Hike's Peak: The Weekly Mountain West Podcast

Mountain West Connection

Welcome to "Hike's Peak", a Mountain West Connection podcast. Visit the mountain every Tuesday for a brand new episode covering everything Mountain West related! Find us on Twitter @MWCConnection or on our website mwcconnection.com !

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165 episodes
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Episodes165

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Today · 34 min
Mountain West Media Days Finale! Exclusive interview w/ MW Commissioner Gloria Nevarez! Insider conversation w/ college sports business expert KC Smurthwaite!
Welcome back everyone to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! For our final episode of our Mountain West Media Days trio, we’re going over two of my favorite interviews I’ve ever gotten the chance to do. First, you’ll hear my exclusive discussion with Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez to discuss the new additions of North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, and UTEP, goals for the conference in 2026, and what the Mountain West’s identity will be heading into the future. After that, you’ll hear my conversation with college sports business guru KC Smurtwaite, as we discuss the three incoming schools and how they match up to the rest of the members, along with plenty of other insider info that KC lets us in on. A ton of access in this one that you won’t get anywhere else, let’s dive in! Show Notes: Housekeeping Interview w/ Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez on the future of the conference Conversation w/ college sports business expert KC Smurthwaite on how North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, & UTEP compare financially to the rest of the conference, plus much more! That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! This is the finale of our three part series from Mountain West Media Days. Find all of our full length interviews from the event here, as well as our Media Days episodes spotlighting the attending players and every head coach! Make sure to explore the FREE depth chart tracker app, which provides starting lineup projections for every team in the Mountain West and PAC-12! If you like the show & enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection & find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Also make sure to check out our site’s brand new podcast, “The Pac-Mountain Pulse”, with Derek & Dom’s conversations airing on Thursdays! Thank you so much for listening, we’ll be back to regularly scheduled programming next week, and if you’ve been looking at my Twitter the last few days, you can probably figure out what topic I have a lot of things to say about! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain.
Wednesday · 45 min
Mountain West Media Days Head Coaches Interview Special! Best quote from all 10 team's shot callers! Insider intel on every roster for 2026!
Welcome back everyone to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! After spotlighting the players from Mountain West Media Days that we were able to interview, we’ll switch gears this week and go over the best quote I got from all 10 head coaches at the event! Super exciting episode this week, let’s dive in! Housekeeping: Last week's MW Media Days Player Special is here. Every interview that we got from Mountain West Media Days is live right now on my YouTube channel, JackTalksCFB! Check out the latest episode of Mountain West Connection’s new podcast, “The Pac-Mountain Pulse”, where Derek and I break down a lot of fun PAC 12 storylines! Next week: MW Commisioner Gloria Nevarez, KC Smurthwaite Show Notes: All 10 head coach's best quote (Topic of quote) Air Force || Troy Calhoun, 20th year: What are the odds of a service academy winning a national championship in today's landscape? Hawaii || Timmy Chang, 5th year: The impact and coaching style of Defensive Coordinator Dennis Thurman. Nevada || Jeff Choate, 3rd year: How the offseason retentions defied the odds, and why seemingly P4-bound players stayed in Reno. New Mexico || Jason Eck, 2nd year: Differences between portal recruiting from year one to year two, plus top transfers to watch. North Dakota State || Tim Polasek, 3rd year: How the Bison have had better retention than most G6 programs, and the downside of the money flooding college sports. Northern Illinois || Rob Harley, interim: How the Huskies landed Taron Dickens, and state of the QB battle. San Jose State || Ken Niumatalolo, 3rd year: How SJSU became Wide Receiver U, and Spartan wideouts to watch out for. UNLV || Dan Mullen, 2nd year: The legacy of Jai'Den "Jet" Thomas. Is he on the Rebels football "Mount Rushmore"? UTEP || Scotty Walden, 3rd year: How the Miners fended off P4 suitors to hold onto starters, and how their move to the Mountain West will continue to elevate their program. Wyoming || Jay Sawvel, 3rd year: The story of Tyler Hughes' portal recruitment, and how he's led the offense since arriving in Laramie. Playlist for all MW Media Days interviews FREE depth chart tracker app! MWCConnection Twitter The Pac-Mountain Pulse
July 22 · 37 min
Mountain West Media Days Players Interview Special! All 10 team's best quote! Insider intel on teams, players, & storylines for 2026!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! We are back from Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas, where we were able to interview over 30 players & every head coach. We’re going to dive into what I learned from the players during my conversations with them, highlighted by each team’s best quote. From position battles, to team attitudes & expectations, I certainly left the event with a better handle on all 10 teams entering the 2026 season, & now I’ll pass that insider info onto you! Some quick housekeeping before we get into things. First up, as of this upload, all of the interviews with 30+ players are now available in their entirety on my YouTube channel. You can find the link to those in the show notes below, & my interviews with all 10 head coaches will be released next week, along with a similar style episode to this one. The following week, our final Mountain West Media Days episode will drop, featuring conversations with MW commissioner Gloria Nevarez & college sports business expert KC Smurthwaite. Second, if you haven’t already heard, Mountain West Connection has launched a second podcast! It’s called The PAC-Mountain Pulse, hosted by Derek Raridon & Dominic Gutierrez! It’s a much more conversational show, diving into a few key topics each week, & is a perfect addition to your weekly sports diet! The Pulse drops every Thursday, & I’ll actually be on the next episode, so definitely make sure to check the site’s newest show out, you won’t want to miss it! Alright, that’s all I got for now, let’s dive into some stories from Vegas! Show Notes: Rundown of MW Media Days Content Plan All 10 team's best quote (players w/ interview clips in this episode) Air Force: SR MLB Blake Fletcher Hawaii: SR CB Elijah Palmer Nevada: SR OT Jack Foster New Mexico: SR QB Jack Layne North Dakota State: SR SAF Darius Givance Northern Illinois: JR DE Jay'shon Thomas San Jose State: SR C Joseph Harbert UNLV: SR CB Mumu Bin-Wahad UTEP: SR SAF Kode Lowe Wyoming: SR OT Rex Johnsen That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for listening! This is week one of our three part series from Mountain West Media Days. Find all of our full length interviews from the event here. Make sure to explore the FREE depth chart tracker app! Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection & find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Also make sure to check out our site’s brand new podcast, “The Pac-Mountain Pulse”, with Derek & Dom’s conversations airing on Thursdays! Thank you again for coming back to the mountain!
July 7 · 21 min
Every PAC-12 Teams' Projected Win Totals & Most Important Player! Scouting reports, analysis, and key players to watch in 2026! Plus MW Media Days Announcement!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! As promised, we’re going to spend this week analyzing each PAC-12 team’s projected win totals, along with their most important player for 2026. I’ll let you know what I’m thinking about all eight team’s prospects in the win column, good or bad, which will help explain why a specific player is going to be your favorite team’s X-factor this season. Complete with scouting, depth chart projections, scenarios, and my personal expectations for each pick, this episode should introduce you to the main characters of the upcoming PAC-12 campaign. Lots of scouting reports to get through, let’s dive in! Real quick before we get going, first off, I’m very happy to announce that I will be attending Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas on July 15th and 16th at the Palms Casino, providing you with interviews with all 10 head coaches and every attending player! Can’t wait to bring you guys some fantastic, exclusive content for you all, but in order to prepare, we will be taking next Tuesday off. As long as everything goes according to plan, the following Tuesday, you’ll receive the interviews with all of the players, and we’ll talk to every head coach the week after. Second thing, check out the always-free Mountain West PAC-12 Depth Chart Tracker which should have complete stats for every player in the Mountain West in time for Media Days! The PAC-12 stats are on the way, I promise, but since they didn’t want to have an official media day for their conference, I feel okay making them wait an extra week. Alright, enough shop talk, let’s get on with it! Show Notes: MW Media Days Announcement & MW/PAC Depth Chart Tracker App update Each PAC-12 teams' O/U win total & Most Important Player w/ analysis Most Important Player breakdown (by position): Quarterback, Running Back, Safety: 2 Wide Receiver, Cornerback: 1 That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! This completes our preview of each Mountain West and PAC-12 team’s projected win totals and most important player, if you missed the Mountain West version just click here to catch up on that. Make sure to explore the FREE depth chart tracker app! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Thank you again for listening, I will see you all when I get back from Las Vegas on July 21st with suitcases full of football intel! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
June 30 · 20 min
Projected O/U Win Totals & Most Important Player for each Mountain West Team! Scouting reports, analysis, & key players to watch in 2026!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! With the offseason starting to reach its twilight, let’s look forward to the 2026 season and what to expect from your Mountain West teams. This week, we’re going to dive into each school’s projected over/under for total wins provided by DraftKings, complete with my thoughts on how their season’s may go. We’ll also go over each squad’s most important player entering the year, with a full analysis of their strengths, weaknesses, and the situation around them that’s left all this responsibility on their shoulders. A great episode to get you ready for football season, let’s dive right in! Two things before we get going. First, this week’s episode will be going over the 10 Mountain West teams, and next week we’ll go over the projected win totals and most important player for all 8 PAC-12 teams. Second thing, the Mountain West PAC-12 Depth Chart Tracker app is still going strong and getting better everyday! We fixed a few bugs, added some images to spruce things up, and are about 90% done with adding heights, weights, hometowns, and high school rankings for every player in the PAC-12. That should be done in the next few days, and then we’ll start adding all of the stats into the database. Also I do want to make it clear that this tool is completely free to use, there’s no paid option or anything, there’s only the free version and that’s the best available resource out there for west coast football fans. So, if you haven’t checked it out yet or haven’t looked in a few weeks, take a look at the link in the show notes below, I really think you’ll learn something new about your favorite team. Show Notes: MW/PAC Depth Chart Tracker App update Each Mountain West teams' O/U win total & Most Important Player w/ analysis Most Important Player breakdown (by position): Running Back, Linebacker: 3 Quarterback: 2 Edge Rusher, Wide Receiver: 1 That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! I sincerely hope you take some time to explore the FREE depth chart tracker app! This project has been a massive undertaking, but I truly believe this is the best fan resource out there if you care about Mountain West or PAC-12 football, so check out the link in the show notes below! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Of course, the CBK transfer portal tracker is still live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list! Thank you again for listening, until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
June 23 · 21 min
Top 3 Incoming MW/PAC Transfers At EVERY Position! Learn the top names to watch for the 2026 CFB season! 21 players highlighted!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! For this week, I’m giving you the rundown on the best and brightest transfers entering the Mountain West and PAC-12 for the 2026 season. We’ll go through each position and highlight the top three newcomers at each spot, complete with their stories leading up to this point and how I think they’ll fare at their new homes. This list has it all, from former five stars, to journeymen joining their fourth school or embarking on their seventh year, there’s a good mix of high-profile names and under-the-radar additions. This should be fun, let’s dive right in! Real quick, here is your Mountain West PAC-12 Depth Chart Tracker App update, of course the link will be in the show notes below. As of now, every single player in the Mountain West has their height, weight, hometown, and high school ranking listed, along with a few depth chart adjustments. Every PAC-12 player should have theirs added over the next few days, and then it’s on to the stats phase! Transfers Highlighted by Team: Boise State - JR RB Juelz Goff (Pitt) - JR CB JeRico Washington Jr (Kennesaw State) Colorado State - SO QB Hauss Hejny (Oklahoma State) - JR RB Durell Robinson (Auburn) - SR OT Quinton Harris (TCU) - JR LB Oumar Diomande (UConn) Fresno State - JR DE Dylan Hampsten (Sacramento State) (FCS) Nevada - JR RG Ethan Newman (Memphis) New Mexico - GR WR Troy Omeire (UNLV) Oregon State - SR LB Dylan Layne (Idaho) (FCS) San Diego State - SR S Jalen Thomeson (Ohio) San Jose State - SR QB Luke Weaver (Hawaii) - JR DT Jayland McGlothen (Sacramento State) (FCS) UNLV - SR QB Jackson Arnold (Oklahoma) - JR OG BJ Tolo (New Mexico State) - SR LB Cam Santee (Holy Cross) (FCS) Utah State - SR WR Javon Robinson (Georgia State) UTEP - JR WR Carver Cheeks (Northern Colorado) (FCS) Wyoming - SR RB Markell Holman (Western Illinois) (FCS) - GR DE Thaddeus Gianaris (Dartmouth) (FCS) Washington State - JR S Jeremiah Bernard (Cal Poly) (FCS) That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! I sincerely hope you take some time to explore the depth chart tracker app! This project has been a massive undertaking, but I truly believe this is the best fan resource out there if you care about Mountain West or PAC-12 football, so check out the link in the show notes below! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Of course, the CBK transfer portal tracker is still live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list! Thank you again for listening, until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
June 17 · 24 min
Summer Report Cards for all 12 Mountain West Teams! Grades, storylines, & stars for football/basketball! MW/PAC-12 Depth Chart Tracker UPDATE!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! With summer just around the corner, it’s time to hand out report cards to all 12 of the 2025 Mountain West teams. We’ll be taking an overhead look at how each school’s football and basketball programs fared this past season, complete with highs and lows, star players, and the biggest storylines that went down or came up during the offseason. No time to waste, let’s dive right in! Mountain West/PAC 12 Depth Chart Tracker App Link! Show Notes: MW/PAC Depth Chart Tracker roadmap update Report Cards (Football, Basketball, Cumulative) for all 12 2025 Mountain West teams! One grade from each team Air Force: Football - C- Boise State: Basketball - C+ Colorado State: Cumulative - C- Fresno State: Football - B Hawaii: Basketball - A- Nevada: Cumulative - C+ New Mexico: Football - A+ San Diego State: Basketball - B- San Jose State: Cumulative - D UNLV: Football - B+ Utah State: Basketball: A+ Wyoming: Cumulative - C+ That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! I sincerely hope you take some time to explore the depth chart tracker app! This project has been a massive undertaking, but I truly believe this is the best fan resource out there if you care about Mountain West or PAC-12 football, so check out the link in the show notes below! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Of course, the CBK transfer portal tracker is still live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated whenever news drops, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer movement! Thank you again for listening, one last time, click the link in the show notes to check out the Mountain West PAC 12 Depth Chart Tracker App! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
June 10 · 16 min
MW/PAC Depth Chart Tracker App Update! All 8 PAC-12 Teams' projections added! Track EVERY rostered MW/PAC player NOW! Each PAC-12 Teams' Top Position Group for 2026!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! As promised last week, the official Mountain West PAC-12 Depth Chart Tracker App is now live with every rostered player in the PAC-12 conference! That now means no matter if you root for Boise State or New Mexico or Texas State or Wyoming, you can now find your complete projected depth chart for 2026 right now with the link in the show notes below. To celebrate, we’ll be going through all eight PAC-12 teams and tabbing their top position group entering this pseudo-inaugural season, since I can now confidently say I know all of their rosters like the back of my hand. We’ll also kick the show off with a demonstration of when the depth chart tracker app will be useful for all of you fans out there. Time to get going, let’s dive right in! Mountain West/PAC 12 Depth Chart Tracker App Link! Show Notes: MW/PAC Depth Chart Tracker roadmap, features, & more! Each Mountain West Team's top position group entering 2026 Tally by position: Wide Receiver: 2 Running Backs: 2 Offensive Line: 1 Cornerbacks: 1 Linebackers: 1 Safeties: 1 That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! I sincerely hope you take some time to explore the depth chart tracker app! This project has been a massive undertaking, but I truly believe this is the best fan resource out there if you care about Mountain West or PAC-12 football, so check out the link in the show notes below! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Of course, the CBK transfer portal tracker is still live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated whenever news drops, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer movement! Thank you again for listening, one last time, click the link in the show notes to check out the Mountain West PAC 12 Depth Chart Tracker App! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
June 2 · 12 min
INTRODUCING the MW/PAC Depth Chart Tracker App! Each MW Team's Top Position Group for 2026! Depth Chart App Info, Roadmap, Planned Features, & more!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! I missed you all last week, but it was for good reason, as I’m proud to announce the official launch of the Mountain West and PAC 12 depth chart tracker app! You can find the link in the show notes below to check it out, but I guarantee this is the best informational resource for Mountain West and PAC 12 fans out there! We’ll start the show by going over a roadmap for what updates you can expect in the app over the next few weeks, with some really exciting plans to share, and we’ll celebrate the release by going over every Mountain West team’s top position group entering the 2026 season. No time to waste, let’s all dive in! Mountain West/PAC 12 Depth Chart Tracker App Link! Show Notes: MW/PAC Depth Chart Tracker roadmap, features, & more! Each Mountain West Team's top position group entering 2026 Tally by position: Wide Receiver: 3 Defensive Line: 2 Offensive Line: 1 Cornerbacks: 1 Linebackers: 1 Running Backs: 1 Safeties: 1 That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! I sincerely hope you take a minute to check out the depth chart tracker app! I’ve been grinding on this non stop to get you all ready for the season, so go see what we’ve cooked up, the link is in the show notes below! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Of course, the transfer portal tracker is still live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated whenever news drops, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer movement! Thank you again for listening, one last time, click the link in the show notes to check out the Mountain West PAC 12 Depth Chart Tracker App! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
May 19 · 26 min
Mountain West & PAC 12 Agree to Settlement! Details, dates, & prediction$! Spring Football Preview: MVP, X-Factor, & Breakout picks for all 12 teams!
Welcome back everyone to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! We have breaking news for you all, as the Mountain West and PAC 12 have officially reached a settlement in their legal battle over exit fees. There aren't a ton of details out on the specifics yet, but I’ll give you everything we have as well as my thoughts and predictions for the amount paid to the Mountain West conference. After that, we’ll get into the meat of the episode, which will be each football team’s MVP, X Factor, and top breakout candidate, with the battles on the gridiron only being a few months away! Lots of fun stuff this week, let’s dive in! Show Notes: Mountain West & PAC 12 agree to settlement terms: What we know, key dates to watch, & predicted realignment fees Spring Football Preview: All 12 Teams MVP, X Factor, and Top Breakout candidate for 2026 Air Force: MVP: JR QB Liam Szarka Boise State: X-Factor: SR QB Maddux Madsen Colorado State: Top Breakout: SO TE Pearce Spurlin III (Georgia) Fresno State: Top Breakout: JR WR Jahlil McClain Hawaii: X-Factor: SR WR Pofele Ashlock Nevada: X-Factor: SR RB Ky Woods New Mexico: Top Breakout: SO TE Cade Keith San Diego State: X-Factor: SR QB Jayden Denegal San Jose State: Top Breakout: JR DT Jayland McGlothern (Sacramento State, FCS) UNLV: MVP: SR RB Jai'Den "Jet" Thomas Utah State: MVP: SR S Brevin Hamblin Wyoming: X-Factor: SO RB Samuel "Tote" Harris That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! Fingers crossed that we'll have more settlement details next week! Make sure to follow me on Twitter at JackTalksCFB and turn post notifications on so you don’t miss any Mountain West or PAC 12 movement! Also, check out the brand new transfer portal tracker, which is live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated daily, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer news! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Thank you again for listening! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
May 12 · 21 min
Transfer Spotlight Special Part TWO! Top 12 Forwards/Big Men entering the MW/PAC! Complete scouting reports, projections, & more! HP's Highest Rated Transfer EVER!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! Last week, we went over the top 12 incoming transfer guards entering the Mountain West and PAC 12, and this time around, we’re talking about the forwards and big men. Like part one, this episode will have players coming from everywhere, from JUCO journeyman to Top 10 recruits. I’ve picked out the twelve best of the bunch, complete with scouting reports, bios, and analysis, and we’re working backwards so make sure to stay until the end to find out who my highest graded transfer ever is! No time to waste, let’s dive right into our second top twelve transfers list! Player breakdown by conference: ACC: 2 Big West: 2 Big Sky: 2 SEC: 1 Big 12: 1 WCC: 1 SWAC: 1 OVC: 1 Southland: 1 That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! Hopefully, you feel like this series is getting you up to speed on the always shifting rosters of college basketball! Make sure to follow me on Twitter at JackTalksCFB and turn post notifications on so you don’t miss any Mountain West or PAC 12 movement! Also, check out the brand new transfer portal tracker, which is live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated daily, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer news! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Thank you again for listening! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
May 5 · 17 min
Transfer Spotlight Special Part One! Top 12 Guards entering the MW/PAC! Scouting reports, projections, bios, & more!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! It’s finally time to do a deep dive into the 2026 college basketball transfer portal cycle for the Mountain West and PAC 12! With close to 100 new players joining the ranks, I’ve sorted through the names to find the very best that will be joining your favorite team next season. This is part one, featuring the point guards and shooting guards, and next week will be the second part on the forwards and big men. This week, you’ll learn about the twelve best guards entering the fold, with every kind of journey being represented. From former 5 stars to D3 transfers, head coaches discover talent anywhere and everywhere, and this episode will prove that without a doubt. No time to waste, let’s dive into the top twelve transfer guards entering the conferences in 2026. Player Breakdown by Conference: MAAC: 2 Big 12: 1 Summit League: 1 MAC: 1 WCC: 1 AAC: 1 Patriot League: 1 SoCon: 1 ASUN: 1 MVC: 1 SEC: 1 That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! Hopefully, you feel like this series is getting you up to speed on the always shifting rosters of college basketball! Make sure to follow me on Twitter at JackTalksCFB and turn post notifications on so you don’t miss any Mountain West or PAC 12 movement! Also, check out the brand new transfer portal tracker, which is live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated daily, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer news! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Thank you again for listening, get ready for part two next week on the top basketball forwards and big men entering the conferences! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
April 28 · 20 min
Three Mountain West Players Selected in NFL Draft! Chris Johnson goes in the 1st Round! Top UDFA from All 12 Teams! Overall MW draft trends!
Welcome back everyone to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! The 2026 NFL Draft is in the books, and we have lots of Mountain West players officially starting their professional journeys. We’ll start by going over the three alumni who heard their names called during the event, including San Diego State’s Chris Johnson going 27th overall to the Dolphins, along with the two North Dakota State players that were picked. Then, we’ll talk about some overall trends regarding the Mountain West in the NFL Draft, and how I expect those numbers to move in the years ahead. Finally, we’ll end the show by spotlighting some players that are starting their NFL dreams as undrafted free agents, going through one player from each team. Lots of fun stuff to talk about this week, let’s dive right in! Show Notes: Rundown on players drafted CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State (R1-P27, Miami Dolphins) OL Kage Casey, Boise State (R4-P111, Denver Broncos) WR Bryce Lance, North Dakota State (R4-P136, New Orleans Saints) QB Cole Payton, North Dakota State (R5-P178, Philadelphia Eagles) DE Keyshawn James-Newby, New Mexico (R7-P252, Philadelphia Eagles) 2026 NFL Draft trends for the Mountain West Each Team's top UDFA/Mini Camp Invite That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! Congratulations to all of the phenomenal athletes that got to realize their dreams this past week, hopefully this is just the start of an incredible career at the next level! Make sure to follow me on Twitter at JackTalksCFB and turn post notifications on so you don’t miss any Mountain West or PAC 12 movement! Also, check out the brand new transfer portal tracker, which is live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated daily, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer news! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Thank you again for listening, get ready for a special episode next week on the top basketball transfers entering the conferences! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
April 21 · 17 min
3rd Annual NFL Draft Special! Top 5 Mountain West Prospects! Each Team's Best Eligible Player! Complete w/ scouting, landing spots, & more!
Welcome back everyone to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! It’s that time of year again, this is the 3rd annual NFL draft special! Although the Mountain West won’t have anyone picked in the top 10 like last year with Ashton Jeanty, there are still lots of amazing prospects that we have to talk about. From DPOY Chris Johnson to the Tokyo Toe, Kansei Matsuzawa, we’re going to go through my top five draft prospects from the conference, complete with testing data, stats, and possible landing spots. Then, we’ll go over all 12 teams’ top draft eligible player, along with their draft profile and odds of hearing their names called. No time to waste, let’s dive in! Show Notes: Top Five Mountain West NFL Draft prospects Chris Johnson, CB, San Diego State ??? John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming ??? ??? All 12 MW team's top draft eligible player Air Force: Payton Zdroik, DT Boise State: ??? Colorado State: ??? Fresno State: Al'Zillion Hamilton, CB Hawaii: Kansei Matsuzawa, Kicker Nevada: ??? New Mexico: Keyshawn James-Newby, DE San Diego State: ??? San Jose State: ??? UNLV: ??? Utah State: Ike Larsen, Safety Wyoming: ??? That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you so much for listening! I know we skipped the transfer portal talk for a week, to catch up on the latest there, make sure to follow me on Twitter at JackTalksCFB and turn post notifications on so you don’t miss any Mountain West or PAC 12 movement! Also, check out the brand new transfer portal tracker, which is live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated daily, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer news! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Thank you again for listening, enjoy the draft and keep your fingers crossed for all of our conference alumni hoping to realize their dreams! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
April 14 · 23 min
Portal CHAOS continues! Tons of commitments, UNM star Jake Hall enters! Way-too-early QB Power Rankings for 2026!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! We’re getting into the thick of the offseason now, with movement in basketball’s transfer portal happening constantly and football’s spring camps coming to a close. First off, we’ll get you caught up on the latest portal news, with some massive commitments and entries that you have to hear about, and then we’ll switch over to the gridiron! It’s been too long since we’ve talked football on here, so to start us off, we’ll go over my current starting quarterback power rankings, complete with projections and backstory for why certain players have the edge over others. Fun episode this week, let’s dive right in! Show Notes: Transfer Portal Update: UNM star Jake Hall enters, plenty of P4 commitments, & trouble brewing in San Diego Way-too-early QB Power Rankings: ??? ??? UNLV SR Jackson Arnold (Auburn) ??? ??? San Jose State SR Luke Weaver (Hawaii) ??? ??? San Diego State SR Jayden Denegal ??? ??? Nevada JR Luke Duncan (UCLA) OR SO Carter Jones Way-too-early QB Power Rankings: North Dakota State vs. UTEP; Oregon State vs. Texas State vs. Washington State That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you so much for listening! With transfer portal season back in full swing, make sure to follow me on Twitter @JackTalksCFB and turn post notifications on so you don’t miss any Mountain West or PAC 12 movement! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Also, check out the brand new transfer portal tracker, which is live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated daily, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer news! Thank you again for listening, being able to do this every week is a dream come true! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
April 7 · 17 min
Transfer Portal Madness Begins! Every Team's Portal Report w/ Transfers, Retentions, & 2027 Outlook! Several MASSIVE Resignings!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! Transfer portal season is back, with the gates officially opening on the day this releases! Obviously, we all know there’s been lots of movement already, so we’re spending this week going over every team’s offseason outlook and goals! I’ll tell you each team’s biggest portal losses, most important retentions, and how I feel about their roster going into 2027. Fun episode this week, let’s dive in! Quick plug: The transfer portal tracker is officially live! Complete with all 77 players currently in the portal from the Mountain West and PAC 12, this is the best resource for fans to see who’s leaving and who’s staying from their favorite team, as well as their rivals. Check it out whenever you can, as it’s updated daily whenever news drops. Show Notes: Opinion: Transfer Portal = College Basketball Free Agency (and how to deal with it as a fan) Portal Report for all 11 '25-'26 Mountain West teams (Air Force not included) Most impactful retentions/departures Outlook for 2027 roster, key players to watch That is it for this week’s episode of the Hike’s Peak Podcast, thank you so much for listening! With transfer portal season back in full swing, make sure to follow me on Twitter @JackTalksCFB and turn post notifications on so you don’t miss any Mountain West or PAC 12 movement! If you like the show and enjoy our coverage, leave a rating on whatever platform you’re listening on, every single one of those helps us out immensely. Follow us on twitter at MWCConnection and find all of your Mountain West news at MWCConnection.com. Also, check out the brand new transfer portal tracker, which is live on the website now. It’s complete with bios, stats, and previous stops for every player on the list, and is updated daily, so bookmark that to never miss out on transfer news! Thank you again for listening, being able to do this every week is a dream come true! Until next time, I’m Jack Thompson, and thank you for coming back to the mountain!
March 31 · 12 min
Utah State hires Ben Jacobson from Northern Iowa! Resumé, Accomplishments, Effect on Retention, & Reaction! MAJOR stars enter the transfer portal, who's leaving town?
Welcome back everyone to the Hike's Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! The offseason has already kicked into high gear, with Utah State moving quickly to hire their next head coach in Ben Jacobson from Northern Iowa. Not exactly a household name, but I’ll walk you through his resume and tell you why I think he’s the right man to lead the Aggies into the future, as well as how his hiring affects their chances of retaining their star players. The portal is also heating up, with seven different award winners announcing their intentions to transfer. We’ll talk about who all of those guys are, where they could potentially be heading, and how college sports continues to evolve, or devolve. No time to waste here, let’s dive in! Show Notes: Utah State hires Ben Jacobson from Northern Iowa How Jacobson turned the Panthers into a mid-major force Pros & Cons of the hire, plus buyout numbers (SHOCKING)! Overall opinion Transfer Portal Madness begins! Six All-Mountain West members / award winners already in the portal Bios, accomplishments, landing spots for each player All-Mountain West departures: By the Numbers Diagnosis of the current college sports landscape (tampering, lack of penalties, etc.) If you enjoy the episode, consider rating it 5 stars, leaving a review on Apple Podcast/Spotify, or sharing the podcast with one friend who you think would enjoy it! It would help us immensely if you took the time out of your day to help the show! Our CBB Transfer Tracker will be releasing this week, so look out for that always-updating list! Also, check out my first ever YouTube video, diving into Boise State's 2026 transfer class if you haven't already! Thank you for coming back to the mountain, and we hope you’ll make the trek back up here for the entire offseason marathon! Quick note: I've been a little under the weather the past few days, so I don’t have a preview for New Mexico’s NIT semifinal against Tulsa, but that will be on Thursday at 5 PM, and if they win that they’ll advance to the finals on Sunday at 6 PM. I’m rooting for Eric Olen, Jake Hall and the boys to become the first Mountain West team to reach the NIT final, but apologies to Lobo fans for not having an in-depth breakdown for you here. Don't worry, we'll break their performance down next week!
March 24 · 13 min
Jerrod Calhoun leaves Utah State for Cincinnati! Aggies go on a March Madness run, but what now? Candidates, Players to Monitor, Fallout, & more! Plus NIT Update!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! What an insane week it has been for Utah State fans, as you can imagine, we have a lot of Aggie talk ahead of us. Starting with the good in Utah State’s run in the Big Dance, we’ll break down the Aggies hard-fought Round of 64 win over Villanova, and then we’ll go over their admirable effort against one seed Arizona that did ultimately fall short. After talking about all the madness that March brought to Logan, we’ll switch gears to the other shoe that dropped, which was head coach Jerrod Calhoun officially taking the Cincinnati job. Lots to go over there as well, from candidates to watch, top players at risk of jumping into the portal, the Aggies coaching curse continuing, and my thoughts on the awkward timing of this whole situation. To end the show, we’ll recap how the Mountain West has been doing in the NIT, with two teams still standing as the quarterfinals get underway. Big time show this week, let’s dive in! Show Notes: Utah State outlasts Villanova in Round of 64, Jerrod Calhoun secures first NCAAT win Aggies give one seed Arizona a scare, but ultimately fall short Jerrod Calhoun officially leaving for Cincinnati Thoughts on the awkward timing Head Coach Curse Continues in Logan Top Replacement Candidates to look for Aggie's most important players to retain NIT Recap: Two Mountain West teams reach the quarterfinals If you enjoy the episode, consider rating it 5 stars, leaving a review on Apple Podcast/Spotify, or sharing the podcast with one friend who you think would enjoy it! It would help us immensely if you took the time out of your day to help the show! Our CFB transfer portal tracker is now LIVE, find that here and keep an eye out for daily updates (North Dakota State is now included!). Make sure to check out the depth chart tracker for football and basketball, available to all for free and updated as soon as news breaks! Additionally, check out my first ever YouTube video, diving into Boise State's 2026 transfer class! Thank you for coming back to the mountain, and we hope you’ll make the trek back up here for the entire offseason marathon!
March 17 · 14 min
Utah State takes the MW tournament, shafted on NCAA Tournament seeding! Five MW teams in NIT, three others decline! Preview/Prediction for Aggies March Madness matchup w/ Villanova!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s Peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! Well, we’ve been discussing the scenario for the past month now, and it officially happened. Top seed Utah State ran the table in Vegas to claim the Mountain West tournament crown, which ultimately doomed the conference to just one bid into March Madness. We’ll break down what was an insanely fun conference tournament, which led into a frustrating Selection Sunday across the board. After going over the Aggie’s seeding and place in the bracket, we’ll go over what the rest of the Mountain West is doing in the postseason, with some heading to the NIT and others heading home for the year. Of course, to end the show, I’ll give you a complete analysis of Utah State’s matchup with Villanova, finishing things off with my official prediction. No time to waste, let’s dive right in! Show notes: Mountain West Tournament, Selection Sunday Recap Was Utah State's seed in the Big Dance disrespectful? HC Jerrod Calhoun thought so. Three MW teams decline postseason invites, five competing in the NIT (dates/times/opponents included!) Preview/prediction for #9 Utah State vs #8 Villanova, Aggies' keys to victory, Wildcats top players, etc. If you enjoy the episode, consider rating it 5 stars, leaving a review on Apple Podcast/Spotify, or sharing the podcast with one friend who you think would enjoy it! It would help us immensely if you took the time out of your day to help the show! Our CFB transfer portal tracker is now LIVE, find that here and keep an eye out for daily updates (North Dakota State is now included!). Make sure to check out the depth chart tracker for football and basketball, available to all for free and updated as soon as news breaks! Additionally, check out my first ever YouTube video, diving into Boise State's 2026 transfer class! Thank you for coming back to the mountain, and we hope you’ll make the trek back up here for the rest of the football offseason and home stretch for basketball!
March 10 · 16 min
Mountain West Tourney Time! Utah State wins regular season title! Resume, Path to Championship for all 12 teams! Predictions for each tournament game + champion!
Welcome back everyone, to the Hike’s peak podcast, thank you for coming back to the mountain! Like always in the Mountain West, the final week of the regular season was crazy, but when the dust settled, Utah State emerged as the undisputed champions. With that squared away, everyone’s attentions now shift to the conference tournament in Las Vegas, where one guaranteed spot in March Madness awaits. We’re going to go over how all 12 teams are doing as they enter this do-or-die week, complete with their path to the championship game. Once we’ve gone over that, I’ll tell you guys my official bracket for the tournament, complete with everything you need to know. No time to waste, let’s dive right in! Show notes: Utah State takes the regular season title Outlook for all 12 teams entering MW Tournament (includes path to title game) Predictions for each game + predicted champion If you enjoy the episode, consider rating it 5 stars, leaving a review on Apple Podcast/Spotify, or sharing the podcast with one friend who you think would enjoy it! It would help us immensely if you took the time out of your day to help the show! Our CFB transfer portal tracker is now LIVE, find that here and keep an eye out for daily updates (North Dakota State is now included!). Make sure to check out the depth chart tracker for football and basketball, available to all for free and updated as soon as news breaks! Additionally, check out my first ever YouTube video, diving into Boise State's 2026 transfer class! Thank you for coming back to the mountain, and we hope you’ll make the trek back up here for the rest of the football offseason and home stretch for basketball!