BOISE, Idaho — Expectations for the defending champions heightened Wednesday as Boise State football was picked to finish atop the Mountain West and nearly swept the league's preseason individual awards.
Ashton Jeanty claimed Offensive Player of the Year and Ahmed Hassanein earned co-Defensive Player of the Year, with seven Broncos landing on the preseason All-Mountain West list. The poll and all-conference selections were released Wednesday as part of media days in Las Vegas.
Jeanty earned the top offensive award last year after finishing second in the FBS in all-purpose yards per game (159.7), seventh in rushing yards per game (112.3) and 11th with 1,347 total rushing yards. He became the first FBS player with at least 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in a single season since 2019.
The 5-foot-9, 215-pound running back received All-America recognition from The Associated Press, Athlon Sports, ESPN and USA Today following the 2023 season. Jeanty is the clear favorite to repeat as Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and the hype surrounding him continues to grow this summer.
Jeanty’s usage will increase with George Holani now in the NFL, and 2,000 yards from scrimmage is certainly within reach. The Jacksonville native was joined by Fresno State running back Malik Sherrod on the preseason all-conference squad.
Hassanein on Wednesday was named co-Defensive Player of the Year alongside UNLV linebacker Jackson Woodard. The 6-foot-3, 270-pound defensive end was one of the most improved players in the conference during the 2023 season.
After registering just 2.5 sacks in 2022, he jumped to 12.5 in 2023, the most by a Bronco since Curtis Weaver had 13.0 in 2019. Hassanein ranked fifth in the FBS in sacks last season and seventh in sacks per game (0.89), earning first team All-Mountain West honors.
The Egypt native finished third in the conference with 16.5 tackles for loss and recorded at least half a sack in nine-straight games, the longest FBS streak since 2015. Hassanein joins Fresno State's Devo Bridges, San Jose State's Soane Toia and Wyoming's Jordan Bertagnole on the preseason all-MW defensive line.
Jeanty and Hassanein were joined by Kage Casey, Andrew Simpson, A'Marion McCoy, Jonah Dalmas and James Ferguson-Reynolds on Wednesday's all-conference list.
UNLV senior returner Jacob De Jesus claimed preseason Special Teams Player of the Year over Dalmas and Ferguson-Reynolds. Dalmas enters the 2024 season just 18 field goals shy of setting a new NCAA career record. Ferguson-Reynolds led the FBS in punting average in 2023.
2024 MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Offense:
- QB: Mikey Keene - Jr., Fresno State
- WR: Tory Horton* - Gr., Colorado State
- WR: Ricky White III* - Sr., UNLV
- WR: Jalen Royals* - Sr., Utah State
- RB: Ashton Jeanty* - Jr., Boise State
- RB: Malik Sherrod - Sr., Fresno State
- OL: Kage Casey** - So., Boise State
- OL: Jacob Gardner** - Gr., Colorado State
- OL: Mose Vavao** - Sr., Fresno State
- OL: Tiger Shanks* - Sr., UNLV
- OL: Jack Walsh - Jr., Wyoming
- TE: John Michael Gyllenborg - Jr., Wyoming
Defense:
- DL: Ahmed Hassanein* - Sr., Boise State
- DL: Devo Bridges** - Sr., Fresno State
- DL: Soane Toia** - Sr., San Jose State
- DL: Jordan Bertagnole** - Gr., Wyoming
- LB: Andrew Simpson** - Jr., Boise State
- LB: Chase Wilson** - Sr., Colorado State
- LB: Jordan Pollard - Jr., San Jose State
- LB: Jackson Woodard* - Sr., UNLV
- DB: A'Marion McCoy - Sr., Boise State
- DB: Jack Howell* - Sr., Colorado State
- DB: Cameron Oliver** - Sr., UNLV
- DB: Ike Larsen* - Jr., Utah State
Specialists:
- P: James Ferguson-Reynolds* - Jr., Boise State
- PK: Jonah Dalmas** - Gr., Boise State
- PR: Jacob De Jesus* - Sr., UNLV
- KR: Jacob De Jesus* - Sr., UNLV
* - 2023 first team All-Mountain West selection
** - 2023 second team All-Mountain West selection
PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR HONORS
- Offensive Player of the Year: Ashton Jeanty - Jr., RB, Boise State
- Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Ahmed Hassanein - Sr., DL, Boise State
- Co-Defensive Player of the Year: Jackson Woodard - Sr., LB, UNLV
- Special Teams Player of the Year: Jacob De Jesus - Sr., PR/KR, UNLV
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