Rock bottom? No, lets not be that reactionary after this horrendous opening day performance before a terrific crowd at The War (BTW I believe I almost nailed the attendance exactly from a previous thread) that was let down in so many ways.
Craig Bohl's team looked great out there today -- the only problem was that they were wearing green & white uniforms. What you saw out of North Dakota today was a blueprint of the kind of football (particularly on offense) that Bohl envisions when all pistons are firing together in perfect harmony.
Cam Coffman limped into the post game this afternoon with his right leg wrapped in a big icebag. Although we were told that it is not serious (Coffman himself said he thought he'd be okay) Bohl did tell us that it was a strained meniscus...it bears watching over the next 24-48 hours. He couldn't come in for the last few plays which is why you saw Josh Allen (the future!) taking the last few snaps and torching that redshirt in the process. By the way, Bohl said after the game that even if Allen had not been forced into action today the plan was to use him at some point this season anyway.
Everything the Pokes do on offense is predicated by running the football. Today they had no chance because their offensive line was manhandled by North Dakota's front 7. It was men against boys with what I saw - and obviously this is unfortunate given that the emphasis was placed upon our team getting bigger and stronger with us pushing other team's lines off the ball.
Hill had no place to go. Ditto for Wick. We rotated a few guys along the line today but no matter the combination it proved ineffective.
Following the game Bohl stated that he and his staff will look hard at that position group and changes could be afoot already heading into the 2nd game of the season next Saturday.
Give NDU credit as well, they played a take no prisoners, very tough, football game. They won the trenches all day long, their quarterback (Keaton Studsrud) is a playmaker (he was 3rd on their depth chart at this time a season ago) who can make throws, and I thought their offensive coordinator (Paul Rudolph) called an outstanding game this afternoon. NDU executed when they needed to, and Bubba Schweigert's team played mentally sound, very few mistakes, a very disciplined football team.
This was no fluke today - North Dakota dominated, and then some IMO.
Someone mentioned in a previous posting on this thread that our linebackers are undersized - they are. As much as I love Lucas Wacha, his appearance at the post game reinforced that thought today. This hurts because whenever a running back gets into the 2nd level against our defense - many times its going to be hold on tight and hope for the best.
I asked a few of the guys about coming out flat today, they all disagreed, although Bohl did say that North Dakota may have been better than they thought. Not sure what to make of that...
Back to Coffman, yes, he had a few receivers drop some passes they should have caught, and he did lob that gorgeous throw to Gentry for the first TD of the game for the Pokes...but I'm not sure he should be the starter. Now I say that recognizing that he was facing protection breakdowns more than a few times - but I just don't know if he's the answer even for this season. Speaking of small, Coffman is not very big, and today's injury might be just the first of a few if the Pokes don't take care of their offensive line troubles.
It should also be noted that Wyoming simply could not run the ball - and this hampered Coffman and made the offense stagnant and without any rhythm all day...so I'm not sure of Coffman's grade, but the eye test makes me feel less than confident.
Coffman made some bad throws today too...he could have/should have been picked off a few times if not for drops by NDU DB's...including one that would have went for a pick six if the player had held on.
Josh Allen? I love him, and I'd applaud if Bohl went with him next week...but I think if Coffman is healthy he'll be on the field.
Pit stop: Why did Bohl not go for 2 after the 2nd TD which would have (if successful) made it a 10 point game and made a miracle comeback a little easier had Wyoming been able to score again and then make a FG to tie things up? By kicking the X-PT there it made it an 11 point lead and the Pokes would have needed to get 2 full scores to possibly win the game. Whatever...
Defensively they could not get stops, they could not contain the edges (HUGE gains) and even up the middle became a hazard zone for the Pokes as NDU rambled for 276 yards on the ground - something we saw a lot of last season. Yarbrough had a sack, and a helper on another I believe, but the line was quiet, I thought all along the front line guys like Appleby (who whiffed on the QB on that goal line score which turned out to be NDU's last TD) Olive (0 tackles) and Hala' Api' Api, all underachieved today and lost the one on one battles all day. Do you know who Wyoming's leading tackler was today? Safety, Chavez Pownell Jr. Not good.
I thought Anthony Makransky played his ass off on many downs today and shows great promise at the CB position.
All in all, a horrible way to start the year.
Am I concerned about Craig Bohl though? Absolutely not.
Today was why I along with some others here were skeptical of many who were claiming that Wyoming would win this game in a rout. This is an exceptionally young team with so much to prove that needs to learn how to win before anyone should be proclaiming greatness, blow-out wins, or post season appearances.
Today was a regression, I'l give you that, and I was flummoxed by the appearance of what was thought to be a better conditioned Wyoming team -- now in its second season under this regime -- getting pushed around all day as they were.
The execution was bad...very bad.
They wouldn't admit it, but I believe they took NDU for granted, know why? Because so did I to a certain extent, and so did many of you. They came out flat and got punched in the mouth early and never had an answer.
This reclamation project is going to take time, and for many Wyoming fans who have been fans for far many more years than myself, I know this is as frustrating as anything can be.
But I cannot stress enough - this is a coaching staff that found itself coming in with a bare cupboard, with only 6 weeks to recruit their first class, and without a bona-fide QB on the team last year.
The only team younger than Wyoming in the country is Wake Forrest.
We are nowhere near where Bohl wants to see this program - in fact its still so far away that Bohl (or anyone else with a degree of objectivity) cannot even see it. There is no magic pixie-dust nor are there any short cuts in doing this. You rebuild a program through a belief in the system and in your people, and with an unrivaled work ethic.
Hard to see it today, but we are getting better, and this getting better may not yet result in as many wins as a stressed out Wyoming fan base would like in the short term.
11 games to go and people are already jumping ship on this team and on this coach?
If their next 11 games are like today's game I may join your chorus.
Until then I still believe in Bohl, still believe he will eventually get the ship turned around, and still believe he will someday coach the Cowboys to the MWC Championship game.
But I realize that it's very hard to see that when today's still fresh memories continue to make there way through our minds.
Expect an up and down season - and in fact I believe their last 4-5 games will be their best games, and they may only win 1-2 of those.
We're still not good, and we won't be for a little while longer.
Once you accept that then days like today will be easier to reconcile once you get past the emotional residue.
It's gonna be an up and down season - that's what happens when you rely on youth primarily.
Last season with Shyatt was the most fun watching a sport that I've had in years.
