Around the MWC notes: AFA's Jefferson likely has no broken ribs

Air Force coach Troy Calhoun said Tuesday that sophomore quarterback Tim Jefferson underwent an X-ray on Monday and does not appear to have suffered any broken ribs in last Saturday’s season finale at BYU.

“Right now we don’t think so,” Calhoun said on the Mountain West Conference coaches teleconference. “I think part of it is, just after a few days, seeing how his body recovers.”

Jefferson took a shot in the back when he was tackled after a six-yard run late in the first quarter against the Cougars. He returned for one more possession, but did not appear to be able to play at full strength and was replaced by backup Ben Cochran.

“After I took that hit it was tough for me to throw the ball,” Jefferson said after the game.

Calhoun said he’ll have a better idea about the status of Jefferson and other injured players when they return from Thanksgiving break. Air Force’s plan is to lift next Tuesday through Thursday and then practice that Friday and Saturday (Dec. 4 and 5) and the following Friday and Saturday (Dec. 11 and 12).

Air Force will play in a postseason bowl, but it won’t know which one until – at the earliest – after this weekend’s games.

Wyoming on cusp of bowl eligibility

The heavy favorite for MWC Coach of the Year honors is TCU coach Gary Patterson, whose team will win the league, complete a perfect regular season and earn a bid to a BCS bowl with a victory on Saturday against New Mexico.

Patterson would be a fine and logical choice. He’s one of three finalists, along with Temple’s Al Golden and Cincinnati’s Brian Kelly, for the 2009 George Munger Award for Collegiate Coach of the year.

But the job done by Wyoming’s Dave Christensen deserves praise, too. While TCU was picked to win the MWC in the preseason media poll, the Cowboys were picked to finish last. With a victory on Friday over rival Colorado State, the Cowboys, who went 9-15 the previous two seasons, would finish 6-6 and 4-4 in the MWC, clinching sole possession of fifth place in the league.

In addition, they’d earn their first bowl bid since 2004. That provides more exposure for the program but – more importantly for a young team – another game and the practices that go with it.

“Anybody that understands football and building a program understands if you get a chance to play another game and you have an opportunity to get another 15 to 20 practices, it’s like having another spring ball,” Christensen said.

Validation for New Mexico

New Mexico seemed to make some improvements in late October and early Novemer, losing to San Diego State by just three and to BYU by five.

The Lobos finally broke through with a victory last weekend, getting a field goal by James Aho with 12 seconds to play to beat Colorado State, 29-27, and avoid a winless season. New Mexico is 1-10 heading into this weekend’s game with No. 4 TCU.

“We were finally able to validate us getting better,” said first-year coach Mike Locksley, who praised his seniors for being “the glue that kept us together” during a rough season.

“Families stick together,” he said. “And that’s what we’ve been able to do the last four or five weeks, especially as losses mounted and we had some off-the-field issues.”

Aho also earned some redemption. Against BYU a week earlier he missed two field goals, had another one blocked and missed an extra point.

TCU, Patterson staying focused

TCU is about a 45-point favorite to beat New Mexico. But Patterson, as he has all season, is keeping his team focused.

“For us, you have to finish the deal,” Patterson said.

“We have a New Mexico team that’s hungry, that, if you watch on film, has gotten better every week. … We understand we better get ready to play.”

Patterson also shrugged off a question about his name being mentioned for potential job openings at other schools.

“Number one, our kids have been through it, too,” he said. “They always know if there was any truth to it, they’d be the first ones to know. … Right now I’m not paying any attention to it. We’re trying to do something and give the people of Fort Worth and TCU something they can remember the rest of their lives. So it’s pretty easy.”

They said it

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham on Saturday’s game against archrival BYU: “I don’t think the importance of this game needs to be explained to any of our guys.” … Mike Sanford on the strength of the MWC: “If Air Force was in another conference, say the (Western Athletic Conference) or Conference-USA, I think they’d have 10 wins.”