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LAS VEGAS — Utah State’s Chuckie Keeton had a standout, albeit short, season in 2013.
The senior quarterback from Houston, Texas, picked up where he left off in 2014, though.
Keeton was named Mountain West Conference’s Preseason Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday at the league’s annual Media Days in Las Vegas.
The Aggies were picked to finish second in the Mountain Division in the league’s preseason media poll, also announced Tuesday. Boise State and Fresno State topped the Mountain and West Divisions, respectively.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Keeton completed 136 of 196 passes for 1,388 yards and 18 touchdowns with only two interceptions before being injured in the first quarter against BYU on Oct. 4, 2013. Keeton ranked second in the nation in touchdown passes and second in points responsible for (22.8 points per game) through the first five games of the year. In 2014, he’s been named to the watchlists for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award, the Maxwell Award and the College Football Performance Awards Quarterback of the Year, among others.
Three of Keeton’s teammates also picked up Mountain West preseason honors. Defensive end B.J. Larsen, linebacker Zach Vigil and linebacker Kyler Fackrell were each named to the 25-player preseason all- MWC first team.
Boise State was picked to win the MWC, racking up 183 points and 20 first- place votes. Utah State earned 176 points, including 12 first-place votes, to finish just behind the Broncos in the Mountain Division. Fresno State was picked to win the West Division with 174 points and 15 first-place votes. San Diego State also earned 15 first-place votes.
Fresno State senior defensive back Derron Smith was tabbed the league’s Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and New Mexico junior kick returner Carlos Wiggins took Preseason Special Teams Player of the Year honors.
Contributor: Rod Zundel
2014 Mountain West Football Preseason All-Conference Team
Offense
QB Chuckie Keeton, Sr., Utah State
WR Matt Miller, Sr., Boise State
WR Devante Davis, Sr., UNLV
RB Jay Ajayi, Jr., Boise State
RB Donnel Pumphrey, So., San Diego State
OL Ty Sambrailo, Sr., Colorado State
OL Cody Wichmann, Sr., Fresno State
OL LaMar Bratton, Sr., New Mexico
OL Brett Boyko, Sr., UNLV
OL Robert Waterman, Sr., UNLV
TE Kivon Cartwright, Sr., Colorado State
Defense
DL Tyeler Davison, Sr., Fresno State
DL Brock Hekking, Sr., Nevada
DL B.J. Larsen, Sr., Utah State
DL Eddie Yarbrough, Jr., Wyoming
LB Ejiro Ederaine, Jr., Fresno State
LB Kyler Fackrell, Jr., Utah State
LB Zach Vigil, Sr., Utah State
DB Donte Deayon, Jr., Boise State
DB Jeremy Ioane, Sr., Boise State
DB Derron Smith, Sr., Fresno State
DB J.J. Whittaker, Sr., San Diego State
Specialists
P Garrett Swanson, Jr., Fresno State
PK Jared Roberts, Sr., Colorado State
KR Carlos Wiggins, Jr., New Mexico