All-MWC football: Honors all around

Urban Meyer doesn't consider his second consecutive Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year award an individual honor.

"This is not about me," he said. "I won this award because our players played extremely hard for us."

Guiding the fifth-ranked Utes (11-0) to back-to-back outright league titles, Meyer explained, took a team effort. An accomplishment made possible by various contributions.

"I think the beauty of the thing is the players know that," said Meyer, who also praised his staff. "I wish there was a way to give away (coordinator and position coaches of the year) awards. I would certainly do that."

Meyer joins mentor Sonny Lubick of Colorado State (1999, 2000) as the MWC's only two-time and consecutive coaching honorees.

Utah, sixth in the Bowl Championship Series standings and in guaranteed position to earn a Fiesta or Sugar Bowl invitation on Sunday, also netted two other individual honors when the MWC released its all-conference teams Monday afternoon.

Quarterback Alex Smith is the first Ute to earn Offensive Player of the Year honors from the league. Teammate Morgan Scalley garnered co-Defensive Player of the Year recognition with San Diego State linebacker Kirk Morrison. Scalley is the first Utah defender to win the award since John Frank in 1999.

Meyer notes that Smith and Scalley had great individual years.

Smith, a Heisman Trophy candidate and a finalist for the Davey O'Brien Award, is 20-1 as Utah's starting quarterback. The junior led the league in total offense (289.7 ypg), passing (238.5 ypg), pass efficiency (174.9 rating) and points responsible (20.73 ppg).

"Urban Meyer without Alex Smith is not conference coach of the year. I've made the comment that Alex Smith is the best quarterback in college football," Meyer said. "Morgan Scalley might be the top safety in college football. I don't know because I haven't studied them as close, but certainly his play and his leadership make him as valuable of a player as I've ever seen on a team."

Scalley intercepted six passes in seven league games. He scored two touchdowns this season — on a 90-yard kickoff return and on a school-record 88-yard fumble recovery.

Scalley and Smith were among six Utes (tying New Mexico for league-high honors) named to the All-MWC first team. Wide receiver Steve Savoy, offensive lineman Chris Kemoeatu, nose guard Steve Fifita and defensive tackle Sione Pouha were the others.