This article is part of our Spring Practice Storylines series.
A number of the best fantasy assets in the country from 2024 hailed from the Mountain West Conference, with big names leaving for the next level, such as Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty, UNLV star wideout Ricky White. The conference, like most of the college football landscape in the age of the transfer portal, has plenty of turnover among personnel and coaching staff to sort through.
Mountain West Conference Spring Storylines
Let's take a look at some of the biggest fantasy storylines from across the Mountain West Conference for spring ball 2025.
Boise State Broncos Football Spring Storyline
Looking to repeat without Jeanty
The Broncos will enter the 2025 campaign as the clear favorite to repeat as conference champions after qualifying for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff. Losing the Heisman runner-up in Ashton Jeanty will have an obvious impact, though Boise State will return two promising backs in Jambres Dubar and Sire Gaines while also bringing in transfer Malik Sherrod, who ran for 966 yards in 2023 with Fresno State before his 2024 campaign was shortened by injury.
Without Jeanty, the Broncos may also need to rely more on a passing attack led by Maddux Madsen, who'll be returning for his third season as the starter. Madsen is coming off an encouraging 2024 campaign, where he completed 62.4 percent of his passes for 3,018 yards, 23 touchdowns and just six interceptions. With leading receiver Cameron Camper declaring for the draft, senior Latrell Caples figures to take over as Madsen's number-one option with Chase Penry and Austin Bolt rounding out the depth chart.
UNLV Runnin' Rebels Football Spring Storyline
New look under Mullen
The Rebels 2024 season could've unraveled after quarterback Matthew Sluka entered the transfer portal three games into the campaign. Instead, UNLV rallied behind Hajj-Malik Williams and made the conference championship game for a second straight year.
However, UNLV will return a very different team in 2025, led by former Mississippi State and Florida head coach Dan Mullen. Virginia transfer Anthony Colandrea will likely take over at quarterback. With top wideout Ricky White heading to the NFL, another pair of transfers in Daejon Reynolds and JoJo Earle figure to open as Colandrea's top options. In the backfield, Jai'Den Thomas sits atop the depth chart in his third season in Vegas and should see more of a lead role in Mullen's offense. Utah transfer Jaylon Glover will be another name to watch.
Colorado State Rams Football Spring Storyline
Continuity despite Horton's departure
The Rams put together a solid 2024 campaign, winning eight games to earn a spot in the Arizona Bowl. CSU will return a similar offense in 2024, highlighted by quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who'll be under center for a third season, and running back Justin Marshall, who ran for 767 yards as a sophomore.
Armani Winfield and Louis Brown figure to lead the receiving room, both of whom assumed larger roles in the wake of Tory Horton's season-ending injury. A name to watch as a potential breakout is Kojo Antwi, a former four-star recruit, who will join the Rams as a transfer from Ohio State.
San Jose State Spartans Football Spring Storyline
Looking to build on 2024
The Spartans were arguably the biggest surprise in the Mountain West, earning a bowl birth in head coach Ken Niumatalolo's first season at the helm. Walker Eget, who took over as the starter early in the season, figures to open under center again in 2025, though he'll have a depleted receiving corps with both Nick Nash and Justin Lockhart moving on. TreyShun Hurry, who caught 28 passes for 481 yards in 2024, is the top returning option. Rising junior Matthew Coleman figures to get some buzz as well, after he caught 12 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown in the Hawaii Bowl.
SJSU's running game will likely feature Floyd Chalk again. As a junior, Chalk rushed for 721 yards and 10 touchdowns after transferring from Grambling State before the season.
Air Force Falcons Football Spring Storyline
Quarterback questions in spring
It was a tough season for the Falcons, who got off to a 1-7 start. However, Air Force did show improvement down the stretch, particularly when sophomore Quentin Hayes took over under center. However, Hayes, who threw for 455 yards and rushed for 466 yards in nine games, isn't with the team during spring ball, and his status with the Falcons is reportedly uncertain for 2025. If Hayes isn't part of the mix, as it seems this spring, junior Josh Johnson and sophomore Liam Szarka have been the two quarterbacks receiving most of the snaps under center and could claim the starting job this fall.
While it's nearly impossible to identify a "lead back" in the Falcons' triple-option offense, Dylan Carson has to be the early favorite. He took over the bellcow role down the stretch, rushing for 447 yards with five touchdowns in Air Force's final four games.
Fresno State Bulldogs Football Spring Storyline
Rebuilding in 2025?
After numerous seasons atop the Mountain West standings, the Bulldogs will enter 2025 with significant questions under first-year head coach Matt Entz. After quarterback Mikey Keene entered the transfer portal, Joshua Wood got a look under center in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. However, the Bulldogs also brought in transfer E.J. Warner, who has three seasons of starting experience between Temple and Rice.
Whoever ultimately does take over at quarterback will have a very different receivers group to work with. With Mac Dalena graduating and both Jalen Moss and Raylen Sharpe transferring, Josiah Freeman will start the year as the Bulldogs' top returning wideout -- Freeman had just eight catches for 98 yards in 2024.
Utah State Aggies Football Spring Storyline
New look under Mendenhall
The Aggies will also feature a new head coach in 2025, bringing in Bronco Mendenhall after one season at New Mexico. Spring practice will likely feature an open quarterback competition featuring Bryson Barnes, who had some success while filling in for Spencer Petras last year, and three incoming transfers in CJ Tiller, Jacob Conover and Anthony Garcia.
Utah State will have a new-look receiving corps, with Jalen Royals, Kyrese White and Colby Bowman all moving on. With Jack Hestera being the only returning wideout who recorded a catch last year, the Aggies brought in numerous transfers to help fill the depth chart. With Rahsul Faison heading to South Carolina, USU will likely feature another pair of transfers at running back in Miles Davis from BYU and Javen Jacobs, who'll follow Mendenhall from New Mexico.
New Mexico Lobos Football Spring Storyline
Back to square one
Jason Eck will be tasked with replacing Mendenhall at New Mexico in his first head coaching job in the FBS ranks following two seasons with Idaho. It won't be an easy assignment for Eck -- multiple of the Lobos' key contributors from 2024 left via the transfer portal, including quarterback Devon Dampier. Jack Layne, who followed Eck from Idaho, is the early favorite to take over under center.
Layne will have a sparse receiving corps to work with -- the only returning player to log a reception last season is Shawn Miller, who had just one catch in a Week 0 opener against Montana State. Keagan Johnson will be the presumed top option. Johnson joined the Lobos as a transfer from Kansas State, where he logged 29 receptions for 359 yards and a touchdown last year. In the backfield, Baylor transfer Dominic Richardson figures to see a substantial workload. While he was limited by injuries last year, the 6-foot-1 back has rushed for 1,767 yards in his collegiate career.
Nevada Wolfpack Football Spring Storyline
Trending Upward?
Nevada showed signs of turning their program around in 2024, a trend they'll look to build in Jeff Choate's second season at the helm. The Wolf Pack will have some continuity in 2025, with leading rusher Savion Red (687 yards on 119 carries) and wideouts Jaden Smith and Marcus Bellon returning.
Nevada's most significant question is at quarterback following Brendon Lewis' departure to Memphis. AJ Bianco is the early favorite for the job -- he appeared in five games while Lewis dealt with injuries, completing 66.7 percent of his passes for 173 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. Bianco's primary competition will be junior college transfer Anthony Grigsby.
Wyoming Cowboys Football Spring Storyline
Looking to Build on Strong Finish
It was a rough year overall for the Cowboys, though there were signs of life down the stretch, particularly after Kaden Anderson took over under center. Anderson will have a familiar group of receivers in 2025 to work with, including Chris Durr, Jaylen Sargent, Will Pelissier, and tight end John Michael Gyllenborg.
Wyoming's backfield should be recognizable as well, led by Harrison Waylee who'll be using his redshirt year after an injury-marred campaign. Waylee figures to share work with Sam Scott, who led the Cowboys with 435 rushing yards last year.
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors Football Spring Storyline
Excitement around Alejado
Hawaii is an interesting team heading into 2025 with much of the attention and optimism surrounding sophomore quarterback Micah Alejado. Alejado was stellar in the Rainbow Warriors' season finale against New Mexico, throwing for 469 yards and five touchdowns in his first collegiate start.
Alejado should have a similar group of wideouts returning, headlined by Nick Cenacle and Pofele Ashlock. After posting 832 yards and nine touchdowns on 83 receptions as a freshman, Ashlock disappointed in his follow-up campaign, hauling in only 61 passes for 629 yards. He'll be looking to bounce back in 2025.
San Diego State Aztecs Football Spring Storyline
Working to right the ship
The Aztecs had a rough season under first-year head coach Sean Lewis, winning just three games. SDSU will face similar questions heading into 2025, though they did bring in some talent via the transfer portal. Jayden Denegal and Bert Emanuel, who transferred from Michigan and Central Michigan respectively, figure to compete for the starting quarterback job.
As for the skill positions, Trayvon Rudolph will help bolster a receiving room featuring Jordan Napier, who'll return following a promising freshman campaign. Rudolph joins the Aztecs after logging 1,815 yards on 139 receptions in three seasons at Northern Illinois. Christian Washington figures to lead the backfield after rushing for 537 yards last year with Coastal Carolina.
