UNM RB Scottre Humphrey named preseason All-Mountain West

LAS VEGAS — One of the Lobos' most notable transfers in recent memory received a coveted preseason honor.

New Mexico running back Scottre Humphrey was named preseason All-Mountain West, the league announced via release Wednesday.

The 5-foot-11, 220-pound Montana State transfer rushed for 1,386 yards and 16 touchdowns with the Bobcats last season. He is the first UNM offensive player to be named preseason All-Mountain West since running back Tyrone Owens was selected in 2017.

"He's a baller. (A) powerhouse in the backfield," UNM offensive lineman Richard Pearce said of Humphrey on Wednesday at Mountain West Media Days, hosted by Circa Resort & Casino.

"Dude is just so explosive ... when I heard we were getting him, I was really excited," UNM defensive lineman Gabe Lopez added Wednesday. "Because I saw he had almost every offer in the country. I don't know what happened in that situation, but we got him."

Humphrey joined UNLV's Jai'Den Thomas as one of two running backs named to the league's preseason offensive team. The selections were headlined by quarterback Maddux Madsen, the Mountain West's preseason Offensive Player of the Year; the redshirt sophomore threw for 3,018 yards, 23 touchdowns and six interceptions last season, and helped the Broncos to a College Football Playoff appearance.

San Diego State swept the rest of the preseason awards, with edge rusher Trey White and kicker Gabe Plascencia named preseason Defensive Player of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year, respectively.

Lobo cornerback Abraham Williams was also named to the preseason All-Mountain West as a kick returner. The Idaho transfer and former FCS All-American has five career kick return touchdowns, all of which were 100 yards or more.

UNM was picked to finish second-to-last in the 12-team Mountain West’s preseason poll for the second straight year. The Lobos have not been picked higher than 11th since 2017; with two divisions splitting the league, UNM had the ninth-lowest point total in that year's poll.

“They’ve said for the past two years since I’ve been here that we’re gonna win two games every year, and we’ve surpassed that every time," Lopez said. "Like it’s just rankings at this point. And I feel like, based on our season last year, they're only picking us this low because we have a whole new coach (and) lost half the team (to the transfer portal.)"

“We’re just focused on (making) the postseason right now," Pearce said.

All-Mountain West teams

Offense

QB: Maddux Madsen (Boise State)

WR: Latrell Caples (Boise State)

WR: Pofele Ashlock (Hawaii)

WR: Nick Cenacle (Hawaii)

RB: Scottre Humphrey (New Mexico)

RB: Jai'Den Thomas (UNLV)

OL: Kage Casey (Boise State)

OL: Mason Randolph (Boise State)

OL: Peseti Lapuaho (San Jose State)

OL: Caden Barnett (Wyoming)

OL: Jack Walsh (Wyoming)

TE: Matt Lauter (Boise State)

Defense

DL: Braxton Fely (Boise State)

DL: Jayden Virgin-Morgan (Boise State)

DL: Trey White (San Diego State)

DL: Gaga Faga (San Jose State)

LB: Tano Letuli (San Diego State)

LB: Marsel McDuffie (UNLV)

DB: Ty Benefield (Boise State)

DB: A'Marion McCoy (Boise State)

DB: Al'zillion Hamilton (Fresno State)

DB: Ike Larsen (Utah State)

Preseason poll

1. Boise State (35 first place votes)

2. UNLV (4)

3. San Jose State

4. Colorado State

5. Fresno State

6. Air Force

7. Hawaii

8. San Diego State

9. Utah State

10. Wyoming

11. New Mexico

12. Nevada