TOSS UP: What's been the biggest disappointment for Wyoming?

Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:22 pm

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Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:57 pm

Biggest disappointment so far is the coaching staff.

Fri Sep 18, 2015 10:22 pm

I feel like we underwhelm on the field. I want some scary players on the field to fill that "cowboy tough" persona! Can't we recruit a few from Rawlins? Haha

Fri Sep 18, 2015 11:48 pm

biggest disappointment...

the defensive tackles.

and...

our lack of experience, due to the youth on our team.

truth, that is the bottom line. Uso was supposed to be a stud. he is too nice. not a mean bone in his body. strong, but peaceful.

Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:06 am

Defensive tackles; tackling; coaching staff

Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:17 am

Tackling

Sat Sep 19, 2015 11:06 am

Not that I think it's time for a change-coaching.

Sat Sep 19, 2015 2:43 pm

Short term -- current coaching staff

Long term -- Burman

Sat Sep 19, 2015 6:03 pm

Without question, it's the defensive front four (the entire defense is awful even by Koenning standards, but we had some expectations that these guys would step up and be passably good). Yarbrough received a bunch of (undue) hype as an NFL prospect - he's not remotely there at this point - and he's only managed one coverage sack in the first two games. The pressures haven't even been there. It's a recurring problem for UW football, too. The last remotely stout defense we had was in 2009, and that was entirely composed of Glenn's guys. Mike Purcell was the last upper-echelon guy we've seen, and I believe he was a Glenn recruit, too. Christensen was a terrible evaluator of defensive talent, and Bohl's early synopsis (from his first class) isn't good, either.

I realize that Tashaun Gipson is a once-in-a-generation player to come through Laramie and might be the most talented UW player not named Novacek, but there isn't a Mitch Unrein, Chris Prosinski, John Fletcher, Gabe Knapton, Josh Biezuns, or Weston Johnson on this defense, either. And there hasn't been in a while.

Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:40 pm

TELEVISION!

I can't get a single game on tv until we play Air Force. Then I'll miss the UNLV game too. How the hell do we go six games into the season without a single nationwide game. Half the games are only viewable online if I buy a cable subscription b/c I'm supposed to spend $100/mo on a service that only lets me see my team online.

Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:40 pm

Purcell was a Christensen recruit.

Sat Sep 19, 2015 9:58 pm

Without question, it's the defensive front four (the entire defense is awful even by Koenning standards, but we had some expectations that these guys would step up and be passably good). Yarbrough received a bunch of (undue) hype as an NFL prospect - he's not remotely there at this point - and he's only managed one coverage sack in the first two games. The pressures haven't even been there. It's a recurring problem for UW football, too. The last remotely stout defense we had was in 2009, and that was entirely composed of Glenn's guys. Mike Purcell was the last upper-echelon guy we've seen, and I believe he was a Glenn recruit, too. Christensen was a terrible evaluator of defensive talent, and Bohl's early synopsis (from his first class) isn't good, either.

I get that you like Glenn, I did too. However, you can't say that team or even that defense was entirely Made of Glenn players. DC brought in some impact defensive players like Shamiel Gary, Ghalil Muhammad, Mike Purcel, and Luke Ruff. All those players contributed right away as freshmen on defense.

Sat Sep 19, 2015 10:09 pm

marcuswyo wrote:
Without question, it's the defensive front four (the entire defense is awful even by Koenning standards, but we had some expectations that these guys would step up and be passably good). Yarbrough received a bunch of (undue) hype as an NFL prospect - he's not remotely there at this point - and he's only managed one coverage sack in the first two games. The pressures haven't even been there. It's a recurring problem for UW football, too. The last remotely stout defense we had was in 2009, and that was entirely composed of Glenn's guys. Mike Purcell was the last upper-echelon guy we've seen, and I believe he was a Glenn recruit, too. Christensen was a terrible evaluator of defensive talent, and Bohl's early synopsis (from his first class) isn't good, either.
I get that you like Glenn, I did too. However, you can't say that team or even that defense was entirely Made of Glenn players. DC brought in some impact defensive players like Shamiel Gary, Ghalil Muhammad, Mike Purcel, and Luke Ruff. All those players contributed right away as freshmen on defense.

Purcell was in DC's first class, but I'm pretty sure Glenn was already pursuing him. I think that was a Marty English project - through his coaching connections in the CO area. Mark Willis, for example, was in that class, too - a Glenn guy who DC finished off by signing to his class. Could have been a stud tight end if Christensen would have used him properly...somehow got plugged into the interior line by the end of his time in Laramie.

As for Gary, he transferred to OK State and was a decent contributor. Floated around practice squads in the NFL for a season. Ruff was a good, solid contributor as a backup, but certainly nothing special. Great kid, though - the kind you want in a program. And Muhammad was playing running back by his upperclassmen years. They made some plays, but the guys who really held it together for the bowl win were part of the core that I mentioned. We haven't seen that caliber of player since.