A view from the sideline

[DocHolliday]

I too agree with many who opine that there is just not that much talent on the roster...I watched from the field yesterday for most of the game and it was apparent to me that not only is Boise State so much bigger and a much more physical football team than we are -- but there speed too -- is at a whole other level from that of Wyoming.

We're all guilty of overrating this team from the jump this pre-season. Agreed?

Last year we excelled because of a freshman quarterback who masked some other flaws we all may have been willing to overlook...that and on the defensive side of the ball -- lets not forget we're missing the ultimate in overachievers and toughness without the likes of Josh Biezuns, Gabe Knapton, and the transfer of Ben Durbin to Iowa State didn't help matters either.

Our tackling is on a par with an average high school football team -- it hurts to watch as each play sees yet another opposing offensive player pick up an extra 3-6-10 yards -- than they should have.

We have zero in the way of legitimate Division 1 talent in the backfield behind Brett Smith -- that -- and the offensive line is completely pushed around and over-matched most every game. Ditto for the defensive line.

Speaking of Brett Smith, who here does not love & admire the guy?

After last season I had him breaking every significant quarterback record at UW after his 4 years was completed.

But lets admit a dirty little secret as well (injuries aside) that Brett has not had a good year himself just like the rest of the team.

In fact he's regressed somewhat with throws that sometimes boggle the mind, he's had several sure picks dropped by DB's this season - including one yesterday.

Now I get that with the way things are going he's probably trying to overcompensate and trying to do too much -- but the fact is that Brett has looked like a shell of what he was a season ago, let us acknowledge this.

As I sat and watched him in the post game yesterday he not only looked down and out -- he also looked unhappy, in a way that if I didn't know any better I'd almost think that with the bad season and the circus like atmosphere, that he's had enough and might just...NO WAY!

STOP!

Sorry, I didn't mean to scare anyone.

Then again in the event the worst case scenario did happen -- I do like the potential in this kid Jason Thompson, I think he can be a player.

Will Coach C be back?

Probably, I would imagine.

I mean, I think so.

Maybe.

Not?

Then again if he does lose the Boot Game next week I gather all kinds of speculation will immediately commence?

Someone noted that he hasn't put a full team on the field yet in the 4 years since he's been in Laramie.

Tough to argue that thought.

It's crazy how things can change so quickly -- because prior to the season I hoped DC would be in Laramie forever. I'll bet I wasn't alone with that thought?

A part of me still hopes for that actually.

But then I read the excellent story by Bob Hammond in yesterday's Laramie Boomerang http://www.wyosports.net/university_of_wyoming/football/hammond-column-broncos-a-program-on-the-move-again/article_c74611c8-1fce-11e2-91d7-001a4bcf887a.html about the rise from absolute irrelevancy of the Boise State football program.

Then I ask myself if I'd rather be in Boise, Idaho, or in the Laramie, Wyoming?

Color me biased, Wyoming all the way, a no-brainer in fact.

Then again if Boise is better than Laramie, tell me just how much better it really is?

I mean really now.

I read Hammond's piece yesterday and found myself day dreaming (yet again) of the day that Wyoming Football could have that kind of following, that kind of fervor and cache...that kind of a collegiate football brand.

Perhaps I'm an eternal optimist but I believe that Wyoming Football can be, and should be, so-so much more, than what it is and what it has been...fleeting moments of happy times interspersed around mostly sub .500 records.

Is that satisfactory and acceptable to you?

I've written about this a few times previously, how I feel Wyoming needs to look at itself in a totally different way -- with much higher expectations and an unrelenting desire to achieve so-so much more than it has over the years.

You say it can't be done and to be happy with what we have?

I wish I could be like you, but it's not in my DNA, I want to be the best, and have the best, at everything, and in all areas...and that includes wanting the very best for Wyoming Cowboys football.

You may say that the new CSU administration is going for a pie in the sky dream?

I say I wish that mindset and vision was ours - not there's.

I don't do mediocrity...in anything.

How about you?

Do you not deserve a conference contending Wyoming football team as many years as is possible?

Question: And I guess that Tom Burman will consider this if he has not already. What was the condition of this program the second that Dave took it over?

Depending on how you answer that question...is at least another year necessary in order to get a more accurate reading on the state of the program from top to bottom?

Also, something many of us have not even mentioned: Given all that has happened, and I would think that there has to be some separation between DC & TB as a result of the fiasco and the consequences of the fallout from it...I mean, does DC even want to come back - or does he hope for a buyout situation of some kind?

All kinds of possibilities I'd imagine.

Has Christensen assembled a coaching staff of substance?

And here's the kicker and the ultimate to show us all how horrendous of a season this has been to wade through to date: A show of hands with those disgusted enough with the state of the program to the point where you are actually hoping that CSU beats us next week...hoping that that loss will bring the entire house of cards down completely and potentially assuring you of the regime change you so desperately seek?

Bottom line is that when looking at our roster, starters, reserves, the whole thing...there just isn't a lot of meat on the bone fellas.

Whose fault is that?

Answers please...cause you know I ain't gonna get them outta the papers in Casper & Cheyenne anytime soon.

Reality check: There is but one single player on the entire Wyoming roster who if they were eligible to play in the NFL next season would have a chance to do so.

That player is our Punter, Tim Gleeson, who I actually believe has a very legitimate chance of playing on Sunday's sometime in the future.

When your Punter, who is a freshman lets not forget, is your best player...I'll step aside and let someone else fill in the blanks.

As always and forever...

Go Pokes.

 

[WyoAlum1987]

Spot on Doc,

We shouldnt be told to accept mediocrity (or much worse). We shouldnt have an AD that says "we are who we are".

We are the Wyoming Cowboys, and at one time we were perennially in the top 20 of the nation.

We need a new AD with a burning desire to return relevance to our programs. One with experience, relentless energy, vision.

We gave a local boy a shot. He needs to move on and make room for someone who wants it more and knows how to get there.

We shouldnt even think twice about retaining DC. It would be settling for someone. I'd rather settle for Kaligas frankly. I'd rather have settled for Joe Glenn.
But settling would have been the wrong thing to so, and it is the wrong thing now!

We need to cowboy up. Burman and DC have to go

 

[laxwyo]

Good thoughts and well articulated Dino!

A. I will never root against the Cowboys, ever!

B. I don't think we can afford to fire Christensen if people thought we should. Just reality!

C. I too wish we would "go all in"! BSU's football team has done wonders for their college, so much in fact, that it resembles an actual university. I think that Wyoming as a state is much more revered than Idaho. Millions of people visit Wyoming for our natural wonderment. One school to represent the state should have more support! Funding......

 

[J-Rod]

Excellent post Dino! Good thought-provoking stuff as usual.

I watched from the field yesterday for most of the game and it was apparent to me that not only is Boise State so much bigger and a much more physical football team than we are -- but there speed too -- is at a whole other level from that of Wyoming.

I'm pretty sure I tried to make this point the entire off-season. Glad someone noticed this fact. A lot of posters here thought UW would win this game (and some thought BIG)....but there is no doubt there is a significant talent gap between the two schools. Give it up, the guys played hard. Sometimes the other team just has the better horses....

 

[cowboyz]

When I started reading your post, I thought it could be from 2 years ago:

We're all guilty of overrating this team from the jump this pre-season. Agreed?

Last year we excelled because of a freshman quarterback who masked some other flaws we all may have been willing to overlook...that and on the defensive side of the ball -- lets not forget we're missing the ultimate in overachievers and toughness without the likes of Mitch Unrein, John Fletcher, and the transfer of Corey Orth didn't help matters either.

Our tackling is on a par with an average high school football team -- it hurts to watch as each play sees yet another opposing offensive player pick up an extra 3-6-10 yards -- than they should have.

...the offensive line is completely pushed around and over-matched most every game. Ditto for the defensive line.

Speaking of ACS, who here does not love & admire the guy?

After last season I had him breaking every significant quarterback record at UW after his 4 years was completed.

But lets admit a dirty little secret as well (injuries aside) that ACS has not had a good year himself just like the rest of the team.

In fact he's regressed somewhat with throws that sometimes boggle the mind, he's had several sure picks dropped by DB's this season - including one yesterday.

Now I get that with the way things are going he's probably trying to overcompensate and trying to do too much -- but the fact is that ACS has looked like a shell of what he was a season ago, let us acknowledge this.

As I sat and watched him in the post game yesterday he not only looked down and out -- he also looked unhappy, in a way that if I didn't know any better I'd almost think that with the bad season and the circus like atmosphere, that he's had enough and might just...NO WAY!

STOP!

Sorry, I didn't mean to scare anyone.

 

[kansasCowboy]

I will disagree with one aspect. I don't think Smith is a shell of who he was last season. The guy has only played in 6 games (Actually 5 games and 3 quarters), and in that time has a better TD:int ratio than he did last year. There is a very good chance he will throw for more TD's than he did last year and may throw fewer int's. He's also bumped up his yards per pass and his completion percentage is still 61%. He even has a chance at throwing for more yardage than he did last year, in fewer games played. The only difference right now is his rushing. But honestly, you cannot fully blame smith. I could have seen him with 60+ yards against Cal Poly and 60+ yards against AFA, both games he missed. On top of that he has struggled running against some of the better D's we have faced this year (BSU, FSU, Texas even Toledo had a pretty good rushing D).
We have watched this team struggle and now we are looking at our players with a bad attitude. Smith has played very well.
We have CSU, UNLV, SDS and UNM left on the schedule. All are winnable and I think you will see Brett Smith and others do well in these games.

 

[J-Rod]

I will disagree with one aspect. I don't think Smith is a shell of who he was last season. The guy has only played in 6 games (Actually 5 games and 3 quarters), and in that time has a better TD:int ratio than he did last year. There is a very good chance he will throw for more TD's than he did last year and may throw fewer int's. He's also bumped up his yards per pass and his completion percentage is still 61%. He even has a chance at throwing for more yardage than he did last year, in fewer games played. The only difference right now is his rushing. But honestly, you cannot fully blame smith. I could have seen him with 60+ yards against Cal Poly and 60+ yards against AFA, both games he missed. On top of that he has struggled running against some of the better D's we have faced this year (BSU, FSU, Texas even Toledo had a pretty good rushing D).
We have watched this team struggle and now we are looking at our players with a bad attitude. Smith has played very well.
We have CSU, UNLV, SDS and UNM left on the schedule. All are winnable and I think you will see Brett Smith and others do well in these games.

Can't disagree. I'd be willing to bet that with time and experience in the offense, Brett Smith would have been a better QB for Boise State than Joe Southwick is. A lot of Brett's shortcomings are because of the players surrounding him.....and especially a defense that can't stop anyone.

We'll see what the offense can do in the coming weeks. Fresno and Boise have the best defenses in the MWC....and the 3rd best is a huge drop off from them. SDSU is above average in terms of MWC's defenses, but the other 3 are prime to get blown out by anyone. UNM is about clock control, but even with that can't stop anybody.

 

[DocHolliday]

Numbers can be a bit misleading...I don't think he's been as good this season as he was last season overall.

That said I love the guy, and hope his final two seasons at Wyoming are winning ones...

 

[whyoh]

I too agree with many who opine that there is just not that much talent on the roster...I watched from the field yesterday for most of the game and it was apparent to me that not only is Boise State so much bigger and a much more physical football team than we are -- but there speed too -- is at a whole other level from that of Wyoming.

We're all guilty of overrating this team from the jump this pre-season. Agreed?

Last year we excelled because of a freshman quarterback who masked some other flaws we all may have been willing to overlook...that and on the defensive side of the ball -- lets not forget we're missing the ultimate in overachievers and toughness without the likes of Josh Biezuns, Gabe Knapton, and the transfer of Ben Durbin to Iowa State didn't help matters either.

Our tackling is on a par with an average high school football team -- it hurts to watch as each play sees yet another opposing offensive player pick up an extra 3-6-10 yards -- than they should have.

We have zero in the way of legitimate Division 1 talent in the backfield behind Brett Smith -- that -- and the offensive line is completely pushed around and over-matched most every game. Ditto for the defensive line.

Speaking of Brett Smith, who here does not love & admire the guy?

After last season I had him breaking every significant quarterback record at UW after his 4 years was completed.

But lets admit a dirty little secret as well (injuries aside) that Brett has not had a good year himself just like the rest of the team.

In fact he's regressed somewhat with throws that sometimes boggle the mind, he's had several sure picks dropped by DB's this season - including one yesterday.

Now I get that with the way things are going he's probably trying to overcompensate and trying to do too much -- but the fact is that Brett has looked like a shell of what he was a season ago, let us acknowledge this.

As I sat and watched him in the post game yesterday he not only looked down and out -- he also looked unhappy, in a way that if I didn't know any better I'd almost think that with the bad season and the circus like atmosphere, that he's had enough and might just...NO WAY!

STOP!

Sorry, I didn't mean to scare anyone.

Then again in the event the worst case scenario did happen -- I do like the potential in this kid Jason Thompson, I think he can be a player.

Will Coach C be back?

Probably, I would imagine.

I mean, I think so.

Maybe.

Not?

Then again if he does lose the Boot Game next week I gather all kinds of speculation will immediately commence?

Someone noted that he hasn't put a full team on the field yet in the 4 years since he's been in Laramie.

Tough to argue that thought.

It's crazy how things can change so quickly -- because prior to the season I hoped DC would be in Laramie forever. I'll bet I wasn't alone with that thought?

A part of me still hopes for that actually.

But then I read the excellent story by Bob Hammond in yesterday's Laramie Boomerang http://www.wyosports.net/university_of_wyoming/football/hammond-column-broncos-a-program-on-the-move-again/article_c74611c8-1fce-11e2-91d7-001a4bcf887a.html about the rise from absolute irrelevancy of the Boise State football program.

Then I ask myself if I'd rather be in Boise, Idaho, or in the Laramie, Wyoming?

Color me biased, Wyoming all the way, a no-brainer in fact.

Then again if Boise is better than Laramie, tell me just how much better it really is?

I mean really now.

I read Hammond's piece yesterday and found myself day dreaming (yet again) of the day that Wyoming Football could have that kind of following, that kind of fervor and cache...that kind of a collegiate football brand.

Perhaps I'm an eternal optimist but I believe that Wyoming Football can be, and should be, so-so much more, than what it is and what it has been...fleeting moments of happy times interspersed around mostly sub .500 records.

Is that satisfactory and acceptable to you?

I've written about this a few times previously, how I feel Wyoming needs to look at itself in a totally different way -- with much higher expectations and an unrelenting desire to achieve so-so much more than it has over the years.

You say it can't be done and to be happy with what we have?

I wish I could be like you, but it's not in my DNA, I want to be the best, and have the best, at everything, and in all areas...and that includes wanting the very best for Wyoming Cowboys football.

You may say that the new CSU administration is going for a pie in the sky dream?

I say I wish that mindset and vision was ours - not there's.

I don't do mediocrity...in anything.

How about you?

Do you not deserve a conference contending Wyoming football team as many years as is possible?

Question: And I guess that Tom Burman will consider this if he has not already. What was the condition of this program the second that Dave took it over?

Depending on how you answer that question...is at least another year necessary in order to get a more accurate reading on the state of the program from top to bottom?

Also, something many of us have not even mentioned: Given all that has happened, and I would think that there has to be some separation between DC & TB as a result of the fiasco and the consequences of the fallout from it...I mean, does DC even want to come back - or does he hope for a buyout situation of some kind?

All kinds of possibilities I'd imagine.

Has Christensen assembled a coaching staff of substance?

And here's the kicker and the ultimate to show us all how horrendous of a season this has been to wade through to date: A show of hands with those disgusted enough with the state of the program to the point where you are actually hoping that CSU beats us next week...hoping that that loss will bring the entire house of cards down completely and potentially assuring you of the regime change you so desperately seek?

Bottom line is that when looking at our roster, starters, reserves, the whole thing...there just isn't a lot of meat on the bone fellas.

Whose fault is that?

Answers please...cause you know I ain't gonna get them outta the papers in Casper & Cheyenne anytime soon.

Reality check: There is but one single player on the entire Wyoming roster who if they were eligible to play in the NFL next season would have a chance to do so.

That player is our Punter, Tim Gleeson, who I actually believe has a very legitimate chance of playing on Sunday's sometime in the future.

When your Punter, who is a freshman lets not forget, is your best player...I'll step aside and let someone else fill in the blanks.

As always and forever...

Go Pokes.

first three words of this post should be "call me ishmael"

 

[laxwyo]

Well played sir!

 

[DocHolliday]

Well played sir!

Why, thank you.

 

[stymeman]

tackling, has ALWAYS been a problem at UW!!! is it due to fact of getting hurt and not being able to perform for the girlfriend that evening?? just can't put a finger on why we can't tackle and well at that???

 

[Bryoming]

Tackling has been a sore spot on this team for YEARS now. I can remember back in the Tiller days the linebackers warming up by popping each other and driving back 5 yards. Where is that toughness now? Has anyone on this team heard of wrapping up? It's more than a little frustrating to watch week in and week out.

Smith is having a rough year, but I attribute that (as others have) to the lack of talent around him. Yes, he's made some bad throws. When you're running for your life you don't see the field as well as you should. I do think that he'll be able to complete the year on a high note, though, and he still has a chance to hit that 65% completion mark.

As far as losing to the sheep, HELL NO I don't hope we lose! I don't care what the rest of the season has been like up to the point of the Border War, but we WILL NOT lose that boot, EVER!

I think that Dave Christensen has what it takes to make this thing work, but he's got to let his coordinators do their thing and not try to micromanage. (I have no idea if he's doing this or not, but the defense looks an awful lot like last year's...) He's also got to get someone with some ingenuity to take over the defense, because what we're doing now isn't working.

 

[stymeman]

Tackling has been a sore spot on this team for YEARS now. I can remember back in the Tiller days the linebackers warming up by popping each other and driving back 5 yards. Where is that toughness now? Has anyone on this team heard of wrapping up? It's more than a little frustrating to watch week in and week out.

Smith is having a rough year, but I attribute that (as others have) to the lack of talent around him. Yes, he's made some bad throws. When you're running for your life you don't see the field as well as you should. I do think that he'll be able to complete the year on a high note, though, and he still has a chance to hit that 65% completion mark.

As far as losing to the sheep, HELL NO I don't hope we lose! I don't care what the rest of the season has been like up to the point of the Border War, but we WILL NOT lose that boot, EVER!

I think that Dave Christensen has what it takes to make this thing work, but he's got to let his coordinators do their thing and not try to micromanage. (I have no idea if he's doing this or not, but the defense looks an awful lot like last year's...) He's also got to get someone with some ingenuity to take over the defense, because what we're doing now isn't working.

well said: wrapping up man come on it's getting old watching our D run after the ball handler, get physical and let em know who's boss. DC I think this is his true test of his abilities and charater and we'll see what happens the rest of this "sorry" season.