We have reached the point in the off-season where spring football has concluded and fans are starting to have a better understanding of what their team’s depth chart may look like. With that, we are going to take a look at specific position groups across the PAC 12 and Mountain West. With our coverage shifting to two different conferences, it will be impossible to cover all 18 teams in one article each week. For that reason, we are going to focus on a couple of teams that fit the bill in each category.
Over the past few weeks, we have talked about quarterbacks, running backs, offensive lines, wide receivers, defensive lines, and linebackers. This week we take a look at the no fly zone as we dive into the secondary.
The Good
Fresno State
New head coach, new defensive philosophy. Matt Entz turned this defense around in a hurry thanks, in large part, to elite play in the secondary. The Bulldogs led the Mountain West is pass yards allowed, surrendering only 153.77 yards per game. This stingy secondary also forced quarterbacks into tough passing situations, allowing only 53.8% of opposing passes to be completed. If the Bulldogs can improve on the other side of the ball, they should be immediate contenders in the PAC 12.
Wyoming
This team may have struggled up front last season, but the secondary shined. The Cowboys finished the season third in the conference in pass yards allowed, and they return enough talent to be one of the top pass defenses in the West. Last fall, the Cowboys surrendered only 175 passing yards a game despite having trouble rushing the quarterback. If the pass rush can give the secondary some support, this could end up being one of the best overall defenses in the Mountain West.
The Bad
Hawaii
The Rainbow Warriors may have had a resurgent season in 2025, but they were still a team that had plenty of flaws, specifically in the secondary which is an area that did not get addressed as much as I expected this past off-season. Hawaii gave up just shy of 3,000 yards passing this past season and that was on top of them struggling against the run. This team will also be breaking in some new faces in the secondary that have limited game experience. If this group improves, it could be a big year for the Rainbow Warriors. If not, it could be a long off-season on the islands.
UNLV
As good as the Rebels were on offense last season, they were equally as bad on defense. Their secondary was clearly flawed despite landing some promising talent in the transfer portal. The Rebels gave up 23 pass touchdowns and over 240 yards passing per game. Those are not championship numbers. The Boise State hurdle may be gone, but teams like Hawaii and New Mexico are going to take advantage of the Rebels if they don’t improve in this department.
The Ugly
San Jose State
I watched a lot of San Jose State football last season and it seemed as if they were trying to play things safe with a secondary they clearly did not trust. They would often give receivers big cushions and it resulted in quarterbacks completing over 65% of their pass attempts. Eventually, it opened up big plays in the passing game for the opposition which averaged 245 passing yards per game. It will be interesting to see if the Spartans take a more aggressive approach this season.
Air Force
Last season was probably the worst Air Force secondary I have ever seen. Not only were they the worst pass defense in the Mountain West, they were one of the worst in all of college football. The Falcons gave up over 264 yards passing per game and opposing quarterbacks completed just under 70% of their passes. Those are terrifying numbers, and without help from the transfer portal, it is hard to see things getting much better for the Falcons this fall.
How do you feel about your team’s secondary? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
