RANT

[cowboyz]

I just read an article on-line from the Boomerang regarding the retention of our players. The timing seems to be tied to the recent departure of ACS. To me it appears to be a bit of spin doctoring, as in "we're not losing too many players, this is okay". Then they mention a few players that have left that were DC recruits. The list was rather small as I remember players have been dropping left and right since last season, regardless of the reason or who recruited them. So I pulled out my program from the 2009 season game against UNLV and ran down how many true freshmen or red shirt freshmen were on the roster that are no longer here. There are some high profile players like:

ACS
Gary
Watts
Tooley

ACS and Watts have been two of our three leading scorers in each of the past two seasons. Their first year the script was ACS would drive us back using grit, smoke & mirrors and Watts would hit the game winning or game tying FG. Meanwhile Gary was a first team Freshman All American. Tooley, although not used a whole lot was looking like he may become the go-to guy. We went to the NM Bowl, won, and things were looking great, so what happened? Besides these four players other true or red shirt freshmen that have left are:

Orth
Battle
Jaynes
Barry
Marsom
Mitchell
Petsch
Hirtz
Gilkey
Owen
Hundley
Downs
James
Jerred
Buzzanowski
Vonashek
Criss
Aliota
Pinney
Rosen
Chong Tim
Greenfield

Then there were DC transfers that departed:

Benjamin
Bridgford

And there are even a couple kickers on the roster that aren't around, we could use one of them now:

Kevin Bell
Chase Klocker

Plus we even lost our first Captain:

Terry

Is there anybody else? Oh right, Brandon Stewart, Marcus Felker, Alex Hays, James Davis and Joe Evers. This seems like a lot more than one would expect. And a lot more than the Boomerang article mentions.

On top of this we're losing experienced coaches like Hammerschmidt and Montgomery. Then we're re-assigning an experienced coach, Fanoga, and replacing him with Rahl, who has never coached defense or line backers. Hell, he never even played the position or defense. He can join our other "young" coaches like our receivers coach, Sage, who was a Juco player and Grinch, who coaches our secondary after a stellar career as a D III 3rd team All American. I didn't even know that D III had All Americans until I read his bio! And what is 3rd team D III equal to a 2nd team high school All County? I know you didn't have to be a great player to be a great coach, but let's get a few guys with a little more experience at the coaching positions. BYU probably has players older than some of our coaches! My biggest complaint with assistant coaches is Arroyo, our offensive coordinator. Counting his last year at San Jose and his first two years here, he's managed to lead his offenses to finishes of 112th, 107th and 116th in the country. I only add the tidbit about San Jose to question why our head coach would hire this guy in the first place? Couldn't we have hired away someone that had actually lead a successful offense? Even if you don't agree with anything else I'm saying, you'll have to admit that our play calling was crap. Arroyo couldn't game plan, adjust during the game or even keep his quarterback that he brought with him. Any outsider would look at this string of non-success and question why this guy isn't fired or assigned to only coaching quarterbacks or reassigned to Helper of Recruiting with Fanoga.

I'll admit, like most of us, I was pretty excited with the hiring of DC ("Here's hoping the scoreboard at War Memorial Stadium is in good working order, because Dave Christensen's offense will test it ."). Now I'm starting to think that DC is intimidated by anyone with experience or an opinion. That's why he hires inexperienced coaches regardless if it's a good fit. It also might explain why our players are leaving. Question one thing and you're in the dog house. Another thing that bothers me about DC is his ongoing love affair with Missouri. News Alert-you left that team, you coach Wyoming now! I sort of understand why he didn't move his family here, seeing as they didn't want to leave their friends over their father. What I don't understand is why we have to see him prancing on the sidelines of Missouri's bowl games the past two years, like some little girl who's attending bring-your-daughter-to-work day. He needs to let go and concentrate on the team he has not the team he wishes he had. Not to mention that if I were Missouri's Offensive Coordinator I'd be a little creeped out that this dude keeps showing up. I know I wouldn't like it if the old french fry maker showed up and watched me at my job. DC wouldn't be so surprised when his returning starting quarterback quits if he was paying attention. Wake up, embrace the university, the State and the team, or leave.

Anyway, I'm off to find my meds and fill out my season ticket application...

 

[MrTitleist]

Sage was actually a FCS player as well at Northridge, before they disbanded football. :twocents:

That's a big list of players that have left... and why our roster was down to 68 guys at the end of the season. Not including recent defections.

Also, I believe Arroyo was hired as OC because he had experience running this offense by doing some coaching clinics w/ the Missouri staff .. if memory serves right.

But that's still a lot of players..

 

[PokePride.com]

I read that article sitting at the doctors office with my wife today and thought the retention rate was kind of low glad to know I am not the only one thinking along those lines.

 

[ELKMT]

11 DC scholarship recruits left (I believe thats the number I counted from the list) does seem like alot. I kind of understand walkons and Glenn recruits leaving. i believe Corey Orth was a Glenn recruit and we will seem him play the Cowboys next year as he signed with Utah State after going the juco route. It seems DC completely missed on several recruits (Jaynes, Battle, and Marsom).

Does anyone one know how these losses compare to other schools and in particular scholarship players?

 

[Fullback41]

Out of that entire list I think I saw the 3 that contributed and the rest hardly saw the field much. We will be fine as long as they keep recruiting kids that want to compete...not only as freshmen and sophomores, but when younger guys come in to compete with them as well. If the selling point is open competition to get you here, you can't throw a tizzy when the open competition continues.

so yeah, the numbers are big in part because the Glenn recruits weren't for this system and some didn't want to put in the work required, but the ones that are willing have had success.

We will be fine as soon as the current staff can find a way to measure the fight in these kids they are recruiting. The tough ones stay and are the ones I want on my side. If hard work, discipline, and open competition aren't your thing, this isn't the place for ya.

GO POKES......8 wins in 2011.

Beizuns, Knapton, Hendricks, Gipson, Purcell, Mertens, Ghalli, and Alexander (and others) will hold down the fort and show these new recruits how tough guys get it done and battle at wyoming! We will be fine, I look forward to next season. Hell we even have the schedule set up right with easier teams to start with to get the offense rolling, rather than trying to get on track against top 25 teams for 8 weeks straight (ok an exageration, but whatever)

 

[socalpoke82]

It's all confusing and frustrating, but it is what it is. Despite all of it, there's some things to consider.

ACS and Gary, obvious big hits, and definitely somewhat surprising. Tooley, who knows what he could have been like had he not gotten hurt. Then he came back, quit, came back a week later, and then promptly got suspended indefinitely for violating team rules, and wound up leaving. Watts, walked on, made some big kicks, couldn't get it done academically.

As far as the rest of the list, there's a variety of reasons. Some of these guys got dismissed for violating team rules - vonashak, battle. Some left because they started at one position, like qb, and then got beat out or moved to another position, but still wanted to be a qb. Some of these guys were Joe Glenn recruits, and probably just didn't fit into DC's system. Not necessarily an issue, but imagine if Stutzriem decided to stay. I highly doubt he would have had much of a chance to be anywhere on the depth chart in this system; sween was 3rd string in 2009, and Crum was practice squad and these were the guys going at it for the 1 spot the previous year. I do respect Crum for sticking it out though. Some of these guys, wanted to play elsewhere. One I didn't see on the list, Nick Puetz, just left after spring ball if i remember correctly. Some of those guys I don't ever remember hearing about.

Another thing, with ACS departure, the QB position is up for grabs. If pittser doesn't bail, you have him, smith, miller, stratton, and even woodward. 5 guys who came to play qb. I wouldn't be surprised if in a year, one or two of them left also because they want to play, and play qb, and not sit on the bench for 4 years, or play a different position.

The main thing is that there's a variety of reasons why some of these guys haven't made it. Its both the players and coaches to blame. If a kid breaks team rules, or is academically ineligible, and doesn't have the work ethic and discipline, I have trouble pinning those on coaches. But the coaches aren't blameless by any means. Players and coaches can just clash, or in some way the coach does a disservice to their own players.

Aside from players leaving, as much as everyone is frustrated with how this season played out, remember it takes time to build a program. Sounds cliche, and repetitive, but it does. We have no real way to gauge what these coaches and recruits can do yet. A few examples, and I apologize if my count is wrong, but:

Since DC has been the head coach, and not including the 2011 class - there have been 8 DL/DE recruits, 9 if you include mertens who I think walked on initially. 4 have seen playing time, and purcell is the only one who has played both years on the DL, and Bruce got moved to Offense. That means this year, as far as DC's recruits, there will be 3 jrs., 4 sophmores if Bruce moves back to D, and 2 Rfr. Plus Knapton, Biezuns, and Birkeness were all linebackers that became DE's. I think they did pretty well all things considered, but they were definitely undersized, and it was not their more natural position. So, collectively, its a lot of youth, size, and/ or inexperience.

Also, on the OL, of the ones who didn't leave, or get dismissed, I don't see one name that has even seen playing time. I think that will change this year, and whether they're RFr, or JC transfers, their youth will show at times. But, at least there will be more depth on the OL.

For me a big question mark is at WR. Leonard and Bolger graduated, and were the most solid. So, McNeil, Smith, Ogbonna, Herron, Lester, Aiken have to step up, as do the younger guys. I do see a lot of potential in the first 4 mentioned, and herron is a weapon, just needs to hang on to the damn ball.

Only time is going to tell what these guys are made of. In the next year, more players are probably going to leave for one reason or another, but hopefully that number becomes more minimal as time goes on. But this is only going to be the 3rd season with DC as coach, and I feel way better despite these issues of where UW is at than say, where New Mexico is at. It could get better, it could get worse, or it could stay in mediocrity. 2011 could be only so so, but I think 2012 could be a breakout year. Only time is going tell. Until then, we should all grab a beer, or several and try and survive without killing our livers, all the joy and wonder of the Heath Schroyer experience.

 

[bladerunnr]

Hammerschmidt went back to csewe and their receivers were arguably the worst in the conference. No loss there.

Brandon Stewart was never going to get playing time here. Alexander and the freshman speedy guy whose name escapes me are much better.

Benjamin left because he got beat out by ACS. Again, no loss there.

2 kickers were mentioned. Well, who keeps backup kickers? No D1 team I'm aware of.

Players leave every program. And after a coaching change, the turnover is probably even greater.
I think DC will have to put a better product on the field this year and next. Then we can evaluate him.

But who knows why any kid leaves the program. They could be homesick, hate school or Laramie, or yes, even hate the coach. But we don't know why ACS left. So I think blaming the coach is unwarranted.

 

[cowboyz]

Hammerschmidt went back to csewe and their receivers were arguably the worst in the conference. No loss there.

Brandon Stewart was never going to get playing time here. Alexander and the freshman speedy guy whose name escapes me are much better.

Benjamin left because he got beat out by ACS. Again, no loss there.

2 kickers were mentioned. Well, who keeps backup kickers? No D1 team I'm aware of.

Players leave every program. And after a coaching change, the turnover is probably even greater.
I think DC will have to put a better product on the field this year and next. Then we can evaluate him.

But who knows why any kid leaves the program. They could be homesick, hate school or Laramie, or yes, even hate the coach. But we don't know why ACS left. So I think blaming the coach is unwarranted.

With all due respect...

I don't know how CSU's receivers stacked up against the rest of the conference, but they had 10 receivers with double digit receptions, we had 5. They also had over 600 more receiving yards than us.

Stewart was one of our most productive players in 2009. He had the 3rd most yards from scrimmage on the team, trailing Alexander's 1st place by less than 100 yards. I think they may have found a spot for him.

I agree that Benjamin probably left to get a better chance to play somewhere else.

Here's a list of FBS teams that had back up kickers this past season.

Air Force
Akron
Alabama
Arizona
Arizona St.
Arkansas
Arkansas St.
Army
Auburn
Ball St.
Baylor
Boise St.
Boston College
Bowling Green
Buffalo
BYU
California
Central Mich.
Cincinnati
Clemson
Colorado
Colorado St.
Connecticut
Duke
East Carolina
Eastern Mich.
FIU
Fla. Atlantic
Florida
Florida St.
Fresno St.
Georgia
Georgia Tech
Hawaii
Houston
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Iowa St.
Kansas
Kansas St.
Kent St.
Kentucky
La.-Lafayette
La.-Monroe
Louisiana Tech
Louisville
LSU
Marshall
Maryland
Memphis
Miami (FL)
Miami (OH)
Michigan
Michigan St.
Middle Tenn.
Minnesota
Mississippi
Mississippi St.
Missouri
Navy
Nebraska
Nevada
New Mexico
New Mexico St.
North Carolina
North Carolina St.
North Texas
Northern Ill.
Northwestern
Notre Dame
Ohio
Ohio St.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma St.
Oregon
Oregon St.
Penn St.
Pittsburgh
Purdue Rice
Rutgers
San Diego St.
San Jose St.
SMU
South Carolina
South Fla.
Southern California
Southern Miss.
Stanford
Syracuse
TCU
Temple
Tennessee
Texas
Texas A&M
Texas Tech
Toledo
Troy
Tulane
Tulsa
UAB
UCF
UCLA
UNLV
Utah
Utah St.
UTEP
Vanderbilt
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
Washington
Washington St.
West Virginia
Western Ky.
Western Mich.
Wisconsin
Wyoming

There's no one reason a player would leave a team, but I think it's a little too many to blame homesick. Let's face it, the players spend a lot more time with the coaches than anyone else and therefore can judge them better, just as the coaches judge the players. The coaches can cut or bench the players but the players can't cut the coaches, so they cut themselves. I think it's funny that kids that have been wanting to play football for a big time college get their chance and then leave. I'm not blaming Christensen only. He has a lot less face time with the players than their position coaches. It's the coaching staff as a whole that has got us where we are, for good or bad.

 

[Fullback41]

cowboyz....I understand what your saying, but at the same time, with signing day coming up I don't think we want recruits thinking it is worse than it really is. We are going to be fine, we have had a lot of departures but I think there are a variety of reasons for it and it really isn't as bad as it could be made out to be.

 

[bladerunnr]

You've obviously done some research. I have a few questions. The schools with the backup kickers, us, for instance, are they really kickers or just listed as backups? Second, what is the average number of players to leave a program when a new coach comes in?

Stewart may be have been productive. But Herron and Alexander are explosive, imo. I'm not too worried about the running back position.
Maybe there has been a lot of turnover. But I'm seeing some talent in the skill positions that we havent seen here in a while. Plus, DC is 2-0 vs. csewe. Let's see what happens next year. I bet we have a lot fewer defections if we win 7 or 8 games.

 

[cowboyz]

BLADERUNNR - It seems that the players listed as kickers were kickers in high school, even our guys. I believe Kevin Bell was two-time All State kicker in Wyoming. I did try and find info on players leaving. ALl I get is individual articles like Michigan's QB might leave with Hoke coming in. Our RBs do look strong for the future, but until AA broke out of his slump last season we were really hurting at that position. Some additional experience would have come in handy.