Category: Mountain West

Report: Louisville considering Richard Pitino as next basketball coach

The Louisville Cardinals are considering Rick Pitino’s son Richard as their next head coach after a successful season at New Mexico.

The Louisville Cardinals have an opportunity to bring a very familiar face back to campus in Richard Pitino, the current New Mexico head coach and son of former Cardinals and current St. John’s coach Rick Pitino.

Reports indicate Pitino is the top candidate to become the head coach at Louisville, and that athletic director Josh Heird has been in contact with Richard “several times over the past few days.”

Pitino led the Lobos to a 26-10 record and their first Mountain West tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance since 2014 this past season, his third at New Mexico.

Pitino served as an assistant coach at Louisville from 2007-2009 under his father Rick, before serving as an assistant at Florida under Billy Donovan.

He was back at Louisville in 2011-12 during the team’s Final Four run, and then spent one year as the head coach at Florida International before taking over at Minnesota in 2013 and leading the Golden Gophers to the NIT championship in his first year and two NCAA Tournament appearances before departing in 2021.

Hiring the son of the coach who led you to a national title may sound good on paper, but the elder Pitino’s transgressions at Louisville are well documented and bringing the family back into the mix is certainly a unique situation.

However, Louisville struck out on top targets Scott Drew and Dusty May, and Pitino is a reasonable candidate based on his head coaching experience, recent success, and familiarity with the program.

Boise State extends unfortunate record of futility after another NCAA Tournament loss

The Boise State Broncos are the first college basketball team to go 0-10 in the NCAA Tournament after losing to Colorado on Thursday.

Leon Rice and the Boise State Broncos faded down the stretch on Thursday, ultimately falling to Colorado in the play-in game, 60-54, and sending the Buffs into a matchup against No. 7 seed Florida on Friday.

For the Broncos it extended an unfortunate college basketball record as they are now 0-10 in NCAA Tournament contests – the first and only program to play 10 games in the big dance and failing to win a single one of them.

“This is a really, really tough draw and then a tough, tough, tough loss that we’ll have trouble with for the rest of our lives,” Rice said after the game. “That’s the way it is.”

The Mountain West as a conference has struggled to find success in the tournament, outside of San Diego State’s run to the national championship last year, and Boise State has been a big part of that.

Despite going dancing three years in a row, and five of the last 14 seasons under coach Rice, they have yet to advance in the field of 68. They had plenty of opportunities on Thursday but shot just 34% from the field and 2-18 (11.1%) from three while only getting to the free throw line six times.

Colorado will take on Florida Friday at 4:30 PM ET on TBS.

New Mexico made the top hire per Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports

One analyst believes the best hire happened in the Mountain West.

The 2023-24 coaching carousel seems to be never-ending with the Boston College Eagles joining the fray on Wednesday. Jeff Hafely opted to leave his post as a sitting head coach to take a coordinator role with the Green Bay Packers.

The move comes after Sherrone Moore was named the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines. The promotion of Moore came just days after Jim Harbaugh notified the university that he would be leaving for the NFL despite winning the CFP national championship a few weeks ago.

With so much movement going on at the FBS level, Paul Myerberg of USA TODAY Sports ranked 25 hires this past cycle. It begins with a familiar face rejoining the coaching ranks.

No. 1: Bronco Mendenhall, New Mexico Lobos

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Mendenhall stepped down from his post as the Virginia Cavaliers head coach prior to the 2022 season. He was replaced by former Clemson Tigers offensive coordinator Tony Elliott. Mendenhall, the long-time BYU head coach is returning to his former stomping grounds in the Mountain West. Mendenhall replaces Danny Gonzales, who was fired after three failed seasons with the Lobos.

What Myerberg says…

He’s a winner, pure and simple. Mendenhall has been very successful at two stops, Brigham Young and Virginia, reaching bowl eligibility in every non-COVID-19 year of his coaching career outside of his debut season with the Cavaliers. Mendenhall is also a former New Mexico assistant under Rocky Long and brings deep familiarity with the program and the broader region. As one of the surest bets in coaching and a terrific ambassador for the program and athletics department, he’s an absolute coup for the Lobos.

Mendenhall edged out new Houston Cougars head coach Willie Fritz, who checks in at No. 2. New Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer was the No. 3 head coach according to Myerberg. Former Navy head coach Ken Niumatalolo and former Troy head coach Jon Sumrall round out the top five.

Former five-star recruit expected to transfer to Boise State

Another former five-star commit could be heading to Boise State.

The Boise State Broncos and new head coach Spencer Danielson could be closing in on another former five-recruit coming to the blue turf. Former Texas A&M Aggies and Ole Miss Rebels wide receiver Chris Marshall is expected to commit to the Broncos.

After brief stops in the SEC, Marshall spent the last season with Kilgore Junior College in Marshall’s home state of Texas. He appeared in six games for the Kangaroos with 21 receptions for 449 Yards and five touchdowns. Marshall averaged 21.4 yards per reception.

Danielson is bringing in some serious talent as the Broncos look to make their case for the 12-team playoff in 2024. They will likely have to duke it out with the Tulane Green Wave and UTSA Roadrunners for that spot as the top Group of Five programs this next season.

The Broncos recently added former five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson, who entered the transfer portal after sitting during the 2023 season behind Caleb Williams. Nelson joins a transfer class that includes Vavion Woodard (Ball State), Cam Camper (Indiana), and Jeremiah Earby (California). Marshall would be another addition that is coming over with Power Five experience.

Former five-star USC quarterback linked to a Mountain West team

Malachi Nelson, one of the top five quarterback prospects in the 2023 class, threw three passes as a freshman with the Trojans.

Former five-star quarterback Malachi Nelson, who spent his freshman 2023 season with USC, is scheduled to make his first official visit at Boise State in the next few days, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Thursday.

Thamel also reported that the Broncos are the current favorite for Nelson, who was 247Sports’ No. 5 quarterback in the Class of 2023.

“(Nelson is) looking for a blue-collar program to blend in and prove himself,” Thamel’s report read on social media.

The ESPN reporter said Nelson was drawn to the Broncos because of their high number of returning starters, including several members of the offensive line. Broncos offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan reportedly recruited Nelson as far back as middle school when he still worked for Washington.

Boise State finished the season with an 8-6 record and a Mountain West title after a late four-game win streak culminated in a 44-20 victory over UNLV in the conference title game. Interim head coach Spencer Danielson was promoted to the position full-time after the triumph.

Sophomore quarterback Taylen Green played in 13 games for the Broncos last season, throwing for 1,752 yards, 11 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. He announced his commitment to transfer to Arkansas last month.

Nelson threw three passes in his freshman campaign, completing one for no gain.

Air Force ends losing streak with Armed Forces Bowl victory over James Madison

The Falcons rushed for 351 yards as a team and held the ball for more than 37 minutes, never letting James Madison get enough momentum.

Air Force ended its 2023 regular season on a four-game losing streak, but the Falcons managed to find a silver lining with a 31-21 victory over James Madison in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl on Saturday.

The Dukes won 11 of their 12 regular-season games, but James Madison had no answers for Air Force fullback Emmanuel Michel.

The senior had the best game of his collegiate career against James Madison, with 203 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries. He broke off a 54-yard dash on the Falcon’s first play from scrimmage, pushing his way into the end zone a few plays later for the game’s first score.

Michel forced his way into the end zone from one yard out for a second time in the middle of the second quarter, extending Air Force’s lead to 14-7.

The Falcons’ running game in general dominated the game, as Air Force ran for 351 yards as a team and averaged 5.6 yards per carry. James Madison’s inability to slow down the ground game also led to a severe imbalance in time of possession, with Air Force holding the ball for more than 37 minutes.

The slow burn was on full display in the second half with both teams combining for seven possessions. Air Force scored 10 points, and James Madison never had enough chances with the ball to come back despite only punting once after halftime.

Here are the best photos from Air Force’s win.

Fresno State bowls over New Mexico State in commanding New Mexico Bowl win

The Bulldogs defeated the Aggies in their home state with 17 unanswered points to end the game behind a brilliant game from quarterback Mikey Keene.

New Mexico State might have been playing in its own state, but Fresno State looked right at home in its 37-10 victory in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl.

The Bulldogs, coached by linebackers coach Tim Skipper as head coach Jeff Tedford deals with personal health concerns, jumped out to a 10-0 lead after the opening quarter and never looked back.

Fresno State quarterback Mikey Keene delivered one of the best games in the early bowl season. He threw two first-half touchdowns, first a 26-yard score to Josiah Freeman in the opening quarter before he connected with Jaelen Gill for a 23-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Keene ended the day with 31 completions on 39 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns. Seven different Bulldogs players caught at least three passes. He even ran for a score, making him responsible for all four Fresno State touchdowns.

The game looked closer when the final quarter began, with Fresno State’s lead only 20-10, but the Bulldogs scored 17 unanswered points to end the game with an emphatic victory.

Here are the best images from Fresno State’s victory.

Mountain West reveals Oregon State and Washington State games for 2024

All 12 members of the Mountain West will play a game against either Oregon State or Washington State as the last two members of the Pac-12 fill out their 2024 schedules.

The Mountain West Conference revealed the 2024 opponents for each member of the conference, including the matchups for Oregon State and Washington State, on Thursday.

The final remnants of the Pac-12 announced a partnership with the Mountain West conference on Dec. 1 to fill out their schedules since the rest of their conference scattered to the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC.

All 12 members of the Mountain West will play one game against either the Beavers or the Cougars. Games against Oregon State and Washington State won’t count toward any Mountain West team’s conference record, and neither the Beavers nor the Cougars will be eligible for the Mountain West Conference Championship game.

Oregon State will host Colorado State, San Jose State, and UNLV. The Beavers will travel to Air Force, Nevada, and San Diego State.

Washington State will welcome Hawaii, Utah State, and Wyoming into its home stadium in Pullman. The Cougars will play Boise State, Fresno State, and New Mexico on the road.

Mountain West discussing adding Oregon State and Washington State for basketball

The Mountain West is in discussions with Oregon State and Washington State to join as a basketball member starting in 2024-25.

The Mountain West recently reached a scheduling agreement with the two remaining Pac-12 schools, Oregon State and Washington State, so it is no surprise the parties are now in discussion to work together in basketball as well.

A source told CBS’ Jon Rothstein the Mountain West and Oregon State and Washington State are in discussions to join the league for the 2024-25 college basketball season, which would provide the two programs with a home following the final year of Pac-12 play in 2023-24.

Details are sparse for right now, with Rothstein indicating there is no timetable for an official announcement. Whether this agreement would extend beyond 2024-25, potentially into full membership, is one of many details unknown at the moment – including if other non-revenue generating sports, like baseball, women’s soccer, softball, and tennis – are being discussed.

The Mountain West is certainly a formidable basketball conference, currently boasting five programs in the top 50 of the NET on the men’s side in Colorado State, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah State, and Nevada, as well as two on the women’s side in UNLV and Colorado State.

Washington State is No. 27 in the NET on the men’s side and No. 28 on the women’s side, as of this writing, making them an appealing addition for the Mountain West.

Oregon State is No. 35 on the women’s side but the men’s team has really struggled the last few years under coach Wayne Tinkle. They are currently 5-3 on the season and ranked 187th in the NET.

Still, adding two well-known brands who are obvious geographic fits will boost the conference’s on-court product and will have a positive impact financially, and represents a soft landing spot for the two programs who were left out to dry by the 10 other Pac-12 programs in this summer’s conference realignment.

Boise State rolls to a Mountain West championship

Boise State under interim head coach Spencer Danielson wins the Mountain West championship.

It took a three-way tie and the computers to get the Boise State Broncos into the Mountain West title game but they more than proved they belonged. Interim head coach Spencer Danielson and the Broncos ran passed UNLV for the 44-20 win.

It was tight early as Boise State built a 14-7 lead, on the first play of the second quarter Fred Thompkins picked off Taylen Green for the touchdown. Following that game-tying score, it was three straight scores to get a comfortable 31-14 lead with less than five minutes to go in the first half. One of those scores came on a 70-yard from Green.

UNLV would score on six points from that point on in the game. Jose Pizano would convert kicks of 51-yards and 46-yards out for the Rebels. Once the margin dropped to 11 points, Boise State would take off again thanks to two field goals from Jonah Dalmas, including a 50-yard kick. The other score came in the closing seconds of the third quarter as Green found Matt Lauter for a 16-yard touchdown reception.

The Rebels quarterback Jayden Maiava did his best to try and make a game of it for UNLV. Unfortunately his two interceptions and a fumble prevented the team from sustaining drives against Boise State.

Check out these images from the game: