Wyoming-Montana Game Thread

[WyoBrandX]

Give em a break. The coaching staff has been here 9 months and obviously busting butt. They lost brett to the CFL and Jason to Utah. Every quarterback below that had some serious question marks. The coaching staff doesn't get much time to fix these things in year #1.

Exactly my point Billings. Let's rip the band-aid off now, or else Michigan State and Oregon are going to rip it off for us.

Agreed.

If Kirkegaard is the best QB on the roster, than Bohl and staff did the rest of the team a real disservice by not going out and getting a functioning FCS level QB in the offseason (FBS would have been better, but FCS level should have been possible, Kirkegaard is neither).

I don't like to be so negative towards one individual, especially one who appears to be a great teammate, etc., but I can't remember seeing worse QB play and that includes Doss, Stutzriem, Crum, etc.

Especially now that there is tape out there, Kirkegaard is going to eaten alive. I don't mind the fact that we may struggle to move the ball through the air, but he is a walking turnover.



I thought the defense looked significantly better and you see some immediate impact from the coaching change there. Montana doesn't have a bad offense and the Pokes challenged them throughout today. They made a tremendous play on that first TD, I thought their WR or whatever threw a better ball than either QB did all day and a tough catch in traffic in the end zone on the other end. Just have to tip your hat to them. Otherwise, the Pokes bottled them up for 3+ quarters. Montana's first 10 possessions included 8 punts and a turnover on downs in addition to that TD.

Special teams had a positive impact, which has rarely been the case in recent years. The blocked punt was a great play that Kirkegaard proceeded to waste.

The OL is not ready and it will take several recruiting classes and maturation to get to the point we need to be there, but I expected that coming in.

I would say the two negatives were that QB play was even worse than my very low expectations and the WR's didn't appear to be getting much separation against FCS DB's.

 

[NowherePoke]

Give em a break. The coaching staff has been here 9 months and obviously busting butt. They lost brett to the CFL and Jason to Utah. Every quarterback below that had some serious question marks. The coaching staff doesn't get much time to fix these things in year #1.

Exactly my point Billings. Let's rip the band-aid off now, or else Michigan State and Oregon are going to rip it off for us.

Agreed.

If Kirkegaard is the best QB on the roster, than Bohl and staff did the rest of the team a real disservice by not going out and getting a functioning FCS level QB in the offseason (FBS would have been better, but FCS level should have been possible, Kirkegaard is neither).

I don't like to be so negative towards one individual, especially one who appears to be a great teammate, etc., but I can't remember seeing worse QB play and that includes Doss, Stutzriem, Crum, etc.

Especially now that there is tape out there, Kirkegaard is going to eaten alive. I don't mind the fact that we may struggle to move the ball through the air, but he is a walking turnover.



I thought the defense looked significantly better and you see some immediate impact from the coaching change there. Montana doesn't have a bad offense and the Pokes challenged them throughout today. They made a tremendous play on that first TD, I thought their WR or whatever threw a better ball than either QB did all day and a tough catch in traffic in the end zone on the other end. Just have to tip your hat to them. Otherwise, the Pokes bottled them up for 3+ quarters. Montana's first 10 possessions included 8 punts and a turnover on downs in addition to that TD.

Special teams had a positive impact, which has rarely been the case in recent years. The blocked punt was a great play that Kirkegaard proceeded to waste.

The OL is not ready and it will take several recruiting classes and maturation to get to the point we need to be there, but I expected that coming in.

I would say the two negatives were that QB play was even worse than my very low expectations and the WR's didn't appear to be getting much separation against FCS DB's.

Not blaming them for Smith and Thompson. Obviously that was beyond their control. It is clear that everyone is busting their butt. Defense and Special Teams clearly looks more prepared than in the past. Only one penalty in the opening game? That's some serious discipline. The primary place the discipline broke down was decision making at the QB spot (could have been more TO's than what we ended up with). QB's always get an unfair share of the blame, but that's because of the critical role they play. If the QB play continues at this pace, then the hard work put in by everyone else will not generate the return it deserves.

It was just a scary moment today. A few numbers:

42-2 - FBS vs. FCS this weekend. The gap between the two levels is quite large. One of those wins was NDSU who is the 3-time defending national champion (soon to be 4 I would guess). The other was a 2 point win over FIU. You do not want to be in that kind of company.

14-0 - UW vs. Montana. They have never beaten us.

19-1 - UW vs. FCS. Cal Poly.


I think you can already see some signs of a program in more capable, disciplined hands, so I am not critiquing their coaching ability, just complaining about what I feel was a strategic error.

 

[OrediggerPoke]

Just got back from the game. I love the defense! This is going to be a solid unit! I have seen enough, and it is clear Kirkegaard is still not an FBS QB. The two worst QB performances that I can remember in Wyoming's history (2012 v. Cal poly and 2014 vs. Montana). Kirkegaard started both. I like that Bohl believes in his guys, but there is no way that Kirkegaard is the best QB on the roster.

Shaun Wick reminds me more and more of Ryan Christopherson each and every game. That guy is Cowboy tough and will be the reason we are in a lot of games!