MWC commissioner Gloria Nevarez is leaning on Wyoming coach Craig Bohl's experience

LAS VEGAS – Gloria Nevarez received a lot of attention this summer for writing pointed letters to San Diego State.
The new Mountain West commissioner has a more comfortable relationship with Wyoming and has Craig Bohl in speed dial.
Wyoming’s head coach was invited by Nevarez to help create a five-year strategic plan for the MW as the conference prepares to navigate issues like name, image and likeness; the transfer portal; and realingment while trying to position its champion to be included in the expanded College Football Playoff.
Bohl also had a say in the hiring of Mike DeFee, who he described as a “rock star,” as the new MW coordinator of officials.
“Coach Bohl, unfortunately for him, his brain is kind of on 24-7,” Nevarez said during an interview with the Star-Tribune at MW media days when asked if she had picked the brain of the longest-tenured coach in UW history during her first six months on the job. “He has served on our strategic planning committee, he served on our committee to do the officiating and the hiring of Mike DeFee.
“That guy is the elder statesmen in the coaches’ room. He’s so open and gracious with his time. It’s amazing. I probably owe him a huge bottle of something wonderful.”
Bohl was bullish on the 2023 Pokes and the future of the MW during the conference’s media day event last week at Circa Resort & Casino.
The Cowboys were picked to finish sixth in the preseason media poll but have the most players on the all-conference first team.
UW appears to have a roster, led by preseason defensive player of the year Easton Gibbs, built to compete for the program’s first MW title.
Bohl has adapted well to the portal after losing some household names to Power 5 programs after the 2021 season.
“One of the benefits when we had some mass exodus is the guys that stayed said, ‘Those who stayed will be champions,’” Bohl said. “So, the work ethic and the attention to detail and the focus has really been outstanding. I’m personally excited about our football team. I know we’re picked in the middle of the pack, that’s OK. I think we’ve got the makeup to make a run at this.”
The schedule, including non-conference games against Big 12 contenders Texas Tech and Texas, is strong enough to warrant consideration for a spot in a New Year’s Six Bowl, if the season were to play out to near perfection for the Pokes.
Starting in 2024, the champions from the top six FBS conferences will receive an automatic qualifying spot in the 12-team CFP.
“We’re striving to be one of the top six leagues,” Bohl said. “What you’re seeing is a departure of this line where you had autonomy five, which turned into Power 5, and I think that has kind of distilled to where, with the expansion of the CFP, you’ve got 10 leagues. I think we’re really well positioned and that’s exciting.”
Despite all of the speculation over the last 12 months that SDSU will leave for the Pac-12, an invitation has not been extended yet.
Nevarez announced last Wednesday that the Aztecs – who prematurely sent letters to the conference office and member presidents that they “intended to resign” – announced last Wednesday SDSU was being welcomed back in 2023-24.
“I think my overarching philosophy to the entire thing is San Diego State is a positive to the Mountain West,” Nevarez said. “We are better with San Diego State, and I feel good about where we landed.”
The Cowboys aren’t scheduled to play the Aztecs in football until the 2024 season. That’s also the final year of Bohl’s current contract.
The vibe in Las Vegas was that the MW commissioner would like to see Bohl, the president of the American Football Coaches Association, stick around to help execute the conference’s strategic plan, details of which will be released in October.
“You need a person who can look out for their own best interest but also take that hat off and look out for the best interest for the group and the game,” Nevarez said of Bohl. “He is very adept at doing that.”
The Cowboys open the 10th season of the Bohl era against Texas Tech on Sept. 2 at War Memorial Stadium. UW’s ultimate goal is for Nevarez to hand the team the MW championship trophy on Dec. 2.