GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Fueling off the success of a six-game win streak to close the 2018 season, the College of Idaho football team was picked the favorite to win the 2019 Frontier Conference, as both the league's preseason coaches' and media poll were released at the conclusion of Media Day at the Great Falls Holiday Inn.
The Yotes received five first-place votes in both tabulations, outpointing Southern Oregon and Montana Western for the top spot.
"I was shocked that both the coaches and the media picked us No. 1," said head coach
Mike Moroski. "There are a number of good teams in the Frontier Conference that are capable of winning the title, but the ranking does signal that we do have the potential for this to be a special year."
C of I opened last season 0-5, but had four consecutive wins over Top-25 teams in their late season surge – with the Coyotes returning all 11 starters on the offensive side of the ball and nine defensive starters.
"We are going to be strong on the defensive front, Moroski said. "I don't think we have a dominant player out there, but we have more depth than we have ever had, so I am anxious to have a rotation going there. On offense, we have to run the ball well to win. There is no question about that."
Both Southern and Western finished last season 6-4 – with the Raiders having to replace eight All-Frontier Conference selections, while the Bulldogs return Frontier Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Jason Ferris.
"We lose 26 seniors and we return nine total starters," said SOU associate head coach, Nathan Chin. "From an experience standpoint, we don't return a ton of experience on the field."
"Overall for us, I think it comes down to three things," said Western head coach Ryan Nourse. "One, we are going to need to have a little luck. The ball is going to need to bounce our way a few times. We are going to need our key players to stay healthy. That's part of the luck that you want. You need your key players to go all the way through the season so that they can help you finish it out because those last two or three games in this conference are really grueling and it's really the most experienced, the toughest and the most mature guys that make it through."
Two teams will feature new head coaches – as defending champion, Rocky Mountain and head coach Chris Stutzriem, were picked fifth in both polls, with Carroll and new head coach, Troy Purcell, picked seventh in each tabulation.
C of I, which ended 2018 ranked No. 22 in the NAIA, will learn their preseason ranking on Aug. 5.
The Coyotes open up Fall Camp on Aug. 11, with the 2019 season opener set for Aug. 31 at home vs. Eastern Oregon
2019 Frontier Conference Preseason Football Coaches' Poll
College of Idaho (5) 44
Southern Oregon (2) 40
Montana Western (1) 31.5
Montana Tech 30
Rocky Mountain 29
Eastern Oregon 28.5
Carroll 13
Montana State-Northern 8
Selected by the eight FC Football Head Coaches
2019 Frontier Conference Preseason Football Media Poll
College of Idaho (5) 99
Southern Oregon (3) 95
Montana Western (3) 85
Eastern Oregon (1) 72
Rocky Mountain (2) 71
Montana Tech (1) 64
Carroll 39
Montana State-Northern 15
Selected by 15 media members (SIDs, Radio, TV, Newspaper), representing all eight markets in the FC
