BOISE, Idaho - Boise State, despite losing its head coach Dan Hawkins to the University of Colorado, was an overwhelming choice by the media to win this year's Western Athletic Conference football championship.
The Broncos, the four-time defending champions, received 36 of a possible 50 first-place votes and 432 total points.
Boise State finished 9-4 last year and have won 33 of their last 34 conference games
Fresno State garnered nine first-place votes and compiled 380 points. Nevada received four first-place votes and 349 total points. Hawai'i received one first-place vote and 306 points.
Louisiana Tech was fifth with 256 points, followed by San Jose State 153, Utah State 147, Idaho 134 and New Mexico State 93.
PRESEASON HONORS
The WAC media selected Hawai'i quarterback Colt Brennan and Boise State linebacker Korey Hall as the preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.
Hall, a senior, earned all-WAC honors for the second straight season after he led the Broncos' defense with 106 tackles. He is 10th-all time with 283 stops.
Hall said he was "kinda surprised" to be selected for the preseason honor.
"I didn't feel like I had that good of a season last year," Hall said after participating in Tuesday's MPC Computer Bowl golf outing at Falcon Crest Golf Club. "I had turf toe the first four or five weeks of the season. I didn't feel like I was playing up to par.
"It's exciting (to be honored), but on the other hand, it puts a big target on your back. It comes with a lot of expectations that are placed on you personally."
Brennan, a junior, led the nation in passing yardage last season, completing 350 of 515 attempts for 4,301 yards and 35 touchdowns. His 371-yard average was tops in the country, and he was ninth nationally with a 155.5 rating.
NO BRENNAN, ROWE
Many media members were a bit dismayed to learn that Brennan and Jeff Rowe of Nevada weren't taken to the Media Day by their coaches, and commissioner Karl Benson noticed.
"We talked about it," Benson said. "We could require that returning all-conference players attend. This year we left it up to the coaches.
"Sometimes there are coaches that want to bring seniors. Other coaches use it as a reward."
COACHES' SALARIES
The Idaho Statesman, under the Freedom of Information Act and the California Public Records Act ran a story in its Tuesday edition with the salary breakdown for all the WAC coaches.
Benson didn't know the story was going to be running, but said he didn't have a problem with it.
"The only negative comment I heard was by Pat Hill, and he said "I wish I made that much."
Hill's contract is not available because, according to the Idaho Statesman article, he is employed by FSU and the Athletic Corporation, a private group. According to the article, Hill is said to be paid $900,000 by the private group.
"I don't know where you guys get your figures," Hill said when asked about the story.
Hawai'i's June Jones makes $800,016 according to the article, $400,008 for coaching and $400,008 for media and public relation appearances. There are other success-based perks that he can earn as well.
Boise State's Chris Petersen, despite no head-coaching experience, makes $500,000 a year, $141,744 as a base salary and $358,256 for media and public appearances.
Nevada's Chris Ault is fourth at $376,000, followed by San Jose State's Dick Tomey at $276,700, New Mexico State's Hal Mumme at $250,000, Utah State's Brent Guy at $225,000, Louisiana Tech's Jack Bicknell $200,000 and Idaho's Dennis Erickson $184,643.
The article said that Ault has the use of two automobiles, his wife travels on the team charter, has sky-box privileges for 12 season tickets for football games and four season tickets for men's and women's basketball games. He also has access to a Hidden Valley Golf Club membership valued at more than $7,000.
According to Benson, Ault said the figures were accurate.
Don't feel too bad for Erickson, because he is still collecting paychecks from the San Francisco 49ers, and will continue to do so until 2007, according to the Idaho Statesman.
The Statesman reported that all the contracts have incentives for bowl wins/appearances, rankings and yearly win-loss record.
GOLF OUTING
For the first time in recent memory, student-athletes were invited to play in the yearly golf outing, and several, including Boise State's Jared Zabransky and Hall, accepted.
Both Zabransky and Hall definitely know their way around a golf course.
"We always talk about what we can do to make it more enjoyable for the student-athletes (who make the trip)," Benson said. "We had it the past couple of years and there was enough going on in Reno.
"This year we included the players in golf. We talked about a raft trip for the players who didn't want to golf, but that didn't get a positive response. We talked about bowling, too."