Wyoming | The Reboot (NCAA 14)

[WaitTilNextYear]

Quote: Originally Posted by bravesfan1984

Another incredible WTNY franchise to follow!?!?! What a great Christmas present!!

Thanks my man. Glad you are enjoying it. I am, too.

Quote: Originally Posted by Knickerbocker91

Glad to see you're posting another dynasty on here and some great updates to kick things off. Graphics look awesome and the writing is just as strong. Good luck in the second go round with Wyoming.

Thanks for the compliments. Always nice to know that people are reading and that people care about things like writing. I know I've been guilty of 'picture-watching' more than I probably should.

Quote: Originally Posted by Hellisan

I'm getting Taylor Martinez vibes with Ronnie Harvey... I like that you're just talking about what's going on and enjoying what's there in your dynasty. Always makes it fun. I want to ask... What's going on here. It looks like you have new rosters. So that makes me think it's really the first season in your game. However, you have an incoming recruiting class... So that makes me think... Aw let me just ask the particulars of how you went about this, because I've never tried to use an updated class. Have no idea what even the options are. I really like how you went about setting up your graphics and things, looks very nice sir. Depth chart in particular. Highly disappointing to see you lose to Iowa :-) - Kinnick can be a tough place to play! See what you have there with the stadium picture how they have the black and yellow rows? That would be the type of thing I'd like to see them get into the game. Difficult start for the Cowboys, barely came out with the gimme win. Good luck man, I like where it's going.

I think Ronnie Harvey might be a rich man's Taylor Martinez. We'll see if Purdue utilizes him to his potential. In fact, I should keep an eye on him--not sure if he's starting as a true frosh or not.

Thanks for the compliments about the graphics. I have certainly come a long way since copying a link to a football helmet on Google and calling it good, lol. This forum in particular is a good breeding ground for graphical ideas and advances. Some guys have moving tickers and others have really crisp newspaper-type formatting. It's fun to just see what other people are doing to push the envelope visually and in other ways, too.

To explain what is going on here in my dynasty--I do have updated rosters. I downloaded one of vikesfan059's roster updates made on PS3 after it was was converted to XBox 360 by a chap with a GT: Derricksun. Via the editor, I put the rosters into my franchise file and also edited the entire NCAA record book to have real names and updated records thru 2015. One thing I didn't figure out was simming to the year 2016 in the game and putting the new rosters in at that point--the editor kept freezing in all my attempts to do so. Alas, I'm in 2014 in the game but 2017 in terms of rosters and for the purposes of this dynasty. I simmed the first season (recruiting only) which is why I already had an incoming recruiting class.

By the way, your Coach Clark dynasty is one I have on my reading list for over the holidays. Beautiful formatting although I haven't invested much time in reading it yet. You were starting that up just about the time I was feverishly doing my original Wyoming dynasty back in the winter of 2013/2014 if memory serves. I'll be interested to see how you got from the Vandals to the Hawkeyes.

[WaitTilNextYear]

Chalk up their first win over an FBS opponent in 2017 for the Wyoming Cowboys. Also a rivalry win and a road win. The Paniolo Trophy will remain in Laramie. Rivalry wins are always the sweetest wins.

The Rainbow Warriors were run-pass unbalanced like something out of the Colt Brennan era. Hawai'i carried 16 times for 42 yards (really 12 carries after removing sacks) versus 44 pass attempts by QB Aaron Zwahlen. The redshirt sophomore QB finished with 324 yards passing and 2 TDs. Dylan Collie was Zwahlen's favorite target; Collie Welker'd his way to 14 receptions.

Hawai'i got off to a smashing start building a 14-0 1st quarter lead and added a 73-yard fumble six by DE David Manoa with 1:42 to play in the 2nd quarter. Manoa plays for Manoa, huh?

Despite the hot start and luck of the Warriors, Wyoming slowly and methodically started to impose their will on the game. The Pokes got on the board with only 3 seconds elapsed in the 2nd quarter thanks to a 13-yard pass from Josh Allen to Austin Conway. WYO added a FG 3 minutes later and closed out the 1st half with a Nico Evans 3-yard TD plunge to get the momentum back after the fumble six and cut it to 21-17 Hawai'i.

Both teams traded TD drives in the 3rd quarter before Wyoming went on top for the first time with 7:56 remaining in the 4th. Allen hit TE Tyree Mayfield for his 2nd TD strike of the game. The Rainbow Warriors equalized at 31-31 on a 35-yard FG to set the stage for a dramatic finish.

Driving into Hawai'i territory, Wyoming pushed all the way to the 21-yard line and called timeout with 2 seconds left. Hawai'i HC Nick Rolovich also called timeout to ice the kicker, but even while iced Cooper Rothe snuck the game-winner in as it slammed into the cross bar and skidded up and over. WYO, now (2-2) and (1-0) in MWC play, prevails here with a heartstopping 34-31 win.

Unfortunately it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine--the Pokes lost rotation WR C.J. Johnson for a couple of months at least with a broken ankle.

Wyoming will hope this win can get their offense and run game firing--they rushed for 241 yards on 50 carries and put up 457 yards of total offense. The Pokes will need numbers like that as both the conference schedule and the recruiting battles start to heat up.

Now about that 5* defensive tackle from Casper, Wyoming that Ohio State is trying to steal away...To be continued.

[WaitTilNextYear]

If winning a rivalry game feels good, losing one feels twice as bad. In arguably Wyoming's biggest rivalry game of the year, they were exposed by the Colorado State Rams. The Pokes return to Laramie with no Bronze Boot to show for their trip to Fort Collins.

In CSU QB Nick Stevens, we saw the first appearance of the mythical "robo QB" in this dynasty. Stevens completed 30/40 passes for 4 TDs and 2 INTs although he started off molten lava style before cooling off and throwing a pair of passes to WYO FS Andrew Wingard. The Colorado State redshirt senior QB connected with WR Marcus Wilson for 3 TDs over an 8 minute span across the 1st and 2nd quarters. The Wyoming secondary was overmatched by the Rams' passing game, especially after starting CB Antonio Hull left with an injury in the 1st quarter.

Speaking of injury, WYO quarterback Josh Allen was knocked out of the game after becoming the meat in a Colorado State sandwich. In fact, Allen's injury prompted this author to purchase a new controller--the slide button did not work at the end of a scramble and Allen paid the price for it. Allen is not expected to miss additional time, but...

Do we have a QB controversy?

Backup QB Nick Smith entered the brouhaha after Allen's demise and did yeoman's work. Smith's line reads 24/32 for 199 yards with 3 TDs and 1 INT. Not too shabby. In fact, Smith's 3 TD passes tie Allen's entire season output so far. Of course, the caveat being that WYO was down big early (30-3 at one point) so the Pokes had to just pass, pass, pass.

Allen will probably start the next game, but if he struggles the leash figures to be short.

[WaitTilNextYear]

The Wyoming Cowboys seemed to have a hangover from the Colorado State game--they didn't really show up against SJSU. Unfortunate, seeing that this was one of the most winnable games on the schedule. The Cowboys sink to 2-4 (1-2).

Back healthy, WYO QB Josh Allen continues to underwhelm as a passer. He was the second best QB named "Allen" in this game. Wyoming's Allen fired off 50 inefficient passes that only netted 209 yards (4.18 YPA) and 1 TD.

Sam Allen, SJSU's QB, on the other hand had a nice game. Allen completed two-thirds of his passes for 262 yards, 3 TDs, and nary an interception. The Kelly Boyz, Jermaine Kelly and Jeremy Kelly also played well for San Jose State--particularly Jeremy who made 8 tackles, swatted down 3 passes, and made an interception.

Despite SJSU playing quite well, the game was stalled for much of the first half and was only 10-3 at half time. Wyoming was saddled with dreadful field position and could not break free. A partial list of WYO errors that turned field position against them included a turnover on downs, a long SJSU missed FG that was returned for little gain, and a missed button press on a kickoff. That coupled with a punchless offense set the Pokes up for failure. And then SJSU finally blew the game open in the 4th quarter with a quick pair of TDs to stretch a 17-6 contest into a 31-6 blowout.

Wyoming passed so much in the 2nd half that starting SS Rico Gafford was in to catch their only TD pass of the game. In one of the few highlights for the home fans, Gafford dove nicely at the pylon for his score.

Wyoming will get one of the softer opponents on their schedule next with Texas State coming to Laramie. Hopefully, the Pokes can stop their skid against a lesser foe.

[RoundingThird]

Rocky start, eh? At least you got that first FBS win outta the way. It's all about rags to riches though. Love these long-term NCAA buildups.

[gsutiger]

Rough start I will call it Coach rust since you havent played in a long time. Hopefully you find the good ground soon

[WaitTilNextYear]

Roughly halfway through the 2017 season, Wyoming's recruiting class currently sits at 7 commits; three 3* and four 2*. With only 10 seniors and a 68-man roster, the class won't get any bigger than 12. Tis a smallish class.

Currently committed to WYO are 3* James Atkins (#25 OG), 3* Kyle Hadley (#75 OLB), 3* Jason Brown (#93 ATH), 2* Ben Cannon (#121 QB), 2* Joe Kennedy (#78 SS), 2* Ryan Johnson (#131 DT), and 2* Kawika Ramsour (#46 FS).

Ben Cannon (79 THP, 74 THA) was the first to commit. He was also the first to visit; Cannon used his official visit to take in Wyoming's 24-22 nail-biter of a win over Gardner-Webb. WYO beat out Idaho (-3025), Washington State (-3595), San Jose State (-3735), and Western Michigan (-3830) for his commitment. The aptly-named QB hails from Lancaster, CA and gemmed-up 4 points upon scouting. Coach Bohl sold him on the idea of renaming himself Obi-Won Cannonobi and quarterbacking Wyoming to glory.

James Atkins (64 PBK, 77 RBK, 72 IBK), a 3* who is all of 6'7", will likely be moved to tackle from guard. WYO beat out Kansas (-3325), Iowa State (-3610), Kansas State (-5025), and Nebraska (-5120) for the 317 lb Nebraska native. Atkins insists he maintains his frame by refusing to eat carbs.

Kyle Hadley (64 TAK, 70 SPD, 69 STR) is one of three 3* recruits in the class. At 6'4" 216 lbs, he will definitely need to add some weight, but WYO's starting OLB's right now are in the vicinity of 215 lbs. Hadley, who gemmed-down 4 points upon scouting, had offers from Texas State (-4235), New Mexico State (-5290), and South Alabama (-5375). A real hard-hitting offer list.

Jason Brown, the third of the 3* recruits to commit so far, is one of the most interesting given he's an ATH. Brown wanted to stay close to home and chose WYO over Colorado State (-2770), Boise State (-4570), New Mexico (-5375), and Iowa State (-5685) even though he was at the Colorado State 37 Wyoming 24 game on a CSU official visit. Given his abilities, the coaching staff isn't quite sure if his future is at HB, TE, or LB.

86 SPD
87 ACC
72 AGI
71 STR
73 TAK
60 MCOV
61 ZCOV
73 CTH
71 RTE
62 BTK
76 ELU
67 CAR
81 STA

He's fast enough to play any of those positions, but his 6'2" height is more suggestive of RB or LB. His 72 AGI and 239 lb frame would probably constrain him to more of a short yardage back. To add to the intrigue, Brown has 69 spectacular catch and 67 catch in traffic ratings, which bode well for TE, but his blocking attributes are unknown. Brown also has sick moves: 81 spin move and 87 juke move which would play well as a ball carrier. Most of his LB attributes are well within reason, but the 43 block shedding is definitely a concern. Wyoming may have a 2-way "hybrid space player" on their hands here. If he does anything like that, he might be played by Matt Damon in a movie someday.

The rest of WYO's commits are all 2* talents. Joe Kennedy (85 SPD, 80 AGI, 88 ACC) gemmed-up nicely by 5 points and, true to his Kennedy name, was recruited by academic powers like Rice (-3965), Tulane (-4225), and Northwestern (-4250). Ryan Johnson was lured away from North Texas (-3280), SMU (-4095), Air Force (-5005), and Kansas (-5435). Finally, Kawika Ramsour (84 SPD, 79 AGI, 90 ACC) figures to pair with Kennedy as the Pokes' starting safety duo in 2-3 years. Ramsour held offers from Memphis (-3145), UNLV (-3365), Boise State (-4430), and New Mexico (-4635).

The elephant in the room, however, is the ongoing recruiting battle being waged over 5* #2 DT Eric Newsome. Like manna from heaven, Newsome grew up in Wyoming's back yard. However, Urban Meyer and the evil Ohio State Buckeyes have been recruiting Newsome very hard (+280). Chris Petersen and the Washington Huskies are in the mix as well (-1175). Wyoming has been fighting tooth and nail to keep this kid in state, but it's looking like a real longshot. Coach Bohl leveled up to get the lock pick skill just to get back in the hunt and even then with a well-timed official visit to Laramie, Ohio State has been leading by at least 60 points the entire time. OSU is currently dumping +700 on him along with their +170 weekly bonus whereas WYO is maxing out its +500 allotment and +155 weekly bonus to stay close. It's not hard to see the numbers don't add up for WYO. Factor in Newsome's upcoming official to Columbus in Week 12 and then to Seattle in Week 13 and that might be curtains for the Pokes.

The other main recruiting battle is for Shaun Hawk. Hawk is 6'2" and has 4.38 speed so he'd be a great get at corner. The Washington Huskies (+315) are basically deadlocked with WYO because UW has a +195 weekly bonus and WYO has a +190 weekly bonus. Both programs are dumping 500 points per week into Hawk. The worrisome issue for Coach Bohl is Hawk already visited Laramie, but will visit Seattle the same week as Newsome--if that official goes well, WYO could get knocked out. If not, WYO will recruit aggressively to overtake Washington in the offseason.

Wyoming is also working on a trio of other recruits for which they lead.

3* DT Bryce Green has great size (6'5" 325 lbs) and is essentially the consolation prize should Newsome go elsewhere. Even with a mere +90 weekly bonus, the Pokes are amassing a huge lead because none of the other teams he's interested in (Bama, ND, MSU, TAMU, Clemson, Navy) are showing any interest.

Mark Bennett, a 3* blocking TE out of Colorado, is close to becoming a Poke. Currently locked in a battle with Air Force (-1025), if WYO can weather Air Force's official visit in Week 12 and get to their official in Week 13, they should blast AFA out of the sky.

Finally, Edward Bridges is Coach Bohl's 2nd option at FB after losing the recruiting battle over Idaho-native Anthony Clark to the Vandals. Bridges is a lightly-recruited 1* FB out of Corvallis, OR who also has an offer from Utah (-1965), but the Utes are not actively pursuing him. With both the largest weekly bonus point allotment (+210) and a 1675 point lead over 2nd place Idaho, the Pokes are in good shape here. Expecting that tweet from this 1* FB any time now.

Entering the recruiting season with a positional wishlist of QB, FB, TE, 2 DT, OLB, CB, FS, SS, Coach Bohl has done a good job filling those needs. It won't be a highly rated class (currently ranked 76th) because 1. Wyoming and 2. small class, but WYO is happy within those parameters and would be over the moon if they somehow snagged their 5* target...

[WaitTilNextYear]

Quote: Originally Posted by RoundingThird

Rocky start, eh? At least you got that first FBS win outta the way. It's all about rags to riches though. Love these long-term NCAA buildups.

Quote: Originally Posted by gsutiger

Rough start I will call it Coach rust since you havent played in a long time. Hopefully you find the good ground soon

Amen to both. Yep, it's true that I hadn't played this game in 3 years so that's a thing.

Also, I am constrained to use the playbook of my OC--so, well the coaching carousel hired Buffalo's OC Andy Kotelnicki and all he runs is shotgun spread with some pistol mixed in. Normally, I slant toward the run, but with this playbook I am still finding my way while making sure not to over-use money plays (I only give myself one use of 4-verts per half).

Finally, this slider set was put in place to ratchet up the difficulty after my original Wyoming dynasty started to mature. In other words, these sliders are meant to challenge me with an optimal playbook and when my team is filled with good players. As you can imagine it's been that and then some for my 72 OVR Wyoming team. Check out the sliders in the first post; they're legit. lol.