Hike's Peak: The Weekly Mountain West Podcast

Mountain West Connection
  • 4.3 (10)
  • Sports News
  • Updated Weekly

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 !

  1. 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!

    2d ago

    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 2026Tally by position:Wide Receiver: 3Defensive Line: 2Offensive Line: 1Cornerbacks: 1Linebackers: 1Running Backs: 1Safeties: 1That 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!

    12 min
  2. Mountain West & PAC 12 Agree to Settlement! Details, dates, & prediction$! Spring Football Preview: MVP, X-Factor, & Breakout picks for all 12 teams!

    May 19

    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 feesSpring Football Preview: All 12 Teams MVP, X Factor, and Top Breakout candidate for 2026Air Force: MVP: JR QB Liam SzarkaBoise State: X-Factor: SR QB Maddux MadsenColorado State: Top Breakout: SO TE Pearce Spurlin III (Georgia)Fresno State: Top Breakout: JR WR Jahlil McClainHawaii: X-Factor: SR WR Pofele AshlockNevada: X-Factor: SR RB Ky WoodsNew Mexico: Top Breakout: SO TE Cade KeithSan Diego State: X-Factor: SR QB Jayden DenegalSan Jose State: Top Breakout: JR DT Jayland McGlothern (Sacramento State, FCS)UNLV: MVP: SR RB Jai'Den "Jet" ThomasUtah State: MVP: SR S Brevin HamblinWyoming: X-Factor: SO RB Samuel "Tote" HarrisThat 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!

    26 min
  3. 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!

    May 12

    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: 2Big West: 2Big Sky: 2SEC: 1Big 12: 1WCC: 1SWAC: 1OVC: 1Southland: 1That 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!

    22 min
  4. Transfer Spotlight Special Part One! Top 12 Guards entering the MW/PAC! Scouting reports, projections, bios, & more!

    May 5

    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: 2Big 12: 1Summit League: 1MAC: 1WCC: 1AAC: 1Patriot League: 1SoCon: 1ASUN: 1MVC: 1SEC: 1That 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!

    18 min
  5. 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!

    Apr 28

    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 draftedCB 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 WestEach Team's top UDFA/Mini Camp InviteThat 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!

    21 min
  6. 3rd Annual NFL Draft Special! Top 5 Mountain West Prospects! Each Team's Best Eligible Player! Complete w/ scouting, landing spots, & more!

    Apr 21

    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 prospectsChris Johnson, CB, San Diego State???John Michael Gyllenborg, TE, Wyoming??????All 12 MW team's top draft eligible playerAir Force: Payton Zdroik, DTBoise State: ???Colorado State: ???Fresno State: Al'Zillion Hamilton, CBHawaii: Kansei Matsuzawa, KickerNevada: ???New Mexico: Keyshawn James-Newby, DESan Diego State: ???San Jose State: ???UNLV: ???Utah State: Ike Larsen, SafetyWyoming: ???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!

    18 min
  7. Portal CHAOS continues! Tons of commitments, UNM star Jake Hall enters! Way-too-early QB Power Rankings for 2026!

    Apr 14

    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 DiegoWay-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 JonesWay-too-early QB Power Rankings: North Dakota State vs. UTEP; Oregon State vs. Texas State vs. Washington StateThat 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!

    23 min
  8. Transfer Portal Madness Begins! Every Team's Portal Report w/ Transfers, Retentions, & 2027 Outlook! Several MASSIVE Resignings!

    Apr 7

    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/departuresOutlook for 2027 roster, key players to watchThat 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!

    18 min
See All (157)

4.3
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

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 !

Information

You Might Also Like