LAS VEGAS – New head coach. New coordinators. New starting quarterback.
 
The Mountain West media had its rationale for picking Wyoming, which returns 16 starters from the nine-win 2023 team, to finish sixth in the preseason poll released Wednesday.
 
Running back Harrison Waylee and defensive tackle Jordan Bertagnole, who represented the Cowboys during the conference's media day event at Circa Resort & Casino, were not surprised by UW's place in the pecking order.
 
"We already talked about this as a team. This is what we kind of predicted. This is how the people see us," Waylee said. "But the people that are actually inside our group, we know what we're able to do and we know how we can go out there and perform and we know what we've been through, what we've been preparing for.
 
"Being sixth doesn't affect us one bit because we already had a chip on our shoulder and now, we're going to go get that chip."
 
The Pokes were also tabbed sixth in the 2023 preseason poll and finished tied with Air Force for fourth place in the MW standings. Craig Bohl, who said his team was "lying in the weeds" before the campaign, retired after the 9-4 finish, which was the most wins UW has had in a season since 1996 (10-2).
 
Bohl retired after the thrilling win over Toledo in the Arizona Bowl. Jay Sawvel is one of seven new head coaches in the MW, but it is business as usual inside the High Altitude Performance Center.
 
Aaron Bohl has assumed the defensive coordinator duties and offensive coordinator Jay Johnson is installing a more balanced scheme led by Waylee in the backfield and Evan Svoboda at quarterback.
 
"Hiring in-house a guy that cares about this program and has a lot of pride in it was definitely huge," Bertagnole said of the transition. "Coach Sawvel is that person and kind of the perfect guy. You can see how everyone looks at him and thinks of him. I feel like you need a gritty guy that cares and wants what is best for the guys on the team. There is nobody better for that than Sawvel."
 
Bertagnole was one of three Pokes selected to the preseason all-MW team, along with offensive lineman Jack Walsh and tight end John Michael Gyllenborg.
 
Center Nofoafia Tulafono, safety Wyett Ekeler and Waylee were surprising omissions from a brown and gold perspective.
 
"I always say the preseason is cool to get accolades, but everything that matters is postseason," Bertagnole said. "(Waylee) is a huge part of our offense and our team in general. When I woke up this morning and saw that I looked at it and said, 'Are you joking?'
 
"If anything, he's going to take it as a chip on his shoulder and he's going to show them."
 
Sawvel doesn't want his players talking about winning the program's first MW championship. The goal is understood, and the work is being put in behind the scenes to get it done.
 
The long road to the top begins against Arizona State on Aug. 31 in Tempe. The Sun Devils, who were picked to finish 16^th in the now 16-team Big 12, will also be highly motivated to prove the preseason prognosticators wrong.
 
"I was honestly surprised that they were picked last in the Big 12 because they're a new team and I think they look a lot better than what they're getting credit for," Bertagnole said. "That one should be really fun."
 
Boise State, which visits War Memorial Stadium on Nov. 23, is the heavy favorite to win the MW with 38 first-place votes. The Cowboys won't play No. 2 UNLV or No. 3 Fresno State during the regular season. Front Range rivals Air Force and Colorado State were voted No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.
 
No. 7 Utah State, No. 8 San Diego State, No. 9 Hawaii, No. 10 San Jose State, No. 11 New Mexico and No. 12 Nevada round out the poll.
 
The MW championship game is scheduled for Dec. 6.
 
UW's new head coach was the defensive coordinator for the past four seasons. The new defensive coordinator was groomed for the job by his father and Sawvel. The new offensive coordinator was a Broyles Award finalist in 2021 at Michigan State.
 
The new quarterback is a 6-foot-5, 245-pound junior who had the Cowboys tied with Texas entering the fourth quarter of his first career start and led the game-winning drive in the bowl to send Craig Bohl out with a smile.
 
"Our experience is way better than it was last year because we went through last year to get this experience," Waylee noted.
 
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