LARAMIE, Wyo. -
It came as a surprise, but when the skies opened up with rain in Laramie on Thursday afternoon, the Wyoming Cowboys asked if they could practice in their soon to be completed $11 million Indoor Practice Facility and the request was granted. At 2:55 p.m., the Pokes officially began their first practice in the Indoor.
The practice area in the complex is virtually complete, so the Cowboys were able to utilize the full 100-yard by 50-yard regulation field for their single Thursday practice. Sophomore quarterback Karsten Sween connected with senior wide receiver Michael Ford for the first completion in the new building.
"It was a landmark day for Athletics at the University of Wyoming," said head football coach Joe Glenn. "It's a miracle -- absolutely sensational. No matter what the weather dishes out on a given day, we now know we'll be able to get in a quality practice. We'll still practice outside most days, but we won't have to worry about not having an effective practice. You just get a lot more accomplished when you have an indoor facility."
Glenn went on to joke about the 32 previous years he has faced those elements coaching at Wyoming, Montana and Northern Colorado.
"I've just come to the realization that I'm coaching at 72 degrees the rest of my career," joked Glenn. "No more wind on this weather-beaten old face.
"But seriously, a year ago when we were forced inside (in War Memorial Fieldhouse), we couldn't practice as a complete team because of the limited space in the building. We had to practice in shifts. God bless that old indoor, it held up for a long time, but now we have one of the finest facilities in the country."
The Cowboys practiced for a little over two hours on Thursday. Their practice schedule for the remainder of the week includes a 3:15 p.m. practice on Friday, and a 9 a.m. session on Saturday.
