Puzzling to a degree

[DocHolliday]

As I sift through the posts that have been made concerning the recently completed first year of the Craig Bohl administration I find myself puzzled and confused by a few things.

Now I need to preface by stating that I have been a Wyoming fan since only 2002.

My fandom in relation to others here is obviously much shorter in duration -- and thus what I can understand is the much longer frustration of other fellow Cowboys fans who have been with the program far longer than myself.

With that said though - I cannot understand the doubters and the extreme second guessing regarding Craig Bohl - and the skepticism about whether of not this new regime will get it done over the next few years ahead.

The chagrined attitudes of some concerning this first year leave me confused.

The question I ask, the only question I ask, is this: What did you expect from this past season?

Allow me to answer the question before you do and let me state that what transpired on the field this season, what the final record was, how the team played for much of the season...all of it was pretty much what I expected it to be.

Forget for a second the implementation of a new system on both sides of the ball...the more important thing to consider is that there was/is a very low level of talent on this team as presently constituted.

The reigning MWC Coach Of The Year, Jim McElwin, if he had coached this team instead of Craig Bohl, the record and the results would have been pretty much the same no matter what kind of a system was run.

The only way anyone should have realistically assessed this season, both prior to the season, as well as during the season, and now after the season has been completed, was to know that Bohl and his staff were handed a less than high caliber football team, and that it was going to take time to take the ship and to turn it around.

This past season was nothing more than a foundation season for Bohl and his staff - period.

It was about setting a new tempo, it was about establishing a new identity, it was about the start of a new culture change, it was about initiating a new strength and conditioning program, it was about familiarizing the program with a new way of doing things from top to bottom.

Bohl coached a team that was far from his own this year - he coached a team that was handed to him that will look nothing like the team I'm sure he envisions in seasons to come once the program is at the top of the MWC.

To me, the last thing I was really looking at this season was the cosmetics as they related to the won-loss record. To me that was always secondary to the establishment of the new moorings across the board that Bohl and his staff needed to develop and put into the ground.

I have no reason myself to feel as though Bohl won't get it done here over time, on the contrary, I believe that Wyoming will be contending for a MWC Championship by the year 2017.

I'll pay a little more attention to the won-loss record next season, but not to the degree that I will in the 2 years following next season.

To summarize, I felt that this year was all about the establishment of a new order for Wyoming Cowboys football.

When I first started following the Cowboys the HC was Vic Koenning - and over the last 14 years as a fan - its my opinion that Craig Bohl is the most well positioned coach since I've been a fan of the program to ultimately accomplish the most for the program since the last most recent salad days of Wyoming football -- played under Joe Tiller in the early 1990's.

Was it a bad season that looked bad at many points with few bright spots along the way? Yes, indeed.

However, it is what I expected completely, and if you didn't then I'd love to know what you were realistically hoping for and through what kind of justification?

 

[The Virginian]

Years of frustration have made many Wyoming fans very skeptical and jaded. It's not surprising that there's some questioning of Coach Bohl. Like you I think Bohl is finally the guy that's going to bring success back to Wyoming football.

 

[BeaverPoke]

I don't doubt that Bohl is the right guy-I doubt he is in the right place to succeed. I don't see the administration or athletic department helping him.

People with the money that make UW Football run don't understand how much money is needed.

Bohl may be a Mike Riley that wins more with less. But I don't see how Bohl and his assistants can change Wyoming Football.

It's not that Bohl can't do it- it's that I don't believe it can be done at Wyoming.

I have gone from eternal optimist to totally skeptical of Wyoming's athletic department.

I will always be on board and cheer for the wins, but I have heard the same things over and over by Glenn, DC, and now Bohl. I can only imagine hearing it for my entire life like several Pokes fans on here.

 

[J-Rod]

Nobody is calling for Bohl's head or declaring him a failure, but you can't fault fans for being skeptical. Bohl was phenomenal at NDSU, but no coaching hire is ever a sure thing. Bohl lost his first Senior Night by 49 points, and it could have been worse. I don't need a stat sheet to tell you that never happened at NDSU. That's reason to believe that anointing him as a savior is premature. I have faith in the guy, but he has to prove himself on this level.

 

[bladerunnr]

So you can label me as skeptical. No, I don't want him fired. I realize whoever stepped into this situation has 3-4 years before a judgement can be made. As far as this year was concerned, I expected us to struggle on offense. However, I was hoping we would be better on defense. With the exception of the Air force game, we were about as bad as ever.

It has been brought up on this board over and over that Bohl has implemented new systems on both sides of the ball. Somehow, this is an excuse for bad results. This is the same horseshit I read when Schroyer took over for McClain.

Can't the coach adapt the system to the talent he has? Why does the player have to adapt to the system? It makes no sense to me. So if you have Aaron Rogers, you don't try and run 40 times a game. Seems obvious to me but I guess "the system" has to be learned and it takes time and the results won't be good until his recruits are juniors and seniors.

So I don't understand why everyone is so optimistic. We finished tied for last in our division. The good teams in our conference beat the living shit out of us. So someone has to explain why they think this program is on the right track?

 

[Adv8RU12]

Can't the coach adapt the system to the talent he has?

Yes, some coaches can. These coaches slowly evolve, with recruiting classes, to get where they want to be. They don't try to do it with one big whack of the axe. But the coach doing this can't have a big ego about how great his system is. And he has to be flexible and innovative to work with his legacy players. No matter how great things will be in the future, the current coaching just couldn't adapt to the realities of the present.

 

[fromolwyoming]

Can't the coach adapt the system to the talent he has?

Yes, some coaches can. These coaches slowly evolve, with recruiting classes, to get where they want to be. They don't try to do it with one big whack of the axe. But the coach doing this can't have a big ego about how great his system is. And he has to be flexible and innovative to work with his legacy players. No matter how great things will be in the future, the current coaching just couldn't adapt to the realities of the present.

What talent outside of RB and WR? Kirk was a tough SOB, don't get me wrong, improved over the season, but was not all that great. The o-line has had issues for years, even in the spread. The did better overall in run blocking, but regressed in pass blocking. The d-line was either hit or miss all season, which is an improvement over the last 5 years, but still. LBs, Nzeocha was good, but when he went down, lack of good tacklers there really showed. DBs? Yeah...

 

[BeaverPoke]

Can't the coach adapt the system to the talent he has?

Yes, some coaches can. These coaches slowly evolve, with recruiting classes, to get where they want to be. They don't try to do it with one big whack of the axe. But the coach doing this can't have a big ego about how great his system is. And he has to be flexible and innovative to work with his legacy players. No matter how great things will be in the future, the current coaching just couldn't adapt to the realities of the present.

What talent outside of RB and WR? Kirk was a tough SOB, don't get me wrong, improved over the season, but was not all that great. The o-line has had issues for years, even in the spread. The did better overall in run blocking, but regressed in pass blocking. The d-line was either hit or miss all season, which is an improvement over the last 5 years, but still. LBs, Nzeocha was good, but when he went down, lack of good tacklers there really showed. DBs? Yeah...

Pass blocking didn't regress, it just didn't have a Brett Smith to avoid sacks, have a GREAT feel for defenders in the pocket, and an overall system of quick passes, where he gets rid of the ball before O-Linemen get burned.

 

[fromolwyoming]

Can't the coach adapt the system to the talent he has?

Yes, some coaches can. These coaches slowly evolve, with recruiting classes, to get where they want to be. They don't try to do it with one big whack of the axe. But the coach doing this can't have a big ego about how great his system is. And he has to be flexible and innovative to work with his legacy players. No matter how great things will be in the future, the current coaching just couldn't adapt to the realities of the present.

What talent outside of RB and WR? Kirk was a tough SOB, don't get me wrong, improved over the season, but was not all that great. The o-line has had issues for years, even in the spread. The did better overall in run blocking, but regressed in pass blocking. The d-line was either hit or miss all season, which is an improvement over the last 5 years, but still. LBs, Nzeocha was good, but when he went down, lack of good tacklers there really showed. DBs? Yeah...

Pass blocking didn't regress, it just didn't have a Brett Smith to avoid sacks, have a GREAT feel for defenders in the pocket, and an overall system of quick passes, where he gets rid of the ball before O-Linemen get burned.

Uh, Brett got sacked quite a bit regardless of his ability to sense pressure and scarmble, or did you forget that?

 

[BeaverPoke]

Can't the coach adapt the system to the talent he has?

Yes, some coaches can. These coaches slowly evolve, with recruiting classes, to get where they want to be. They don't try to do it with one big whack of the axe. But the coach doing this can't have a big ego about how great his system is. And he has to be flexible and innovative to work with his legacy players. No matter how great things will be in the future, the current coaching just couldn't adapt to the realities of the present.

What talent outside of RB and WR? Kirk was a tough SOB, don't get me wrong, improved over the season, but was not all that great. The o-line has had issues for years, even in the spread. The did better overall in run blocking, but regressed in pass blocking. The d-line was either hit or miss all season, which is an improvement over the last 5 years, but still. LBs, Nzeocha was good, but when he went down, lack of good tacklers there really showed. DBs? Yeah...

Pass blocking didn't regress, it just didn't have a Brett Smith to avoid sacks, have a GREAT feel for defenders in the pocket, and an overall system of quick passes, where he gets rid of the ball before O-Linemen get burned.

Uh, Brett got sacked quite a bit regardless of his ability to sense pressure and scarmble, or did you forget that?

You misinterpreted what I said. I'm saying our oline was always terrible. Brett made it look better than it was. I didn't say he never got sacked, I'm saying he was running an offense where he often got rid of the ball before real pressure was applied, and that brett was far superior to kirk in pocket presence so he was able to avoid the sack way better than kirk, plus he was much, much quicker and could break tackles like a mofo adding to his ability to avoid the sack and make a big play. Thus making the oline even better than it was.

Oline didn't regress, oline just didn't have the spread and brett smith to hide behind. It got exposed.

 

[Cuttslam]

What talent outside of RB and WR?

We have talented WR's???

 

[Slow Hand]

Here is my dilemma. By the way very well said Doc. AS a long time Wyoming fan and resident I have watched coaches come and go. Many of them touted as the next best thing. Glenn, for example was supposed to do the same thing that Bohl has been challenged with. However our administration hamstrings them from the start. What I mean by that is generally speaking we hire a coach with a complete different philosophy. That renders most of what is in place less than adequate. Case in point is the most recent hire. Our team was recruited to play the spread, which is fundamentally different than the pro style offense. Linemen for example must adapt from a zone blocking scheme to a rules based system. WR must change the way they run routes and make reads pre and during their routes. Coverages that Qbs see are going to have a different priorities..etc. It is no secret that I am a "fast break on grass" fan but the point that I am trying to make is that what if we would have been a mediocre Prostyle team? Bohl would have had more to work with his first year. However by virtue of being a spread team it was like starting all over again. You must teach every position on the offensive side of the ball a different way to play. I have read a lot of chatter on this board about our WRs, how they couldn't get seperation and how they were slow. Well that is because they are primarily middle of the road spread recruits who will be less than adequate in a pro style system. YES it is different! Many of the great prostyle receivers posses one of two traits....they are usually really fast or they are big and strong (sometimes both) with those traits they can get separation in man or "Hero" coverages. Jailen Clairborne, with all 165 lbs, is not going to get off of man coverages constantly.

So my point is what ever the system and whoever the coach would have been. Our administration is to blame for the slow starts and the miserable failures of the recent past. Lets face it....Wyoming fans do not care what the "System" is we just want a measurable amount of success.

 

[DocHolliday]

Here is my dilemma. By the way very well said Doc. AS a long time Wyoming fan and resident I have watched coaches come and go. Many of them touted as the next best thing. Glenn, for example was supposed to do the same thing that Bohl has been challenged with. However our administration hamstrings them from the start. What I mean by that is generally speaking we hire a coach with a complete different philosophy. That renders most of what is in place less than adequate. Case in point is the most recent hire. Our team was recruited to play the spread, which is fundamentally different than the pro style offense. Linemen for example must adapt from a zone blocking scheme to a rules based system. WR must change the way they run routes and make reads pre and during their routes. Coverages that Qbs see are going to have a different priorities..etc. It is no secret that I am a "fast break on grass" fan but the point that I am trying to make is that what if we would have been a mediocre Prostyle team? Bohl would have had more to work with his first year. However by virtue of being a spread team it was like starting all over again. You must teach every position on the offensive side of the ball a different way to play. I have read a lot of chatter on this board about our WRs, how they couldn't get seperation and how they were slow. Well that is because they are primarily middle of the road spread recruits who will be less than adequate in a pro style system. YES it is different! Many of the great prostyle receivers posses one of two traits....they are usually really fast or they are big and strong (sometimes both) with those traits they can get separation in man or "Hero" coverages. Jailen Clairborne, with all 165 lbs, is not going to get off of man coverages constantly.

So my point is what ever the system and whoever the coach would have been. Our administration is to blame for the slow starts and the miserable failures of the recent past. Lets face it....Wyoming fans do not care what the "System" is we just want a measurable amount of success.

I understand your response, SL, but here is what I want to know: Do you feel more confident with Bohl at the helm at this juncture and after his first season than you did say with, Glenn, Christensen?

See I believe that 'culture' and buying in, in our environment, is a bigger piece of the equation than that at most other places.

Sure any program needs guys to execute effectively and you need a competent quarterback...and I think Bohl and his staff will recruit effectively over the years to get the kinds of players he needs to carry out his on field vision.

Where Bohl speaks to me more however is in his legitimate connectivity to the Wyoming environment. Its this area where I feel he can transfer that passion and that vision to the athletes we will see coming through the system over the next few years.

I believe this was a major reason why Bohl won as consistently as he did at NDSU and its why I feel his chances of winning here are good.

Lastly for those who have responded to date, I hear a lot about the administration hamstringing coaches through various means...do you believe that nobody, not any coach, can win at Wyoming long term?

 

[Slow Hand]

Here is my dilemma. By the way very well said Doc. AS a long time Wyoming fan and resident I have watched coaches come and go. Many of them touted as the next best thing. Glenn, for example was supposed to do the same thing that Bohl has been challenged with. However our administration hamstrings them from the start. What I mean by that is generally speaking we hire a coach with a complete different philosophy. That renders most of what is in place less than adequate. Case in point is the most recent hire. Our team was recruited to play the spread, which is fundamentally different than the pro style offense. Linemen for example must adapt from a zone blocking scheme to a rules based system. WR must change the way they run routes and make reads pre and during their routes. Coverages that Qbs see are going to have a different priorities..etc. It is no secret that I am a "fast break on grass" fan but the point that I am trying to make is that what if we would have been a mediocre Prostyle team? Bohl would have had more to work with his first year. However by virtue of being a spread team it was like starting all over again. You must teach every position on the offensive side of the ball a different way to play. I have read a lot of chatter on this board about our WRs, how they couldn't get seperation and how they were slow. Well that is because they are primarily middle of the road spread recruits who will be less than adequate in a pro style system. YES it is different! Many of the great prostyle receivers posses one of two traits....they are usually really fast or they are big and strong (sometimes both) with those traits they can get separation in man or "Hero" coverages. Jailen Clairborne, with all 165 lbs, is not going to get off of man coverages constantly.

So my point is what ever the system and whoever the coach would have been. Our administration is to blame for the slow starts and the miserable failures of the recent past. Lets face it....Wyoming fans do not care what the "System" is we just want a measurable amount of success.

I understand your response, SL, but here is what I want to know: Do you feel more confident with Bohl at the helm at this juncture and after his first season than you did say with, Glenn, Christensen?

See I believe that 'culture' and buying in, in our environment, is a bigger piece of the equation than that at most other places.

Sure any program needs guys to execute effectively and you need a competent quarterback...and I think Bohl and his staff will recruit effectively over the years to get the kinds of players he needs to carry out his on field vision.

Where Bohl speaks to me more however is in his legitimate connectivity to the Wyoming environment. Its this area where I feel he can transfer that passion and that vision to the athletes we will see coming through the system over the next few years.

I believe this was a major reason why Bohl won as consistently as he did at NDSU and its why I feel his chances of winning here are good.

Lastly for those who have responded to date, I hear a lot about the administration hamstringing coaches through various means...do you believe that nobody, not any coach, can win at Wyoming long term?

To answer you question; yes I do feel more confident with Bohl at the helm. I think he has a vision to get Wyoming back on track.

 

[BeaverPoke]

do you believe that nobody, not any coach, can win at Wyoming long term?

This is exactly what I believe. Not the way things are now. Either G5 needs to split, 4 team playoff needs to expand into 8 or 16 team playoff making sure a MWC team has a chance, or Phil Knight/Boone T. Pickens need to wake up and realize they are Wyo fans.

 

[ragtimejoe1]

Let me start with that I think Bohl is a perfect coach for our situation. I look forward to what he can do despite our Administration. Think about Burman's comments about tough hard nosed football when hiring Bohl. Remember all those comments?

Now remember this: "We just can't be a downhill running football team to be successful," Burman said. "When I got a chance to talk to Dave and watch Missouri and the statistics they have put up, it hit home based on the conversations I had with coaches that have been successful here in the past."
http://www.denverpost.com/ci_11150926" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We have a man at the helm that lacks vision and is wishy washy. If Bohl doesn't work, it will be from lack of support within the AD.

 

[CowboyNV]

Hey Doc, I've been watching Cowboy football since Bob Devaney was coach. Since those days of Devaney, we have only had two coaches stay longer than 5 years, Eaton (9) and Tiller (6). The rest of the coaches left in 5 years or less, either getting fired or leaving for greener pastures. I don't know if Bohl is the guy to turn this thing around, but history and culture show that if he is, he will be gone in less than 5 years. And if he isn't, he will be gone in 5 years. It's the way it is around here. I'm not trying to be an ass, I'm just telling you that no matter what he does, odds are that Bohl will not be the head coach of the Cowboys in 2019.

 

[laxwyo]

God, I'd give anything to have a coach do well enough to leave for greener pastures

 

[CowboyNV]

God, I'd give anything to have a coach do well enough to leave for greener pastures

Amen to that......

 

[TSpoke]

I understand your response, SL, but here is what I want to know: Do you feel more confident with Bohl at the helm at this juncture and after his first season than you did say with, Glenn, Christensen?

Considering after the first year with DC we won a bowl game and our first year with Glenn we won 4 after many years of 1 win seasons and Two of those wins were against BYU and CSU, I would say I was more confident after those seasons. I do think Bohl is a better coach than both of those coaches and with the benefit of hindsite I think we are in a better spot than we were then but at the time I was more confident than I am now. MAybe I was more of a wide eyed optimist then. If any coach can get us turned around I beleive it will be coach Bohl. I'm just more of a cynic now I guess.