If you could redo one play in Pokes history...

[J-Rod]

There were lots of if's and shoulda's over the years...I could point out a few instances in the Glenn era where he botched an upset opportunity. But we're talking about one specific fluke play/moment that changed things. 96' safety and what NowherePoke listed fit the bill.

 

[fromolwyoming]

Can I say all of DC's time management (or lack there of) in Lincoln a few years ago? I think we could've won that game.

Or the trying to get cute play where it ended up as an int when there was no reason for the play in the first place. If I remember right, it was a trick play where a receiver was supposed to throw the ball into the endzone. Why he thought that was a good idea, I don't know. Frustrating as hell though.

 

[McPeachy]

Hands down, 1996 Wac Championship vs. bWHYu - with the Safety & ensuing punt.

1. That is the closest we have been to a decent team since (yep, creeping up on 20 years).
2. I get the strategy, but the punter / punt was rushed (clock was ticking down) and he blew it.
3. It was against the evil empire...that alone makes it very sour.
4. No bowl game after 10 & 2 finish.
5. I never cried so much after a loss, in any sport, whether participating or as a spectator.

 

[JimmyDimes]

It was very disappointing to see the game end the way it did. And that was a decent team....our last season ending ranked. I'd say Dimel had some good teams.....but usually lost a game they shouldn't have. He ended up finishing 2nd in conference most of the time he was in Laramie and not on a pool table .

The loss to CU was the worst thing I've seen in person. We had them...two minutes to play and up 9 points. If we didn't kick to Kelly? or if Brigham didn't fumble. That game was ours.

 

[seattlecowboy]

Some additional ones that loom large in my mind (that we already mentioned on twitter/GWG, but worth discussing):

1. CU game - 1997 - Take your pick of several plays. Pokes blew a 19-10 lead with 4 minutes to go in Boulder against a ranked CU team. Key plays were a 99 yard KO return by CU and a fumble by Marques Brigham on the ensuing possession.

Still remember this game and it makes me sick. We had that game won and was one of those games that the other team needed a miracle finish to win and that is exactly what they got.

 

[Wyokie]

Some additional ones that loom large in my mind (that we already mentioned on twitter/GWG, but worth discussing):

1. CU game - 1997 - Take your pick of several plays. Pokes blew a 19-10 lead with 4 minutes to go in Boulder against a ranked CU team. Key plays were a 99 yard KO return by CU and a fumble by Marques Brigham on the ensuing possession.

Still remember this game and it makes me sick. We had that game won and was one of those games that the other team needed a miracle finish to win and that is exactly what they got.

What's worse is that later we were awarded the win due to the fact CU had an ineligible player playing that day.

 

[GoPokes86]

96 WAC title against bywho? and 97 against CU are easily the most painful games I ever remember. So I have to say the safety was definitely the one play I would change. It makes a guy wonder how different things could've been if the admin would've made the effort to keep Tiller and if the Koening debacle would've ever happened.

Marcus Bailey getting hurt is right there too though. Another NCAA tourney run, McClain gets out of town...who knows.

Man what a painful thread. Just rip those old scabs wide open.

 

[WyoBrandX]

96 WAC title against bywho? and 97 against CU are easily the most painful games I ever remember. So I have to say the safety was definitely the one play I would change. It makes a guy wonder how different things could've been if the admin would've made the effort to keep Tiller and if the Koening debacle would've ever happened.

Marcus Bailey getting hurt is right there too though. Another NCAA tourney run, McClain gets out of town...who knows.

Man what a painful thread. Just rip those old scabs wide open.

I grew up knowing the Pokes as winners and a tough contender. The late 80's - tough - the early 90's hit and miss - bet on the pokes. 2000's - damn you vic. Joe Glenn comes around and showes some defensive toughness with some offensive roughness. Next thing you know its been 12 years since he was hired.

Ouch. I joined this board in 2009. Look back further, we had some good times with Joe Glenn from 2003-2005. Look back further and vic sucks. Dimel and Tiller were decent. Roach was awesome. I've been here 6 years and lurking longer. DIV 1 has a bigger and bigger spread than ever. Its been a long time since we could enjoy a good win. Its been a long time since we could enjoy a bad loss (the last NU game me thinks).

 

[WyoBrandX]

here is another way to look at it. Did we have more almosts and wins between 1996 and 2006 than we did between 2006 and 2016?

 

[Wyovanian]

I'm gonna go a different way on the 96 game and the safety call. I would change the free kick and not have the kicker shank the ball but boom a long kick to pin them back. We would go on to win.

I am one of the few (it appears) to beleive the safety was the right call. And if we didn't shank the free kick it would have worked.

Interesting take- thing of it is, the defense played brilliantly in that game. When the intentional safety was called, Tiller had to consider whose hands he wanted to put the game into. A good argument, using your same logic, could be made that we should've punted and let our defense deliver. Had the safety not occurred, BYU* would've needed a TD to win the game- a tying score wouldn't have been possible.

At the end of it all, I felt Coach Tiller went with the chart more than his heart. In this rare instance, the heart might've been the way to go. Should've let the defense do the job.

 

[Wyovanian]

The '96 Championship game would be tops for me in football- punt the ball and let the defense continue to do the job.

In basketball, it would be Eric Leckner's missed dunk halfway through the 2nd half of the '87 Sweet Sixteen game against UNLV. We were leading at the half and in that game the whole way right up until that happened. Somehow it demoralized us and we never recovered. That dunk goes in and the 5,000+ Wyoming fans would've raised the roof on the old Kingdome and that game would've gone right down to the buzzer...

 

[laxwyo]

Would like to see what happened if J'nay Jackson doesn't fumble punt

 

[Fullback41]

The safety is the winner for me. It hurts the most because that team was so good. No team since has been as good so no play since could have meant as much.

The fumbled punt return vs national champions Nebraska is my number two vote.

 

[WyoBrandX]

There has got to be something in that Brett Smith comback drive against Nebraska 2 years ago. I think that ended in an interception or something.

 

[COS Cowboy]

Interesting take- thing of it is, the defense played brilliantly in that game. When the intentional safety was called, Tiller had to consider whose hands he wanted to put the game into. A good argument, using your same logic, could be made that we should've punted and let our defense deliver. Had the safety not occurred, BYU* would've needed a TD to win the game- a tying score wouldn't have been possible.

At the end of it all, I felt Coach Tiller went with the chart more than his heart. In this rare instance, the heart might've been the way to go. Should've let the defense do the job.

That's the way I feel about it too. By calling for the safety, he signaled that he had no confidence in the defense (or the punter) and that's how they played. Had he just punted, I think they would have responded and kept BYU out of the endzone.

 

[CowboyCO]

Taking a safety against BYU in the WAC championship game.

Punt the ball and defend a short field against a touchdown , instead of a short field and a FG to tie and OT. Make them score a touchdown. Even a good free kick would have had the the cougs only needing about 30 yards to get to field goal range and tie it up.