Craig Bohl: Simply an illusionist?

[Fullback41]

The best team that Wyoming has fielded in the 21st century didn't even go bowling - it was Glenn's 6-6 team in 2006. But that team passed the eye-test, blowing out a Utah team that finished with a winning record (31-0 at one point in the game) and then blanking CSU 24-0, not to mention recording the only true scare of a top-10 team we've had in the 21st century (losing 17-10 to eventual Fiesta Bowl champion Boise State).

Amen

[Hayduke]

I'm willing to be more patient, but I'll attend the last three home games on a case by case basis. If the weather sucks...or the team continues to...think I'll find something else to do on a Saturday this fsll.

[Yabadabadoo]

The Griz is currently 2-2.

[Coeur d' Alene]

If Glenn hired Stitt, things would be much different now.

Was there ever anything behind this, or are you just saying that cause-well Stitt is a badass? Just curious if there was some connection I didn't know about. Also, the same could be said for if Christensen hired someone like Breske, no?

I don't think Stitt was ever on Glenn's radar but who knows. Personally, that is one thing I like about UNLV's high school coach. He wasn't tied to anyone and went out and got himself a top notch staff. I think that might be why some fcs coaches fail at the fbs level. They bring along fcs staff rather than seeking out the best staff available.

WYO and UNLV will be interesting to watch. Two programs in futility. 1 hires FCS champ who brings his guys. 1 hires high school coach who seeks out seasoned staff. Both historically bad with deep rooted problems. Who (if either) rises up from the cellar.

Really good point about staffs. I agree. Those aren't all D1 coaching material, even if bohl is. Glenn and bohl both really tied theirselves to bringing a majority of staff together. Glenn's guys weren't but had Rocky Mountain area connections. Bohls guys? How are they doing on developing connections?

Did milo hall ever show up? Are there guys they are redshirting right now that they feel really good about? I think there are some impressive true fresh playing

All of everything comes down to recruiting and sadly it may have went down every time since dimmel. This guy might have reversed that. Next years class has to be twice as good and it might be. Bohls coaches must not be good field coaches (practice and game) because the players really don't seem disciplined at all. They don't have tons of talent and are really lacking in areas- but they aren't a disciplined unit out there. They just aren't. You get a high school lostness feel from them.

The assistant coach or 2 that have a huge respect of the teams and a lot of the times the guys who really run them through their practices make a huge deal. Maybe we need to go find some great field coaching coaches because when a team looks lost and scared so often you have to put a lot on coaching. No matter how inexperienced. So hopefully strides are being made or will be and that if they aren't bohl will try something else coaching staff wise.

I think it will work out because I think they're recruiting but we will see.

[The Virginian]

So back to the main architect over at The War.

So for those of you ready to already (after 16 games!) label Craig Bohl a bust, I ask you, was his success at NDSU, and his highly thought of coaching pedigree from most within the CFB industry, has his previous success had to do with nothing more than smoke and mirrors? Explain for me please, if you can, his monstrous success at NDSU winning THREE (3) straight championships and an overall record of 108-44 in 11 seasons in Fargo.

You mean he knew what kinds of players to recruit in Fargo - but in Laramie he is out of his element? All of a sudden Craig Bohl has turned stupid?

Please elaborate and tell me how and where Craig Bohl lost his fastball...in 16 football games to date.

Nothing really to elaborate on.
He can't recruit to win at this level. He could at a D2 powerhouse, because he was going against other FCS teams. Yet now he has to go against D1 players.

Plus, you can't recruit a winning football team to Laramie.

Talk to me when Bohl moves down to the D2 level. He moved up half a division from Division I, FCS to Division I FBS. Got it?

[ragtimejoe1]

If Glenn hired Stitt, things would be much different now.

Was there ever anything behind this, or are you just saying that cause-well Stitt is a badass? Just curious if there was some connection I didn't know about. Also, the same could be said for if Christensen hired someone like Breske, no?

I know Stitt is good, and sports a great Offense, but what is he doing in year one with FCS power Montana?

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Sheesh, you seem hypersensitive to comments. The discussion had nothing to do with Stitt as head coach, anyway. The discussion was about staffs and if Glenn had a better staff, I think he would have actually succeeded here. Stitt + Breske + Glenn would have had a pretty solid run, IMO.

I think the staff a coach puts together is more important than the coach himself. As Bob Stoops says, surround yourself with people who have the ability to be head coaches. Easier to do at Oklahoma, but the point remains.

That is why it will be interesting to compare the approaches of Bohl at WYO and Sanchez at UNLV.

[kansasCowboy]

If Glenn hired Stitt, things would be much different now.

Was there ever anything behind this, or are you just saying that cause-well Stitt is a badass? Just curious if there was some connection I didn't know about. Also, the same could be said for if Christensen hired someone like Breske, no?

I know Stitt is good, and sports a great Offense, but what is he doing in year one with FCS power Montana?

What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? Sheesh, you seem hypersensitive to comments. The discussion had nothing to do with Stitt as head coach, anyway. The discussion was about staffs and if Glenn had a better staff, I think he would have actually succeeded here. Stitt + Breske + Glenn would have had a pretty solid run, IMO.

I think the staff a coach puts together is more important than the coach himself. As Bob Stoops says, surround yourself with people who have the ability to be head coaches. Easier to do at Oklahoma, but the point remains.

That is why it will be interesting to compare the approaches of Bohl at WYO and Sanchez at UNLV.

Everyone thought Gregg Brandon was going to be an amazing OC under DC too. You know, he was a successful head coach that was very offensive minded. Our play calling didn't change all that much under him and he struggled with our offense in a few games. Was he a good fit for WYO?

Would Stitt have fit at WYO under Glenn? Glenn was not a coach looking to go Spread. Which means... Stitt would not be a good fit. And with all his success at UNC he seems a bit tipsy at Montana so far. Which means if he would have jumped up to the FBS level, how well would he have done? Just a hypothetical based on results. All you have is a hypothetical question here too,anyway. It has nothing to do with being hypersensitive. And definitely not the price of tea in China. I'm starting to think that you learned a big word here a few weeks ago and it all you know how/ or try to use to elevate your level of communication.

Seriously what is it with you always coming at me trying to tear me down? I just asked a one sentence question and I'm hypersensitive or irrational, etc. Do you get your jollies by attempting to put people who might not agree with your range of thinking down?

Cause it's kinda funny.

[ragtimejoe1]

Everyone thought Gregg Brandon was going to be an amazing OC under DC too. You know, he was a successful head coach that was very offensive minded. Our play calling didn't change all that much under him and he struggled with our offense in a few games. Was he a good fit for WYO?

Would Stitt have fit at WYO under Glenn? Glenn was not a coach looking to go Spread. Which means... Stitt would not be a good fit. And with all his success at UNC he seems a bit tipsy at Montana so far. Which means if he would have jumped up to the FBS level, how well would he have done? Just a hypothetical based on results. All you have is a hypothetical question here too,anyway. It has nothing to do with being hypersensitive. And definitely not the price of tea in China. I'm starting to think that you learned a big word here a few weeks ago and it all you know how/ or try to use to elevate your level of communication.

Seriously what is it with you always coming at me trying to tear me down? I just asked a one sentence question and I'm hypersensitive or irrational, etc. Do you get your jollies by attempting to put people who might not agree with your range of thinking down?

Cause it's kinda funny.

Not really trying to tear you down, man, and don't mean it that way. It just seems that any mention of anything that could be construed in any fashion to not bow at the alter of Bohl and you jump on the comment.

Stitt beat a NDSU team that plastered a UND team that plastered UW, so there is that and the nearly certain fact that Montana would plaster UW right now. That is besides the point, however.

The overall point of the discussion remains, IMO, HC fail often because of staffs. Bohl and Sanchez took two different approaches. It will be interesting to see which one works better if either work at all.

[lakesbison]

Some of you posters need to go to the Wyoming athletics website and pull up the depth chart. You will not find a younger roster in the country right now.

exactly.

OH 10, count them 10 NDSU players that BOHL recruited are in the NFL/CFL right now. and 2 just retired basically.
The guy can recruit, he's a slick salesman and he will succeed at Wyoming if given a chance for 2 more years.

plus NDSU is just an amazing program feeding on Minneapolis kids that U of Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin overlook or chose not to recruit

[lakesbison]

[quote="wyokoke] I saw them beat NDSU, and thought they looked good, and thought that offense was fun to watch week 1 but haven't checked on them since[/quote]

NDSU was without all american Cornerback vs Montana and that killed NDSU, in a rematch with Montana, NDSU would easily win 35-14 or something like that.

[BJC]

Glenn admitted himself....and anyone close to the program that he did little to no coaching and let the assistants coach. Obviously, he hires the assistants but even the players knew he was not overly involved with coaching x and o's.

[BJC]

[quote="wyokoke] I saw them beat NDSU, and thought they looked good, and thought that offense was fun to watch week 1 but haven't checked on them since

NDSU was without all american Cornerback vs Montana and that killed NDSU, in a rematch with Montana, NDSU would easily win 35-14 or something like that.[/quote][/quote]

I was actually more impressed with how their defense played against NDSU. Not sure about 35-14 but hard to tell now that more film is out etc.

Those receivers were killing them with the jump balls.

Rematch at some point?

[PokeOLoco]

"Whats REALLY sad is that we're debating which coach with win percentage around 43% is the best of this century, and calling a 6-6 team the best of the last 15 years."

[Wyolie Coyote]

"Whats REALLY sad is that we're debating which coach with win percentage around 43% is the best of this century, and calling a 6-6 team the best of the last 15 years."

[SnowyRange]

Whats REALLY sad is that we're debating which coach with win percentage around 43% is the best of this century, and calling a 6-6 team the best of the last 15 years.

No kidding.

UW football is under .500 over the last 50 years...which is why I can't get too worked up about Bohl tearing it down to the foundation to start over. I couldn't care any less if we go winless this year, if that's what it takes.

This poop of trying to go 6-6 -- interspersed with 3-8 and 5-7 seasons -- to limp into another money-losing bowl has got to stop.

Nobody's gone all-in like this around here before, at least as far as I remember, and I find it refreshing.

[TSpoke]

Whats REALLY sad is that we're debating which coach with win percentage around 43% is the best of this century, and calling a 6-6 team the best of the last 15 years.

No kidding.

UW football is under .500 over the last 50 years...which is why I can't get too worked up about Bohl tearing it down to the foundation to start over. I couldn't care any less if we go winless this year, if that's what it takes.

This poop of trying to go 6-6 -- interspersed with 3-8 and 5-7 seasons -- to limp into another money-losing bowl has got to stop.

Nobody's gone all-in like this around here before, at least as far as I remember, and I find it refreshing.

Not trying to be a jerk but really wondering, what do you mean by that? I think Bohl is a good coach and can get the job done here but I haven't really seen anything different as far as going all-in than any other coach we've had. Just curious.

[fromolwyoming]

Well, there was one guy who went all in before and tore everything down to build it up. And his legacy lasted almost 20 years. Bowden Wyatt. Prior to Wyatt, we literally had nothing going for us. During his time and after?
Beat Northern Colorado 103-0
10-0 season and went to and won our first ever bowl game, the Gator Bowl.
Brought in Phil Dickens and went to the Sun Bowl to beat Texas Tech along with another 10-0 season under Dickens.
Than we brought in Bob Devaney, you know, one of the best college football coaches ever?
And then Lloyd Eaton, our most successful HC (though the Black 14 incident kind of killed it for him and us).

So if we have to tear down a crumbling foundation to build something that is actually quality, so be it. No one said it would be easy or painless, but to continue where we were going is not a good idea at all.

[SnowyRange]

Not trying to be a jerk but really wondering, what do you mean by that? I think Bohl is a good coach and can get the job done here but I haven't really seen anything different as far as going all-in than any other coach we've had. Just curious.

No, it's cool.

From what I understand, Bohl took this job with these expressed aims/goals/procedures...whatever you want to call them (in no particular order, at all): institute a new regimen of physical conditioning and nutrition; recruit young men who will commit to that and the style of football that flows from that (no spread offense, etc.); recruit young men likely to commit to 4-5 years of eligibility (no JCs); recruit young men who will also maintain their eligibility through proper off-field behavior and attention to the classroom; making sure that everyone understood that there would be a commitment to all of that from the water boys on up; making sure everyone understood that all meant that there would be real attrition from the holdovers and that recruiting over the first few years would tell the tale.

In short, and I'm sure I missed or didn't fully state some things -- and in the context of this being a last coaching job -- he came with an aim of rebuilding a program, not merely a team.

And, look, I sure don't know that this is going to work. But it's a vision we've been lacking for the last -- what? -- like 20 years?

So, I'm prepared to buckle my seatbelt and ride it out.

[PokeOLoco]

I do think while he is not an illusionist, he (by his own admission), overestimated their ability to coach up some of these younger players. I don't know if he means they erred in lineups, recruiting, scheme, or all of the above to varying extents. So while I do think he has not become "dumb at coaching", he has made mistakes, which is okay. But I think the criticism is deserved, and I believe he thinks it is deserved as well.

[TSpoke]

Not trying to be a jerk but really wondering, what do you mean by that? I think Bohl is a good coach and can get the job done here but I haven't really seen anything different as far as going all-in than any other coach we've had. Just curious.

No, it's cool.

From what I understand, Bohl took this job with these expressed aims/goals/procedures...whatever you want to call them (in no particular order, at all): institute a new regimen of physical conditioning and nutrition; recruit young men who will commit to that and the style of football that flows from that (no spread offense, etc.); recruit young men likely to commit to 4-5 years of eligibility (no JCs); recruit young men who will also maintain their eligibility through proper off-field behavior and attention to the classroom; making sure that everyone understood that there would be a commitment to all of that from the water boys on up; making sure everyone understood that all meant that there would be real attrition from the holdovers and that recruiting over the first few years would tell the tale.

In short, and I'm sure I missed or didn't fully state some things -- and in the context of this being a last coaching job -- he came with an aim of rebuilding a program, not merely a team.

And, look, I sure don't know that this is going to work. But it's a vision we've been lacking for the last -- what? -- like 20 years?

So, I'm prepared to buckle my seatbelt and ride it out.

Fair enough. But in that(other than the not taking JC's) I don't see anything different than what other coaches have claimed coming in. they have all claimed to change the culture, renew dedication to strength and conditioning, etc. In fact I think some in the past have posted quotes from DC that sounded almost identical to the things Bohl said when he first got here.

I hope and think Bohl can get it done but until I see some results its all just coach speak to me. But I hope he does get the job done.
Thanks for the discussion.