We Deserve Better

[ReecesRiver]

Long timer lurker but yesterday was the final straw in me making an account here. I've been through the good bad and ugly as a Pokes fan. 57-59 overall and 19-40 on the road in 10 seasons isn't cutting it. That's an average of 2 road wins per year. Things have not changed. That was the worse QB play under Bohl I can remember even worse than Vander waal and Levi Williams, and as expected ZERO half time adjustments.

I had free tickets to the Nevada vs New Mexico game last night. 7:30 PM in Reno, 32 degrees, two terrible teams. For reference, population of the Reno area is the same as the entire state of Wyoming a little over 500k. My estimate would be 2,000 people in attendance and about 100 students in the student section. The stadium was empty. Nevada ended up getting their second win of the season 34-24. I've watched a few Nevada games this year so I generally know their scheme. Last night was fun to watch their play calling was unpredictable. Inside run, outside run, sweep, changes in block you didn't know what was coming next. Actually refreshing to watch compared to the last 70 minutes of Cowboy football.

Bottom line is, we fill our stadium to 17,000+ every home game no matter the weather. Our fans drive from Cody, Sheridan, Rock Springs, Gillette, ect every week. We're the best road travelers in the Mountain West maybe besides Boise State. It's pretty impressive with how small our state's population is, the support the Cowboys get. When is Burman going to realize 7-5 is not the ceiling. He even has it on his official bio "Cowboy football has been to 5 bowl games in the last 7 years". I'm willing to take a risk of regression to make it to the next level. To actually contend for a MWC title. To give this fanbase progress. I think its time to move on.

[Itsux2beaewe]

Long timer lurker but yesterday was the final straw in me making an account here. I've been through the good bad and ugly as a Pokes fan. 57-59 overall and 19-40 on the road in 10 seasons isn't cutting it. That's an average of 2 road wins per year. Things have not changed. That was the worse QB play under Bohl I can remember even worse than Vander waal and Levi Williams, and as expected ZERO half time adjustments.

I had free tickets to the Nevada vs New Mexico game last night. 7:30 PM in Reno, 32 degrees, two terrible teams. For reference, population of the Reno area is the same as the entire state of Wyoming a little over 500k. My estimate would be 2,000 people in attendance and about 100 students in the student section. The stadium was empty. Nevada ended up getting their second win of the season 34-24. I've watched a few Nevada games this year so I generally know their scheme. Last night was fun to watch their play calling was unpredictable. Inside run, outside run, sweep, changes in block you didn't know what was coming next. Actually refreshing to watch compared to the last 70 minutes of Cowboy football.

Bottom line is, we fill our stadium to 17,000+ every home game no matter the weather. Our fans drive from Cody, Sheridan, Rock Springs, Gillette, ect every week. We're the best road travelers in the Mountain West maybe besides Boise State. It's pretty impressive with how small our state's population is, the support the Cowboys get. When is Burman going to realize 7-5 is not the ceiling. He even has it on his official bio "Cowboy football has been to 5 bowl games in the last 7 years". I'm willing to take a risk of regression to make it to the next level. To actually contend for a MWC title. To give this fanbase progress. I think its time to move on.

Welcome. Well said.

[LanderPoke]

Long timer lurker but yesterday was the final straw in me making an account here. I've been through the good bad and ugly as a Pokes fan. 57-59 overall and 19-40 on the road in 10 seasons isn't cutting it. That's an average of 2 road wins per year. Things have not changed. That was the worse QB play under Bohl I can remember even worse than Vander waal and Levi Williams, and as expected ZERO half time adjustments.

I had free tickets to the Nevada vs New Mexico game last night. 7:30 PM in Reno, 32 degrees, two terrible teams. For reference, population of the Reno area is the same as the entire state of Wyoming a little over 500k. My estimate would be 2,000 people in attendance and about 100 students in the student section. The stadium was empty. Nevada ended up getting their second win of the season 34-24. I've watched a few Nevada games this year so I generally know their scheme. Last night was fun to watch their play calling was unpredictable. Inside run, outside run, sweep, changes in block you didn't know what was coming next. Actually refreshing to watch compared to the last 70 minutes of Cowboy football.

Bottom line is, we fill our stadium to 17,000+ every home game no matter the weather. Our fans drive from Cody, Sheridan, Rock Springs, Gillette, ect every week. We're the best road travelers in the Mountain West maybe besides Boise State. It's pretty impressive with how small our state's population is, the support the Cowboys get. When is Burman going to realize 7-5 is not the ceiling. He even has it on his official bio "Cowboy football has been to 5 bowl games in the last 7 years". I'm willing to take a risk of regression to make it to the next level. To actually contend for a MWC title. To give this fanbase progress. I think its time to move on.

Amen

[McPeachy]

Solid post ReecesRiver.

I wouldn't mind seeing a new HC at WYO - as long as he doesn't come from DII or FCS. The bad part of the whole thing is that we have Burman making the final call on who would get the position. I am not very enthusiastic or inspired by that, to put it very nicely.

[DamThatRiver22]

I really, really wanted Jay Hill....but unfortunately we dicked around and BYU handed him a bag.

Now we're unfortunately on the bad end of a not-great list of potential replacements.

[LawPoke]

I really, really wanted Jay Hill....but unfortunately we dicked around and BYU handed him a bag.

Now we're unfortunately on the bad end of a not-great list of potential replacements.

There have to be others out there. What about Morgan Scalley? Or Jim Leonhard? Or Ryan Grubb?

[WestWYOPoke]

Jim Leonhard would be a huge get for a program like Wyoming. Although, he could likely make more as a DC next year than Wyo would pay a HC. His defenses at Wisconsin were strong, although his offense would likely be similar (in scheme) to what Bohl runs now.

[stymeman]

Is Javon Boughknight still coaching anywhere. Id love to give him a try

[doreno5]

Is Javon Boughknight still coaching anywhere. Id love to give him a try

Apparently he is the WR coach at Marshall.(saw on another post )

[OrediggerPoke]

Do you all really believe a new staff is going to transform Wyoming football in this era of NIL and free agency)? Wyoming isn’t even competitive in NIL dollars in the MWC (although I think it is a waste).

Realistically, any new staff is going to have a high bar of 9-3/8-4 and a low bar of Koenning.

If we go 3-1 to end the season, going in a different direction would defy sensibility. If we go 0-4 or 1-3, sure go in a different direction but you will be kidding yourself if you’re expecting top 25 rankings merely with a staff change.

[307bball]

Do you all really believe a new staff is going to transform Wyoming football in this era of NIL and free agency)? Wyoming isn’t even competitive in NIL dollars in the MWC (although I think it is a waste).

Realistically, any new staff is going to have a high bar of 9-3/8-4 and a low bar of Koenning.

If we go 3-1 to end the season, going in a different direction would defy sensibility. If we go 0-4 or 1-3, sure go in a different direction but you will be kidding yourself if you’re expecting top 25 rankings merely with a staff change.

Your summation echoes my own sentiments. The constraints keeping Wyoming from being a perennial top 50 program might not have as much to do with coaching as people on this board think. As I've said before...I hope that I am wrong but with each passing year and each coaching change that does not get us anywhere, it gets harder for me to believe that we are just a coach away.

[TheRealUW]

Do you all really believe a new staff is going to transform Wyoming football in this era of NIL and free agency)? Wyoming isn’t even competitive in NIL dollars in the MWC (although I think it is a waste).

Realistically, any new staff is going to have a high bar of 9-3/8-4 and a low bar of Koenning.

If we go 3-1 to end the season, going in a different direction would defy sensibility. If we go 0-4 or 1-3, sure go in a different direction but you will be kidding yourself if you’re expecting top 25 rankings merely with a staff change.

Agreed. If Bohl can pull this team together and finish 3-1 or 4-0, it will be a miraculous coaching job. In my opinion, this team has overachieved all season long. They are a good team, but I think Texas Tech, Appalachian State, and Fresno State are all better teams. We got a W in all of those games. I also appreciated Bohl taking ownership for the disaster at Boise State in his post-game and Monday afternoon press conferences.

Now, if we finish 2-2 or worse, I think there is a fair argument to be made that it might be time to try something else. I'm still not sure that will improve the program any, but I would be willing to entertain the idea at least.

[cowpoke pride]

The Cowboys have spent 1 stinking week in the AP Top 25 since I moved to Wyoming in 1997. Of all of Wyoming's conference-mates during that time, only New Mexico, UNLV and Rice have fewer appearances.

Saying we deserve better doesn't just apply to this year or this coaching tenure. It applies to lifespan of my entire Cowboys fandom.

[LanderPoke]

Do you all really believe a new staff is going to transform Wyoming football in this era of NIL and free agency)? Wyoming isn’t even competitive in NIL dollars in the MWC (although I think it is a waste).

Realistically, any new staff is going to have a high bar of 9-3/8-4 and a low bar of Koenning.

If we go 3-1 to end the season, going in a different direction would defy sensibility. If we go 0-4 or 1-3, sure go in a different direction but you will be kidding yourself if you’re expecting top 25 rankings merely with a staff change.

It’s been a decade. I think it’s ok to try something new if we don’t finish strong, but Burman would never go for it. Bohl would have to crash and burn next year too

[303cowboy]

I get this would never happen, but what if half of Bohl's salary went toward the NIL with win incentives to get it all back

[bladerunnr]

As disappointed as I was after the Boise st. game, I will say one thing for Craig Bohl. Except for his first 2 seasons, he has beat csewe every year except the covid year. I will feel a hellava lot better if we do it again Friday night.

Former Wyoming BB coach Benny Dees was asked how he recruited players to Laramie. He responded that "we take em to Denver and tell them it's Laramie". I can appreciate that it will always be an uphill battle to recruit to Laramie. But what I saw Saturday had more to do with scheme than talent on the field. A great coach finds the other team's weakness and exploits it. I just never get that with this coach. He's going to line up and run the same game plan no matter who we play. I'm sure there's more to it than that. But I can guarantee csewe is going to jam our receivers and try and stuff the run. They will dare us to throw deep. Somehow, we have to make them pay, or it will be a long night.

[OrediggerPoke]

I get this would never happen, but what if half of Bohl's salary went toward the NIL with win incentives to get it all back

So you are suggesting to structure Bohl’s salary to be paid by private NIL collectives? That runs into a myriad of legal and employment issues. The University cannot pay ‘NIL.’

[Outlaw Arthur Morgan]

This reminds me of the old days.

- Nothing spreads like wildfire.

Hope you all remember that!

[303cowboy]

I get this would never happen, but what if half of Bohl's salary went toward the NIL with win incentives to get it all back

So you are suggesting to structure Bohl’s salary to be paid by private NIL collectives? That runs into a myriad of legal and employment issues. The University cannot pay ‘NIL.’

As I said, it will never happen. Won't work/can't work. I just wish we had some kind of an NIL presence. We have the top paid coach in the conference and #5 in G5 but as far as I can tell little to no NIL money. And yes I realize NILs aren't funded by the university.

[ragtimejoe1]

Unpopular opinion. Product on the field exceeds "fan level". Students are free and forced to subsidize athletics ffs. WYO taxpayers subsidize the program perhaps more than any other university (I might be wrong on this... I'm guessing)..

We have less than, what 17k, at a game last year when the championship was on the line?

No, we don't deserve better.