This year's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football race could be a knock-down, drag-out affair, particularly if all the hopes and dreams of the coaches and others who spoke at the league's preseason press conference earlier this month in Colorado Springs come true. All the speakers had good things to say about their teams in terms of talent, work ethic and attitude they'd observed during the off-season. Everyone seemed to think his team would be improved if most of the pieces fall into place. While not shortchanging his own team one bit, Chadron State Head Coach Bill O'Boyle said he believes the conference race will be extremely competitive. "Just about every body thinks they'll be improved and I believe them," O'Boyle said. "Things should really be interesting. I don't think there'll be a weak team in the conference." The conference has lost one member and gained another. Fort Hays State has left the RMAC to join the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Assocation made up of Kansas and Missouri powerhouses while Western New Mexico has joined the RMAC, leaving the conference with nine schools that play football. The Mustangs' coach, Charlie Wade, once an assistant at Peru State, was among those speaking with optimism. His team tied with the other New Mexico team, Highlands, for seventh in the coaches' preseason poll. The Highlands Cowboys, who were 0-8 in the conference and lost 24-21 to Western New Mexico a year ago, have high hopes that they'll soon be back in the thick of the RMAC races. Carl Ferrill, who had a 24-9 record as the Cowboys' mentor 1996-98, has returned at age 60 after winning bouts with colon and prostate cancer to lead the Highlands football fortunes again. Ferrill was not at the conference press conference, but Jesse Gallegos, a Highlands public relations officer, said people in Las Vegas (New Mexico, that is) are excited about football again. He said Ferrill has used his southern California contacts to recruit some talented players and expects to bring at least 150 and maybe up to 180 players into camp this fall. "He doesn't want to be just a conference contender, he wants to have a top 25 team," Gallegos said. "And there are 155 teams that play football in NCAA Division II." Another highly successful RMAC coach from the past is also back on the scene. Duke Iverson, who guided Western State to RMAC championships or co-championships six times in the 1990s, has returned to Gunnison as the Mountaineers' offensive coordinator after serving as the head coach at Western Oregon the past few years. Western State's new head coach is Pat Stewart, formerly an assistant at Nebraska-Kearney. The Mountaineers were pegged for last in the preseason poll after going 2-9 overall and 2-6 in the conference last season. The poll has Fort Lewis as a top-heavy choice to win all the marbles, something the Skyhawks haven't done since 1984 when they were known as the Raiders. But they return all-conference quarterback Matt Gutierrez, who edged Chadron State's Danny Woodhead as the preseason offensive player of the year. Fort Lewis accumulated just 14 points in the preseason poll while UNK was second with 21, followed closely by the Eagles with 22 and Colorado Mines with 24. Adams State, despite landing eight players, more than any other team, on the preseason all-star list, was fifth with 36 points, two more than Mesa State, a team O'Boyle thinks will be a contender for the top spot.
A glimpse at the teams in order of their preseason ranking follows:
Fort Lewis Skyhawks
Gutierrez is a good one. He completed 63 percent of his passes for nearly 2,700 yards and 27 touchdowns last fall while throwing just six interceptions. He also was the Skyhawks' leading rusher. Coach Ed Rifilato, whose team was 6-4 overall and 6-2 in the RMAC last year, said he has switched all of last year's running backs to linebacker and has brought in several promising ball carriers. The Hawks graduated Gutierrez's two favorite targets, but two of their offensive linemen, Jordan Ashby and Jonathan Call, made the preseason all-star team. So did three defenders, including safety Reed Duvall, who was last year's conference defensive player of the year and the preseason choice to repeat, according to the coaches' vote. Duvall also was selected as the top preseason special teams player. He led the league in punt returns last season.
Nebraska-Kearney Antelopes
Because of what was described as a family emergency, Coach Darrell Morris was not at the RMAC meetings and no one spoke about the Antelopes. After going 9-3 overall and winning the RMAC with a 7-1 record last fall, the Antelopes are expected to be in the thick of the race again this fall. No UNK players made the preseason team on offense, but three of them made it on defense, including end Sir Keevin Hardiman, who has received some preseason All-American notice. The Lopers also have an excellent kicker/punter in Jessup Pfeifer and have added a couple of transfers who are expected to help take of the slack for the graduation of last year's leaders, Richie Ross and Kyle Rupp, who combined for 169 receptions for 2,410 yards.
Chadron State Eagles
The Eagles expect to be improved in all phases of the game. That would seem possible since there were only 10 seniors on last year's roster and just half of them were regulars. The hope is that the team will be older and wiser, make fewer crucial turnovers, make more big plays on defense and have a better kicking game. Led by All-American tailback Danny Woodhead and four returning starters in the line, the offense should be solid, particularly if the receivers are consistent and quarterbacks Tyler Hidrogo and Joe McLain pick up where they left off last year. The defense should benefit from having much more experience. Sixteen of the 19 players who participated in at least 10 tackles last season will be back. The coaches are hoping the defense can come up with more than the 17 turnovers it managed last year.
Colorado Mines Orediggers
Perhaps none of the coaches spoke with more optimism than Bob Stitt, the Orediggers' mentor who guided them to a 12-1 record and an undefeated RMAC season in 2004. Mines was 6-5 and 6-2 last season. Stitt said he'll have 11 players with starting experience back on defense, including nosetackle Charles Yarbrough and linebacker Donny Sprague, both of whom made the preseason all-conference team. Offensively, the leaders include quarterback Garrett Mehl, who shared the job last season, and running back Bryan Florendo, a Crete, Neb., native who will seek to become Mines' first 1,000-yard rusher this fall after gaining 928 last year. The Orediggers also will return five starters on the offensive line, but must replace Justin Gallas, who caught 91 passes for 1,200 yards and was the national leader in all-purpose yards last fall.
Adams State Grizzlies
While 14 starters are returning, Coach Wayne McGinn has to replace quarterback Scott Coxon, the entire defensive line, linebacker Adam McGurk, a two-time RMAC defensive player of the year; and punter Jeff Williams, now a member of the Denver Broncos. McGinn said he wants to get the ball to halfback Chris Ross often and has the entire offensive line, led by 300-pounders Cory Karpilo and Chris Ludin, returning. Chris Buderus is the heir apparent at quarterback. The defense includes cornerback Tony Gibalski, who had five interceptions last season.
Mesa State Mavericks
The Mavericks have some weapons. They include running back Bobby Coy, who rushed for 1,078 yards; quarterback Sean McGraw, who threw for 1,550 yards; and receiver Drew Bohannan, who caught 65 passes for 1,236 yards and 11 touchdowns. But the entire offensive line must be replaced. Defensively, the Mavs return all-conference end Creed James and freshman of the year Trevor Wikre at tackle. Coach Joe Ramunno said he's pleased with the energy the young players have shown and added, "I think we'll put a good product on the field."
New Mexico Highlands
RMAC coaches familiar with Ferrill's first tenure at Highlands have no doubts but what he'll find plenty of talented players to wear the Cowboys' purple uniforms. In Ferrill's absence, linebackers coach Dan Corbett spoke about the team's personnel. He said quarterback should be a strength with the return of Ronnie Simpson, who threw for 2,156 yards and 22 touchdowns and and ran for 466 yards last season. Also in the picture is 6-7 Brandon Fairfield, a redshirt freshman who is the son of former Chadron State wide receiver Jim Fairfield. Corbett said that despite the new talent, most of last year's returning starters are expected to be in the lineup again.
Western New Mexico Mustangs
The Mustangs were 5-5 last year. They beat Highlands and Western State and lost to Mesa State. Coach Wade said Western New Mexico is glad to be in the RMAC because it gives the coaches and players some goals. Wade called end James Head his best defensive player and spoke highly of offensive tackles Ed Johnson, who is 6-5, 320, and J.D. Probasco, who is 6-3, 310. "We're going to try our best to be a good football team," Wade said.
Western State Mountaineers
Defensive Coordinator Brenton Illum spoke for the Mountaineers, who were 2-9 overall and 2-6 in the RMAC last year. He said about 60 of the 100-plus players on the roster will be freshmen and 95 percent of the players are Coloradans. He added that the new staff will be "urgently patient" in rebuilding the Mountaineers. The talent includes quarterback Dan Bretthauer, who threw for 2,465 yards, and wide receiver J.R. Finley, who caught 72 balls for 985 yards as a freshman last year. Jason Davis gives Western an excellent punter-placekicker. Former CSC graduate assistant Kevin Stanley has returned to his alma mater as the defensive line coach.