Searching For Glory: University of Wyoming Cowboys (BB-BBCF League)

[Izulde]

The Branding Iron

I. Zulde Hired As New Cowboys Head Coach

Following a disastrous 2-9 season, the worst in the school's five-year history, the University of Wyoming Cowboys football team has a new head coach in I. Zulde, who vowed at yesterday's press conference to rectify the team's tradition of losing and Southwest Conference doormat status.

To that end, Coach Zulde has announced the immediate firing of Offensive Coordinator George Lara and Defensive Coordinator Fred Duncan, sparing only Special Teams Coach John Stamps. Although Zulde remained tight-lipped on potential successors, rumor has it that he already has a shortlist of replacement coordinators in mind.

With precious little talent on the current team and career Cowboys' rushing leader RB Billy Scott's graduation this spring, the chances for a quick turnaround appear slim. In fact, the team is in such a state that P Archie Workman is widely acknowledged as the best returning Cowboy for next season.

A look at the team's record from 1985 on:

1985: 4-7 (4-4) 5th in conference
1986: 4-8 (2-6) 10th in conference
1987: 4-8 (3-5) 7th in conference
1988: 3-8 (3-5) 7th in conference
1989: 2-9 (1-7) 10th in conference

[Young Drachma]

You and I both know that's too well written to have been put into the BI.

Good luck. Go Pokes.

[st.cronin]

Something to inspire:

http://cfreference.net/cfr/game_stats/66222

[Izulde]

Dark Cloud: Heh, yeah tell me about it. I got pissed last night again thinking about what dicksmacks they are there. It still burns me that they A) printed a summary blip about a girls' tennis tournament I not only watched ALL of *and* got quotes from, had the article in well ahead of time, etc... and B) Never paid me for the one article of mine they did print.

The main editor was not all that bright and the sports editor was a fucking burnout who proceeded to give me a 10 minute lecture in the Cheyenne Walmart while he was stoned off his ass about how "this isn't high school anymore and you're not meeting our standard."

I was so tempted to say "Fuck.you. I've been to more universities than you have, sonny boy, -and- I was a copy editor as a true freshman at one of the country's top college papers. I know what's up."

Instead I just smiled and nodded.

Anyway, I would've included the Laramie paper, but I forgot its name, so I fell back on the Branding Iron as default.

And thanks for the luck!

st. cronin: Indeed, that game was a thing of beauty. I was so looking forward to our making another bowl game the semester I was there... We started off well, but fell apart in the second half of the year, something that's been happening regularly lately, including this season.

[Izulde]

Cowboys' Pre-Recruiting Look: Part One

Quarterback
Four QBs are currently on Wyoming's roster, but only two are worthy of talking about: Roosevelt Miles (RS Sr) and Shawn Cantrell (So), who split time starting last season. Miles was favored by the previous coaching staff for his high intelligence and discipline, but new head coach I. Zulde is said to favor Cantrell for his better arm and accuracy, along with a superlative work ethic.

Running Back
Thomas Hall (Jr) is a terrific FB, but the graduated Billy Scott will be sorely missed, as Chris McClure (RS Fr) looks little better than an average college halfback and David Oscasio (So) did nothing last season to show he's ready to start this year. The Cowboys may well go hunting in recruiting.

Wide Receiver
There's a reason TE Leroy Velez (RS Jr) had 537 receiving yards in just 9 games last season: Every other player in this group is a warm body. While Velez should be a legitimate gamer, Wyoming needs even more serious help here than they do at RB.

Offensive Line
Finally, an area of strength for the Brown and Gold. OT Richard Patterson (So) is a great player and OT Edwin Hernandez improved drastically last year, his second season as a starter. There's a glut of terrific guards, three in particular, who will fight it out for starting jobs this spring. The one area of weakness on Wyoming's line: C, where returning starter David Mcdaniel (So) is a hole.

Bottom Line - Offense
Coach Zulde likes the look of Shawn Cantrell enough to probably go with him for at least this year. RB and WR are almost certain to be targeted in recruiting and the Cowboys will be on the lookout for a C as well. Not to be discounted are the possiblity of another T, TE, or even QB, should the right one happen to come along.

[st.cronin]

O-linemen can change positions pretty easily in this game, I'd think about moving one of your guards (probably Collins) to center.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

O-linemen can change positions pretty easily in this game, I'd think about moving one of your guards (probably Collins) to center.

Thanks I wasn't aware of that, so I'll definitely have to look into it. Would save me some time and money in recruiting that can be pushed elswhere.

[Young Drachma]

Laramie Boomerang is the local rag, for future reference.

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

Laramie Boomerang is the local rag, for future reference.

Good to remember, thanks!

[Izulde]

New Coordinators Hired

It took several weeks, but Head Coach I. Zulde finally got the men he wanted to staff his team.

Offensive Coordinator John Doty accepted a contract worth $350,000 a year to join the Cowboys. He has one season as an offensive coordinator, back in 1985 with the Auburn Tigers. That team went 6-5 in the regular season before losing 40-34 to the Maryland Terrapins in the Freedom Bowl.

More importantly for the Cowboys, that '85 Tigers team finished #1 in the nation in passing and #14 overall in offense, thanks to Doty's vertical scheme. It's believed that Wyoming plans to adopt the same scheme, possibly as recently as this season.

Defensive Coordinator Timothy Thompson last had a coordinator job from 1985-86 with the University of Louisiana-Monroe Indians. His first season, the Indians had the #22 defense in the country, going 9-2 and topping the Miami Hurricanes 22-17 in the California Bowl. Graduations took their toll following that year and the young Indians had the #80 defense the season after, leading to Thompson's firing.

Zulde remarked about the hirings, "These are both solid coordinators who have both been a part of winning programs, programs that have competed at the highest level, in bowl games. We feel that John Doty and Timothy Thompson are the perfect men for the job, men who will help the University of Wyoming Cowboys to reach new levels of excellence."

Transfer Rumors

With the Cowboys severely lacking in talent at most positions on the field, I. Zulde is said to be targeting some players for possible transfers to Laramie. Just who they are is being kept a secret, but speculation has it that at least one player should be willing to wear the Brown and Gold.

[Izulde]

First New Cowboys Rounded Up

The transfer season witnessed Head Coach I. Zulde's success in garnering two players who will be coming to Laramie next season: QB Dwight Smoot (RS Fr), a Cerritos, CA native who is transferring from Syracuse, where he failed to break the Orangemen depth chart and WR Lowell Dodson (RS Fr), originally of Swanville, MN, who left his home-state university, the University of Minnesota, to become a Cowboy.

"We're very excited to have these guys here", remarked Zulde, "They're both extremely talented young men who will contribute a lot to our progress as a program."

Both men were ecstactic to become a part of the Cowboys program.

"Being clear across the country, it was tough for me and for my family. Laramie's a lot closer to home and Coach Zulde said there's a real good chance I could be the starting quarterback after I serve my year", said Smoot.

"I needed to get away from Minnesota. I felt too trapped there, being surrounded by everybody I knew. I wasn't getting the PT I felt I deserved, either. I'll get that opportunity here and Coach Zulde knows what it's like, because he was a Minnesota to Wyoming transfer too", Dodson said.

Zulde was attended the University of Minnesota in 1979 before transferring to the University of Wyoming.

Smoot and Dodson will have to sit out a season as per NCAA rules, but when they become eligible, Smoot is widely expected to becoming the starting QB and Dodson should challenge for a starting spot at WR.

A Difficult Recruiting Season Bears Fruit At Last

It's been a rough first recruiting season for new Cowboys coach I. Zulde, but he finally landed his first two recruits last week.

RB Bruce Taylor out of Avenal High School in Avenal, CA, became the first Wyoming recruit to sign. Rated a 2 star prospect and ranked the 33rd best RB prospect in the West region, he rushed for 866 yards (5.1 YPC) and 14 TDs and added 25 receptions for 348 yards in his senior season. A true scholar-athlete with a 3.9 GPA, he projects as a situational back for the Cowboys.

OT Ronald Begay from Gonzaga Prep High in Spokane, WA was the second and biggest signing of the week. A 3 star prospect, ranked the 53rd best player in the West region and the #7 OT in the West, he's anticipated to become a strong, aggressive blocker equally adept at both run and pass-protection and a real cornerstone for the Cowboys' offensive line. While Begay has incredible potential, he's still considered quite raw by most scouts, meaning a redshirt isn't out of the question, particularly given the presence of Edwin Hernandez (Jr), an All-WAC Third Team OT last season and Richard Patterson (So), who played well as a true freshman starter.

More recruits are expected to decide their schools soon and it's believed that Wyoming has on the inside track on a select number of them.