• Easton Gibbs Named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year,
• Five Cowboys Named Preseason All-Conference
Tim Harkins
Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations,
Public Relations and Broadcasting
University of Wyoming Athletics
Las Vegas, Nev. (July 19, 2022) — The Mountain West Conference released on Wednesday its 2023 Preseason Predicted Order of Finish and Preseason All-Conference Team as selected by Mountain West media members. Wyoming was picked to finish sixth in the 12-team Mountain West Conference and five Cowboys were named to the Preseason MW First Team led by junior linebacker Easton Gibbs, who was named the Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The announcement kicked off 2023 Mountain West Football Media Days being held at the Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.
Joining Gibbs on the MW First Team were: junior defensive tackle Jordan Bertagnole, graduate offensive tackle Frank Crum, junior defensive end DeVonne Harris and junior place-kicker John Hoyland. Wyoming’s five selections were the most of any team, followed by four selections each for Air Force, Colorado State and San Diego State.
Gibbs and Hoyland were First Team All-MW selections at the conclusion of the 2022 season in voting by MW head coaches and media. Harris was a ‘22 Honorable Mention All-Mountain West honoree.
Gibbs becomes the first MW Preseason Defensive Player of the Year since former Cowboy safety Andrew Wingard was the preseason selection prior to both the 2017 and 2018 seasons. The most recent Cowboy to earn any of the Preseason Player of the Year honors was former place-kicker Cooper Rothe, who was named the Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year prior to the 2019 season.
Wednesday’s Mountain West Media Day schedule will feature two football student-athletes from each Mountain West school being interviewed by MW television partners CBS Sports Network, FOX Sports and the Mountain West Network, as well as media members from around the conference. On Thursday, all 12 head coaches from each Mountain West school will take center stage.
Wyoming is being represented by head coach Craig Bohl, junior linebacker Gibbs and graduate quarterback Andrew Peasley.
2022 MOUNTAIN WEST PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
Rank Team (First-place Votes) Points
- Boise State (28) 433
- Air Force (2) 364
- Fresno State (5) 351
- San Diego State (1) 338
- San José State 293
- Wyoming 281
- Colorado State 201
- Utah State 194
- UNLV (1) 177
- Hawai’i 102
- Nevada 92
- New Mexico 60
2023 MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Offense
QB Chevan Cordeiro ** Sr. San José State
WR Tory Horton* Sr. Colorado State
WR Justin Lockhart Jr. San José State
RB John Lee Eldridge III Sr. Air Force
RB George Holani** Sr. Boise State
OL Thor Paglialong Sr. Air Force
OL Cade Beresford** Sr. Boise State
OL Mose Vavao Sr. Fresno State
OL Cade Bennett** Jr. San Diego State
OL Frank Crum Sr. Wyoming
TE Mark Redman Sr. San Diego State
Defense
DL Payton Zdroik Jr. Air Force
DL Mohamed Kamara** Sr. Colorado State
DL Devo Bridges Sr. Fresno State
DL Jordan Bertagnole Jr. Wyoming
DL DeVonne Harris Jr. Wyoming
LB DJ Schramm** Sr. Boise State
LB Cody Moon Jr. San Diego State
LB Easton Gibbs* Jr. Wyoming
DB Trey Taylor Sr. Air Force
DB Jack Howell* Jr. Colorado State
DB Cam Stone Sr. Hawai’i
DB Ike Larsen** So. Utah State
Specialists
P Jack Browning* Sr. San Diego State
PK John Hoyland* Jr. Wyoming
PR Tory Horton Sr. Colorado State
KR Christian Washington So. New Mexico
Offensive Player of the Year: Chevan Cordeiro, Sr., QB, San José State
Defensive Player of the Year: Easton Gibbs, Jr., LB, Wyoming
Special Teams P,layer of the Year: Jack Browning, Sr., PK/P, San Diego State
* – member of the 2022 All-Mountain West first team
** – member of the 2022 All-Mountain West second team
The Wyoming Cowboys will report for fall camp on Tuesday, Aug. 1 and will begin practice on Wednesday, Aug. 2. Wyoming will kick off the 2023 season on Saturday, Sept. 2 vs. Texas Tech in Laramie.
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