LAS VEGAS – They're welcomed, yet the University of Wyoming football team hopes they're handled better than by past squads.

We're talking about expectations for the Cowboys in 2017 after winning the Mountain West's Mountain Division last season and playing in their first bowl game since 2011.

UW wasn't picked to win the Mountain Division this year, but it was picked third by the media, behind Boise State and Colorado State, respectively.

That's the highest UW has been picked in the MW preseason media poll since 2005. Unfortunately, the Cowboys finished eighth in the nine-team MW that year.

UW played in bowl games in 2009 and 2011. In the preseason polls in 2010 and 2012, UW was picked to finish fifth and fourth, respectively. The Cowboys finished last in 2010 and tied for sixth in 2012.

UW has not had consecutive seasons with a winning record since 1998-99.

"Developing consistency is the most important part for this year," UW junior safety Andrew Wingard said Wednesday on the final day of the MW Media Summit at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. "We're not going to sneak up on anyone this year. But if we can develop consistency and make plays, I think we will have more success than last year."

Last year included an 8-6 record, but it also included three consecutive losses to end the season.

"The real challenge is the transition from being competitive to being one of the teams sitting at the top (of the standings), and we've got a ways to go, although we've made progress," fourth-year UW coach Craig Bohl said. "The attitude of our players and coaches is one of wanting more."

The Cowboys start that quest for more with their first practice of fall camp Monday.

Strength coach update

Bohl said with the assistant coaches currently in place, he doesn't expect to make a "significant change" in terms of hiring a director of sports performance until after the season.

Russel Dennison resigned as UW's director of sports performance earlier this month to pursue other career opportunities. Assistant Jordan Betz has overseen the supervision of the football program's strength and conditioning since Dennison's resignation.

"Our players are in pretty good position as far as following our program, and they've had a good summer," Bohl said. "I've appreciated how hard the players worked and our strength staff this summer."

"Coach Dennison leaving hurt a lot of us, but it's been business as usual," Wingard added. "Coach Betz has been with the program since I was a freshman. Things didn't get any easier, that's for sure. He'll get us right."

Injury report

Sophomore wide receiver C.J. Johnson is dealing with the late stages of mononucleosis, and Bohl isn't sure when he will be cleared to practice.

Johnson is UW's leading returning receiver from last season with 21 catches for 304 yards and three touchdowns.

Bohl said most everyone else should be available for the first day of fall camp Monday, including senior offensive tackle Ryan Cummings (foot) and junior defensive end Carl Granderson (knee).

Enjoying the hype

UW junior quarterback Josh Allen was voted as the preseason MW Offensive Player of the Year by the media, and he drew a lot of attention from reporters at the MW Media Summit.

Allen also has drawn a lot of national attention since the spring in terms of speculation about his NFL draft status in 2018. Writers and television personalities from all over the country have been to Laramie this summer to talk to Allen.

When asked what he enjoyed the most from all that attention, Allen said: "People focusing more on the University of Wyoming, the football program, the coaches and, ultimately, the players. I wouldn't trade any of my teammates for the world, and I hope the world gets to see that this year."

Confident in WRs

Allen's two leading wide receivers from 2016 were seniors.

But Allen said Wednesday he feels UW's top three wide receivers entering fall camp – Johnson, junior James Price and sophomore Austin Conway – are "capable of catching seven to 10 touchdown passes each" this season.

"If I look back to last year at this point and time compared to now, I think we're better off as an offense," Allen said. "We're more balanced. Everyone knows their roles. We know what we're doing."

Depth chart update

There wasn't much change to UW's depth chart since the end of spring drills in April.

Senior Tim Kamana moved to the backup spot at strong safety behind Wingard. Kamana moved up after redshirt freshman Josh Boyd left the team for personal reasons.

Sophomore Davion Freeman came out of spring as one of two starting kickoff returners, but he is no longer with the team due to academics. Sophomore cornerback Tyler Hall and Conway are UW's No. 1 kickoff return duo heading into fall camp. Conway remains the Cowboys' starter at punt returner.

Number changes

Junior cornerback Antonio Hull changed his jersey number from 21 to 4 this season. Junior outside linebacker/nickel Chavez Pownell Jr., switched from 31 to 7. Junior middle linebacker Adam Pilapil now wears No. 45 – the number worn by former middle linebacker Lucas Wacha, who signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys.

On offense, sophomore running back Milo Hall, the starter heading into fall camp, went from jersey No. 16 to No. 3.

Packing them in

UW drew 148,860 fans for its seven home games in 2016, the second most in school history. The record is 149,625 in 1990, and that season also featured seven home games.

The Cowboys play seven home games this season.

Quotable

"I think he's the best player in the conference, period," Colorado State coach Mike Bobo said of Wingard, who was voted as the preseason MW Defensive Player of the Year.