Vander Waal and Cox

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PokeNer
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Has anyone been following some of our former players? I realize it's a different level of football, but the Big Sky and Missouri Valley conferences are no joke. Vander Waal is putting up some eye opening passing numbers, and Avante Cox is racking up the receiving yards. Not sure there is much to infer, but it does seem that they are excelling in their new systems.

Tyler's numbers through 5 games at Idaho St:
97/147 56%
1,575 yds
11 TDs
9 Ints
142.30 Efficiency (He averaged 95.6 at UW)

Granted not the best completion % and TD/Int ratio, but the yardage is fairly impressive.

Avante Cox in 2 seasons and SIU:
19 games
94 Rec
1150 yds
5.3 rpg
12.2 yd/rec
8 TDs
64 ypg
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WYO1016
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PokeNer wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 10:56 am Has anyone been following some of our former players? I realize it's a different level of football, but the Big Sky and Missouri Valley conferences are no joke. Vander Waal is putting up some eye opening passing numbers, and Avante Cox is racking up the receiving yards. Not sure there is much to infer, but it does seem that they are excelling in their new systems.

Tyler's numbers through 5 games at Idaho St:
97/147 56%
1,575 yds
11 TDs
9 Ints
142.30 Efficiency (He averaged 95.6 at UW)

Granted not the best completion % and TD/Int ratio, but the yardage is fairly impressive.

Avante Cox in 2 seasons and SIU:
19 games
94 Rec
1150 yds
5.3 rpg
12.2 yd/rec
8 TDs
64 ypg
Let's take a look at their numbers at UW:

Tyler:
169/341 49.6%
1,822 yds
6 TDs
8 INTs
94.5 efficiency

It looks like he's still the player that he was at UW, but playing in a system better suited to him.

Avante:
6 rec
84 yds
0 rec TDs
5 carries
51 yards
1 rush TD

Clearly being utilized more than any receivers have been in Laramie since Bohl got here, which is great to see!

Both players have moved on to teams that suit their play styles much more than the Cowboys did. I'm happy to see them having success!
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OrediggerPoke
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Vander Waal has always been an FCS talent that is a competitor. Glad to see him find a home.

Cox apparently left because him and his family was unhappy with his playing time and that Rocket was getting snaps over him. He is a MWC level receiver. Glad to see he also found a home. But Cox left during the middle of the season rather than to simply stick it out, work hard to earn playing time and transfer at the end of the season. Plain and simple - he bailed on his teammates. Can't say I see much reason to follow him.
ragtimejoe1
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OrediggerPoke wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:55 am But Cox left during the middle of the season rather than to simply stick it out, work hard to earn playing time and transfer at the end of the season. Plain and simple - he bailed on his teammates. Can't say I see much reason to follow him.
Honestly, I think it is better for all parties involved for him to bail as soon as his mind was made up about transferring. Coaches bail on teams all the time at the end of the season and prior to a bowl game. In this case, he knew the offense wasn't for him and he was leaving. No point in risking injury to stick it out and no point in taking reps from others who will be remaining POKES.

I wish nothing but the best for the kid and don't hold anything against him. Hope his new spot brings him a lot of success.
WYO1016 wrote: Fri Dec 08, 2023 8:10 am I'm starting to think that Burman has been laying the pipe to ragtimejoe1's wife
Insults are the last resort of fools with a crumbling position.
OrediggerPoke
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ragtimejoe1 wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:49 pm
OrediggerPoke wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:55 am But Cox left during the middle of the season rather than to simply stick it out, work hard to earn playing time and transfer at the end of the season. Plain and simple - he bailed on his teammates. Can't say I see much reason to follow him.
Honestly, I think it is better for all parties involved for him to bail as soon as his mind was made up about transferring. Coaches bail on teams all the time at the end of the season and prior to a bowl game. In this case, he knew the offense wasn't for him and he was leaving. No point in risking injury to stick it out and no point in taking reps from others who will be remaining POKES.

I wish nothing but the best for the kid and don't hold anything against him. Hope his new spot brings him a lot of success.
I see the viewpoint, but it just isn't how I was raised (when you start something and give your commitment, you finish it). The University made a commitment to the player by giving him a scholarship that included tuition and living expenses. The player did not live up to his commitment (in my opinion) by accepting those benefits and then not completing the job for which the player accepted the benefit. The team was competing for a bowl game and was relying on the availability of the player. By leaving mid-season, you create issues for your teammates by leaving the team too thin at a particular position or requiring a player that would have redshirted to forego the redshirt. It is a selfish decision in my mind.
ragtimejoe1
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OrediggerPoke wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:01 pm
ragtimejoe1 wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:49 pm
OrediggerPoke wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:55 am But Cox left during the middle of the season rather than to simply stick it out, work hard to earn playing time and transfer at the end of the season. Plain and simple - he bailed on his teammates. Can't say I see much reason to follow him.
Honestly, I think it is better for all parties involved for him to bail as soon as his mind was made up about transferring. Coaches bail on teams all the time at the end of the season and prior to a bowl game. In this case, he knew the offense wasn't for him and he was leaving. No point in risking injury to stick it out and no point in taking reps from others who will be remaining POKES.

I wish nothing but the best for the kid and don't hold anything against him. Hope his new spot brings him a lot of success.
I see the viewpoint, but it just isn't how I was raised (when you start something and give your commitment, you finish it). The University made a commitment to the player by giving him a scholarship that included tuition and living expenses. The player did not live up to his commitment (in my opinion) by accepting those benefits and then not completing the job for which the player accepted the benefit. The team was competing for a bowl game and was relying on the availability of the player. By leaving mid-season, you create issues for your teammates by leaving the team too thin at a particular position or requiring a player that would have redshirted to forego the redshirt. It is a selfish decision in my mind.
You could definitely be right. I don't remember the roster adjustments that were made to accommodate him leaving. I guess with the way coaches can leave at the drop of the hat, I don't blame the kids for having marginal loyalty.

Really, WR in this offense is more of a blocking position. Again, I could be totally wrong, but I doubt offensive production dropped much after he left. Definitely agree that if someone had to burn a redshirt, then bad move by him. Other side of course is that he only played 3 games that year so was able to maintain that year of eligibility. Probably made the transfer easier to have 3 years of eligibility instead of 2 if he stuck it out.

I definitely get the commitment thing, but, in this case, I also understand why he'd bail. Why burn a year of eligibility in this offense as a WR?
WYO1016 wrote: Fri Dec 08, 2023 8:10 am I'm starting to think that Burman has been laying the pipe to ragtimejoe1's wife
Insults are the last resort of fools with a crumbling position.
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LanderPoke
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I remember being bummed when cox transferred
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I will always be grateful to Vander Waal for pulling out the last second win against Wofford in 2018. Certainly didn't need a 3rd FCS loss in 8 seasons.
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cowpoke pride wrote: Fri Apr 09, 2021 9:16 am I will always be grateful to Vander Waal for pulling out the last second win against Wofford in 2018. Certainly didn't need a 3rd FCS loss in 8 seasons.
And that comeback against Air Force was one for the ages!
ragtimejoe1 wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:19 pm
OrediggerPoke wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 1:01 pm
ragtimejoe1 wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 12:49 pm
OrediggerPoke wrote: Wed Apr 07, 2021 11:55 am But Cox left during the middle of the season rather than to simply stick it out, work hard to earn playing time and transfer at the end of the season. Plain and simple - he bailed on his teammates. Can't say I see much reason to follow him.
Honestly, I think it is better for all parties involved for him to bail as soon as his mind was made up about transferring. Coaches bail on teams all the time at the end of the season and prior to a bowl game. In this case, he knew the offense wasn't for him and he was leaving. No point in risking injury to stick it out and no point in taking reps from others who will be remaining POKES.

I wish nothing but the best for the kid and don't hold anything against him. Hope his new spot brings him a lot of success.
I see the viewpoint, but it just isn't how I was raised (when you start something and give your commitment, you finish it). The University made a commitment to the player by giving him a scholarship that included tuition and living expenses. The player did not live up to his commitment (in my opinion) by accepting those benefits and then not completing the job for which the player accepted the benefit. The team was competing for a bowl game and was relying on the availability of the player. By leaving mid-season, you create issues for your teammates by leaving the team too thin at a particular position or requiring a player that would have redshirted to forego the redshirt. It is a selfish decision in my mind.
You could definitely be right. I don't remember the roster adjustments that were made to accommodate him leaving. I guess with the way coaches can leave at the drop of the hat, I don't blame the kids for having marginal loyalty.

Really, WR in this offense is more of a blocking position. Again, I could be totally wrong, but I doubt offensive production dropped much after he left. Definitely agree that if someone had to burn a redshirt, then bad move by him. Other side of course is that he only played 3 games that year so was able to maintain that year of eligibility. Probably made the transfer easier to have 3 years of eligibility instead of 2 if he stuck it out.

I definitely get the commitment thing, but, in this case, I also understand why he'd bail. Why burn a year of eligibility in this offense as a WR?
I don't remember the details either, but isn't this a "play less than 4 games and don't burn a redshirt" type of deal? He had 1 catch in 3 games and 1 really long run up until the point of when he transferred. If he knew he was going to bail, it's his choice to not play additional games and use up eligibility. No point in sitting around on the bench refusing to play, might as well just get out. He felt slighted that Rocket, and Price were getting more touches (and I tend to agree). Would you burn an entire year of eligibility for what could have translated to 4-8 touches total?

Either way it looks like he made the right decision. He's putting up big numbers and I've even seen him come up on NFL draft analyses. He'd never get NFL attention at the receiver position here the way the offense has been since JA.
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