2023 Mountain West Head Coach Rankings
Ranking Each Coach In The Conference
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1. Boise State- Andy Avalos
In 2022, Andy Avalos was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year. He finished last season with a 10-4 record and a win over North Texas in the Frisco Bowl. Avalos made a three-win jump from 2021 to 2022.
For the 2023 season, Avalos is returning one of the strongest rosters in the Mountain West. Boise State is expected to compete for the Mountain West Championship.
2. Fresno State- Jeff Tedford
An argument could be made for Jeff Tedford to be the No. 1 coach on this list. Tedford had an incredible first season back at Fresno State. He capped it off with a Mountain West Championship and a win over Washington State in the LA Bowl.
Even with the loss of Jake Haener, several key wide receivers, and defensive linemen, Fresno State is expected to be a top team in the Mountain West. Tedford is likely in the final stage of his coaching career and he does not seem to be slowing down.
3. Air Force- Troy Calhoun
Winning at a service academy is incredibly difficult and Troy Calhoun figured out how to consistently win at Air Force in 17 seasons. Last season, Air Force was one of the best teams in the Mountain West. It was a 10-win season that ended with a win over Baylor in the Armed Forces Bowl.
Calhoun lost some key starters from last season, but he has continued to find ways to reload his roster. Expect Calhoun to stay at the top of conference in 2023.
4. San Diego State- Brady Hoke
Similar to Tedford, Brady Hoke is having a career resurgence in his second stint at San Diego State. The 2022 season was an underwhelming one for Hoke’s team, but he has an opportunity to be one of the best coaches in the conference.
Hoke is heading into his fourth season since returning to San Diego State. The Aztecs lost several key transfers, but Hoke will use his experience to get the most out of his roster.
5. Utah State- Blake Anderson
Blake Anderson’s first two seasons at Utah State have been filled with ups and downs. After an 11-3 season in 2021, Anderson followed that up with a 6-7 record in 2022. Anderson certainly fell back a few steps and will want to have a winning season in 2023.
6. Wyoming- Craig Bohl
Craig Bohl is coming off a 7-6 season in 2022. Wyoming could remain the middle of the Mountain West, which will allow the team to compete for a spot in the Mountain West Championship Game.
If Wyoming can win six games this season, Bohl will pass Lloyd Eaton for the most wins in program history.
7. San Jose State- Brent Brennan
At San Jose State, Brent Brennan’s time has been a rebuilding process since 2017. His 7 wins in 2022 was the most amount of wins he had in a full season at San Jose State. Brennan needs to find consistency at the quarterback position, which will help his team remain competitive in the conference.
8. UNLV- Barry Odom
Barry Odom, who is entering his first season at UNLV, joins the conference with experience as a head coach and defensive coordinator in the SEC. Odom has pressure to immediately fix UNLV and get the program to a bowl game for the first time since 2013.
Odom will need to strengthen the defense and take advantage of strong offensive pieces. UNLV is coming off a 5-7 season in 2022. If Odom doesn’t advance the team’s record in 2023, the pressure could build up after his first season.
9. Colorado State- Jay Norvell
Jay Norvell is in a rebuilding phase at Colorado State. He chose to leave a successful Nevada program to build up a struggling Colorado State team. Norvell has a strong track record of fixing Mountain West programs. He will need time, but Norvell could turn Colorado State into a bowl contender in a few years.
10. Hawaii- Timmy Chang
Hawaii’s beloved hero, Timmy Chang, returned in 2022 as the head coach to revitalize a dormant program. Chang had a challenging first year replacing former head coach Todd Graham. Hawaii had a competitive team last season and will try to improve in Chang’s second season as head coach.
Hawaii has not appeared in a bowl game since the 2020 season and Chang will be tasked with snapping the two-year streak without a bowl game. If Chang can win around five games, Hawaii will need to address several issues on both sides of the ball.
11. Nevada- Ken Wilson
Ken Wilson is heading into his second season as Nevada’s head coach. Wilson’s tenure hit a rough patch at the start as he finished the 2022 season with a 2-10 record. Wilson will need to take a step forward with this roster to get back to the success Norvell had.
12. New Mexico- Danny Gonzales
In three seasons at New Mexico, Danny Gonzales posted a 7-24 record. Under Gonzales’ leadership, New Mexico took a step back in 2022 with a 2-10 record. New Mexico is at the bottom of the conference and Gonzales is in a tough position to win games.
