, they're not as sharp yet, but they are capable."

ROCKY I

San Diego State first-year coach Brady Hoke is new to the Mountain West, but his defensive coordinator knows the league well. Rocky Long was New Mexico's head coach the past 11 years.

"It's really a privilege to have him here as defensive coordinator," Hoke said.

ROCKY II

Long didn't leave behind much of a rebuilding job in New Mexico for coach Mike Locksley.

"Rocky Long and the job his staff did made this a real attractive job," Locksley said. "We have a really tough team. We have a team that understands toughness, that understands tackling, that understands blocking. Most of the places I've been in, when you come in, you usually come in to fix things. I think this is more than a rebuilding, a renovation."

ALSO NEW

There are three new head coaches. Wyoming's Dave Christensen is the other, and he has designs on reminding other teams why trips to Laramie should be miserable experiences.

"We're trying to bring back the tough Cowboy attitude to Wyoming," Christensen said.