For an indication of how well Bobby Coy has healed, consider he had to pause to think about it when asked which knee he injured last season.

It was the Mesa State running back's right knee. It happened in the third game of the season — a torn medial collateral ligament that forced the Heritage High School graduate to take a medical redshirt.

But Coy, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2005, is a quick healer.

"I actually think I could have played the last two games of last year, but we decided not to risk it," Coy said.

Coy now has his sights set higher than merely proving he's healthy and that he can match the prowess of his freshman season (1,078 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns).

He also wants to validate a rare designation: He was a unanimous selection by RMAC coaches as a preseason all-conference player despite being sidelined for most of 2006.

"You get picked for something like that, you want to prove that what they're saying is legitimate," said Coy, who rushed for 127 yards on 24 carries in Mesa State's 44-14 opening win Saturday against Dixie State. "You don't want to undermine it when someone says something positive about you."

Coy wants to be the centerpiece for a Mavericks team attempting to return to the top half of the conference after enduring successive sub-.500 seasons.

Mesa State coach Joe Ramunno, in his 10th season, believes Coy is the guy to help steer the Mavericks in that direction. Ramunno also is convinced the running back will show no ill effects from the injury.

"Bobby has had a tremendous offseason, spring and summer training," Ramunno said. "He has been at 100 percent since January. It is great to have his leadership and character back with the team. The entire program responds to his presence."

Ramunno believes Coy will have "a great year" for the Mavericks, picked to finish sixth in the conference by coaches.

Coy believes the final standings will reflect better simply because the Mavericks are a talented, tight-knit group. Camaraderie often is an underrated factor and Coy said his team ranks highly in that department.

"We go bowling all the time and always spend time together," he said.

Coy posted the lofty rushing totals his freshman season despite missing two games. He cracked the 100-yard barrier in six of his nine games, including a career-best 241 yards against Fort Hays State.

He totaled 227 yards and four touchdowns last season before suffering the injury.

With three more seasons at Mesa State and 1,305 rushing yards already gained, Coy could be a name RMAC coaches will be talking about for a long time.

Getting to know Bobby Coy

• The biggest misconception about Grand Junction is . . .

"There are two: No. 1, is that it's not in Arizona. When I tell people I go to Mesa, they think I go to school in Arizona. No. 2, people think that it's a small town, but its really not. It's grown a lot."

• When on one of those long bus rides to, say, Nebraska- Kearney, the type of music you queue up on your iPod is . . .

"I'm more of a guy who likes country, maybe some Dave Matthews. Something to relax to."

• Your favorite RMAC town to travel to is . . .

"I liked going to Chadron even though we didn't play well, but I like the stadium. Also, there's Mines, just because it's down in the Denver area and people don't have to drive four hours to come see you play."

• The best night spot in Grand Junction is . . .

"It used to be places like the Ale House and Cactus Canyon, but now we found a place called Bub's Pub. It's on Horizon Drive and it's just a chill place."

Forecast

1. Chadron State

2. Nebraska-Kearney

3. Fort Lewis

4. Adams State

5. Western New Mexico

6. Mesa State

7. Colorado Mines

8. New Mexico Highlands

9. Western State

Adams State

• Location: Alamosa.

• Coach: Wayne McGinnis (33-43, in eighth season).

• Last season: 6-5 overall, 4-4 in RMAC, fourth place.

• Returning starters: Seven on offense, eight on defense.

• Key player: P/K Wayne Durham. Was named the RMAC preseason special teams player of the year and named to two preseason All-America teams.

• Pivotal game: at Fort Lewis, Oct. 6.

• Prove it: Six Grizzlies were tabbed as preseason all-conference players. It's time for the Grizzlies to validate those anointments in the form of numbers and, more important, wins.

Colorado Mines

• Location: Golden.

• Coach: Bob Stitt (44-34, in eighth season).

• Last season: 4-7 overall, 2-6 in RMAC, tied for eighth.

• Returning starters: Seven on offense, seven on defense.

• Key player: Stephen Immel. The 6-foot-6, 330-pound offensive lineman helped Bryan Florendo become the first Mines running back since 1939 to rush for more than 1,000 yards last season.

• Pivotal game: vs. Nebraska- Kearney, Oct. 27.

• Prove it: After five consecutive winning seasons under Stitt, the Orediggers slipped a bit last season. They have to prove it was merely a blip in the radar and not a sign of a downward trend.

Fort Lewis

• Location: Durango.

• Coach: Ed Rifilato (17-14, in fourth season).

• Last season: 7-4 overall, 6-2 in RMAC, second place.

• Returning starters: Five on offense, four on defense.

• Key player: WR Brandon Cummings. Averaged nearly 18 yards on his 39 catches last season and scored six touchdowns.

• Pivotal game: at Nebraska- Kearney, Sept. 15.

• Prove it: The league coaches' poll tabbed the Skyhawks third in the conference, behind Chadron State and Nebraska-Kearney. The Skyhawks open conference play against the latter and quickly can establish themselves as a force.

Mesa State

• Location: Grand Junction.

• Coach: Joe Ramunno (52-50, in 10th season).

• Last season: 4-7 overall, 3-5 in RMAC, tied for fifth.

• Returning starters: Nine on offense, nine on defense.

• Key player: Bobby Coy. After a knee injury sidelined him for all but three games last season, the redshirt sophomore will try to recapture his 1,000-yard form.

• Pivotal game: vs. Adams State, Oct. 20.

• Prove it: The Mavericks ended last season with two straight wins. With Coy back and four preseason all-conference players, the Mavericks need to parlay the season-ending momentum.

Western State

• Location: Gunnison.

• Coach: Pat Stewart (3-8, in second season).

• Last season: 3-8 overall, 2-6 in RMAC, tied for eighth.

• Returning starters: Five on offense, nine on defense.

• Key player: DB Jordan Gage. A three-year starter, Gage is one of the RMAC's finest cover cornerbacks .

• Pivotal game: vs. Mesa State, Oct. 13.

• Prove it: For the second straight season, the Mountaineers were picked to finish last in the coaches' poll. The once-proud measuring stick of the conference needs to show signs of escaping the cellar.

Colorado College

• Location: Colorado Springs.

• Coach: Bob Bodor (11-27, fifth year).

• Last season: 5-5.

• Returning starters: Nine on offense, nine on defense.

• Key player: Justin Alexander. Averaged 5.6 yards a carry and finished with 857 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

• Pivotal game: vs. University of the South (Sewanee, Tenn.), Sept. 15.

• Prove it: After 43 years as an independent, the Tigers join the Southern Athletic Collegiate Conference. The Tigers feel good about their three-game improvement last season but will have to establish themselves in one the most challenging conferences in Division III.

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