Second Scrimmage and DC on the SVP Show!

Coach Christensen appeared on the SVP show today and did a great interview with Scott and Ryen. If you missed it earlier here is the full interview.

Throughout the interview they played footage from the New Mexico Bowl.

A few highlights topics were the tough schedule, benefit of making to the New Mexico Bowl, the helmet on the desk and the possible formation "Wild Crum". If the Pokes are up big in a few games and need to deploy the Wild Crum I would be very excited.

Speaking of Crum he had a 48 yard touchdown pass to WR Jonathon Aiken in the scrimmage this morning. The defense was the big winners again today but they offense did show a few more signs of life.

Here are some of Eric Schmodlt's thoughts from the second scrimmage.

A few key points:

• Brian Hendricks suffered an ankle injury. It most likely just a sprain.
• Marcell Gipson had a pick six off Crum on the final play of the scrimmage.
• TE David Tooley is back with the team after leaving the team last week.
• Justin Dire maybe making a move at starting spot on the O-Line.

From Deutschland with skill

Picture from WyomingNews.com

Back in the winter the Cowboys landed a very unique recruit out of Germany, 23 year old LB Oliver Schober (#35 in the picture). The true freshman never lived in the United States but played football for the local Munich Cowboys team and German national team.

At 6'0 240 lbs Schober is an intimidating figure that will has all the intagibles that coaches look for in a player. Size, strength, skill, instinct and smarts. Originally thought to be competing for the backup spot at MLB, Schober may have also earned himself a spot on the kickoff team. Special teams tackler? Nope. Actual kickoffs.

Christensen was looking for anyone who wanted to give it a shot in the second day of practice and Schober routinely knocked kicks "6 or 7 feet" deep into the endzone.

Most kick returners are probably happy when the kicker is trying to tackle them. With his size and strength this may be the exact opposite with Schober.

For more info on Schober check out this article that appeared in WyomingNews by Robert Gagliardi.

Love for DC and Wyoming from ESPN

Graham Watson a blogger from ESPN wrote a nice article on the Cowboys under first year head coach Dave Christensen.

“It really solidifies what we’re trying to do,” Christensen said. “I don’t
have to sell on my philosophy and my vision because now it's there. And now [the
current players] are going to sell it because they got through it and they know
how it works.”

The success from the 2009 season will hopefully create a snowball effect. The Cowboys have a very bright future thanks to Christensen.

Read the full article.

Christensen named #7 First-Year Head Coach in 2009

College Football News ranked the 22 coaches that were in their first year as head coach during 2009. Bill Snyder from K State was included even though he coached in Manhattan before.

Dave Christensen came in at #7 which seems like a pretty solid and accurate ranking.

#7 Dave Christensen, Wyoming
In the four seasons prior to Christensen’s arrival, the Cowboys didn’t play in a bowl game or finish above .500. In his debut, the program achieved both, including a season-ending upset of Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl. With a limited offense and true freshmen Austyn Carta-Samuels and Alvester Alexander manning the backfield, Wyoming found a way to win those games that were within its grasp. Once Christensen is able to light a fire under the offense, his forte, the program will be in a much better position to compete with the Mountain West elite.

Interesting fact: Seven of the 22 coaches all have names that start with the letter "D". Dabo, Dave (x2), Danny, Dan, Doug and DeWayne. So if you want your kid to get into coaching you know what letter to use.

Props to New Mexico's Mike Locksley for coming in dead last. It will be a wait and see game to see if Locksley can turn that ship around and even make it to a third season.

Happy Birthday Coach Christensen

On this day in 1961 Dave Christensen came into the world. He's grown a bit in the past 49 years and is now the head coach of the Wyoming Cowboys. Have a great one Coach!

Next year is the big 5-0. Watch out!

Wyoming and Mountain West get some love from ESPN

Graham Watson is the Non AQ College football blogger for ESPN. The Mountain West gets a couple nice mentions and so does Dave Christensen in her latest update.

Interesting fact: Dave Christensen and Bowling Green's Dave Clawson were the only first time head coaches to finish with winning records this season. Niiiiiiiice!

Not an easy road for Christensen

Just found an article from the Everett Herald. Great read! Link is that the bottom.

Long road for Dave Christensen and his family to arrive where he is today. His wife gave up a $100,000 year job to follow Dave and his dream of becoming a head coach. It was a long journey and took 25 years before he finally realized his dream.

Coaches take a lot flack from the media and fans but often times we don't realize much work they really do put in week in and week out. One of my favorite lines from the article.

“There are only 119 of them in the world,” he said of his position as head football coach at an NCAA Division I school.

‘Is this all worth it?’

There aren't many jobs that have so few openings. The burn rate is high and most coaches can't last the years it takes to make it to the top.

The hours are tremendous but DC learned a lot from working with Gary Pinkel at Missouri and his "family friendly" philosiphy. Coaches have to go home to their families after practice. This helps keeps Coaches fresh and their families together. Pinkel has practiced this for 17 years and Christensen brought this with him to Laramie.

Link from the article that appeared in DC's hometown newspaper. Also details two other coaches from the area.

Possibilities for Asst/WR Coach

Now that Hammerschmidt is gone, who will be the latest addition to the Wyoming coaching staff?

There are two options Coach Christensen could take here. Promote one of his current staff members to Assistant Coach and then just bring in a new body to handle the Receivers. For the sake of this article I'm going say that the new coach that is brought in will assume the same duties that Hammerschmidt had: Asst coach/WR's coach. This is a more prestigous title and could help bring in an up and comer who will jump at the chance to grab an Asst job.

The former colleague:

Andy Hill - 14 years at Mizzou with all but one spent working with primarily the WR's. Obviously he has worked with Christensen before and knows the offense. Helped Jeremy Maclin become one of the top recievers in 2008. Might not want to leave Columbia after being there so long or maybe there is a reason he hasn't been promoted earlier.

Regional D1 WR Coaches:

Luther Carr - WR Coach/Recruiting Coordinator at Idaho. Would be a huge boost towards recruiting the Northwest where Wyoming is starting to grab some recruits. The Vandals boasted the 12th highest passing attack this season. Has always stayed in the Palouse area so it may be hard to draw him away form the inland Northwest.

Guy Holliday - Has helped the UTEP Miners produce one of the most productive offenses over the past two years. A veteran coach Holliday has had success in nearly every stop in his career. Seventeen of his former players have signed professional contracts.

FCS Coaches:

A number of coaches from regional FCS schools have very productive offenses and could be looking to take the next step up to a Mountain West program.

Robin Pflugard - Montana WR Coach. Has experience at Oregon, Washington State and Arizona State.

Steve Cox - Weber State WR Coach. Veteran coach who served under Tommy Tuberville at Auburn for one season.

Paul Peterson - QB/WR/Recruiting Coordinator at Southern Utah. Played at Snow College and Boston College.

Former Pokes:

Jovon Bouknight - Former standout for the Pokes. Just got the WR job at Utah State. Not qualified to be a Asst coach but could do a great job with the WR corp.

Leach fired. Would he ever come to Laramie?

The maestro of the spread offense Mike Leach has been unceremoniously fired by Texas Tech just three days before his team was to play in the Alamo Bowl. Leach was suspended after a player Adam James complained after being put in a dark room after he suffered a concussion. Which is what doctors recommend when someone suffers a head injury of that type.

So I think Leach was wrongfully fired but maybe Texas Tech had other reasons for letting him go. Leach signed a five year $12.7 million contract extension in February was owed $800,000 after December 31st.

Known as an odd charecter Leach ruffled some feathers as he went but really put the Red Raiders in the spotlight. A number of players and staff have supported him during this episode.

So this is probably a huge pipe dream but I would love for Leach to come to Wyoming. Not to takeover as Head Coach - Coach Christensen has done a fantastic job. But Dan Hammerschmidt just left yesterday as assistant/wide reciever coach and the Pokes need to fill that position relatively soon.

Some reasons why Leach would be a good fit:

He knows the spread. He loves the spread. Could really bring a wealth of knowledge to the team and the passing game. Just don't let him near the defense.

Leach could lay low for a couple years in Laramie. He has plenty of money and could just enjoy coaching for the fun of it before deciding to taking a head coaching job at a larger program.

Name recognition. Wyoming would get a lot of press for hiring a coach like Leach. This would boost recruiting efforts and hopefully even bring a few recruits from Lubbock to Laramie.

Reasons why it wouldn't work:

Not enough room in Laramie for Christensen and Leach. After being a head coach it would tough for Leach to take a job as an assistant. With his persona it would be tough for Leach to play second fiddle.

Leach only wants to be a head coach. Wants to be in larger market/conference.

He would make fun of the players "fat little girlfriends"

It will be interesting to watch how this whole scenario plays out but I wish Mike Leach the best. I'm just glad that UNLV hired Bobby Hauck so that Leach didn't end up there. Doubtful that Leach ever ends up in Laramie but it is fun to dream. At the very least Tom Burman should pick up the phone and reach out to Leach.

Praise for Wyoming and Coach DC

Rivals actually put together a pretty nice article detailing the success of the Cowboys under new head coach Dave Christensen.

Article actually appeared on the front page of Yahoo Sports today. Some of the best press the Pokes have gotten all year.

Preview: New Mexico Bowl

New Mexico Bowl
Saturday, December 19th, 2009
2:30 PM MST
TV: ESPN

College Bowl season kicks off on Saturday and it all begins in Albuquerque with the New Mexico Bowl. This is the fifth edition of this bowl that features a WAC-MWC match up. This year the Fresno State Bulldogs take on the Wyoming Cowboys. This will be the second consecutive appearance for the Bulldogs (8-4) in the Land of Enchantment. Meanwhile the Cowboys (6-6) have exceeded expectations all year long under new head coach Dave Christensen and a youthful roster.

The media has written this bowl off but there are several reasons to tune in on Saturday.

- Ryan Mathews of the Bulldogs leads the nation with 151 yards rushing per game. This could be your final chance to see him as he may bolt for the NFL after Saturday.

- Wyoming is led by true freshman and dual threat qB Austyn Carta-Samuels. ACS has led the Pokes to four fourth quarter comebacks this year including a 24 point comeback over San Diego State.

- Fresno features the nations 14th rated offense averaging 34 points a game. Their defense has struggled this year and this could turn into a high scoring affair. Wyoming averages just 17 points a game but has averaged nearly 29 points in their victories. The Cowboys have not lost when scoring more than 11 points this year.

These two teams have met six times before with the home team winning each time. The Bulldogs are favored by 10-13 points but are 0-4 versus Mountain West teams in bowl games including a loss to 6-6 Colorado State in last years New Mexico Bowl.

Fresno Coach Pat Hill was rumored to be on his way out but just had contract extended this week. Coach Christensen is making his appearance in a bowl game as a head coach but has a 5-2 record as an assistant and has this will be his fifth straight year with a bowl game.

Players to watch:

Fresno State

QB Ryan Colburn - 2333 yards passing and 18 touchdowns.

RB Ryan Mathews -1664 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns.

WR Seyi Ajirotutu - 671 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Wyoming

QB Austyn Carta-Samuels -1752 yards passing and 295 rushing yards plus 10 total touchdowns.

WR David Leonard - 70 receptions for 645 yards.

RB Alvester Alexander - 503 yards rushing and six touchdowns.

Cowboy Chatter: New Mexico Bowl Edition

Green Chili is popular in the Land of Enchantment

Lots of great articles coming out now as the Cowboys prepare for Albuquerque in just a few days. Take a look at these great reads to make sure you are up to date for the game on Saturday.

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A look at some important stats for the matchup between Fresno State and Wyoming.

The Cowboys are sticking to their routine as they prepare for the Bulldogs.

There are a few perks involved with kicking off the bowl season.

Coach Christensen has a great record in bowl games and will the Pokes ready.

ACS Radio Interview

Austyn Carta-Samuels was a guest yesterday on KFBC AM 1240 in Cheyenne. Check out the full interview here.

There is an interview with Coach Christensen from Monday with the same station.

In other New Mexico Bowl news both coaches kept their kiddie gloves on and praised each other at a pre bowl luncheon in Albuquerque. Fresno Coach Pat Hill refuted comments that the Cowboys were not a quality opponent.

Wyoming vs Utah Preview

Wyoming (4-3) at Utah (6-1).
6PM MST
TV: The Mtn

Series history: Utah leads 49-31-1


Last year: Utah routed the Cowboys 40-7 in a gusty day in Laramie. The Utes scored more points on special teams than the Cowboys did on offense. Wyoming had five turnovers in a typical Joe Glenn era performance.

Point Spread: Utah by 17

Since this game is being played on Halloween night the University marketing department decided that this game should be a second annual blackout. Apparently a "blackout" is where the players wear black uniforms, the fans wear black clothes and only let in.. oh never mind. I'm sure they let all the fans with a ticket in the game.

These teams really don't like each other especially since the 2007 game at Utah. Here is a condensed version of those events:

Joe Glenn : I guarantee a victory against Utah this weekend

Whittingham: That hurts our feelings. You must respect us.

Whittingham: Up 43-0 we will go for an onside kick in the 3rd quarter.

Joe Glenn: You guys are jerks. I salute you.


Wyoming: Coming off the bye week the Pokes are rested but still motivated by their 10-0 loss at Air Force two weeks ago. They've had plenty of time to look at tape of Utah and get a game plan together. Injuries weren't a major concern before but everyone is healthy now. Coach Christensen took the blame for not having team ready two weeks ago, they should be ready for this weekend. Austyn Carta-Samuels needs to bounce back after his first poor showing as a Cowboy.

Utah: Had to work really hard to escape with a OT victory over Air Force last weekend. Their offense has been sputtering recently and the fans are getting nervous. If Terrance Cain can settle down and Eddie Wide is able to handle the full time running back duties the Utes should be fine.

Why Wyoming will win: This is a new Cowboys program and not the one that has been embarrassed the last two years. The Utes are good but they aren't the same team that won the Sugar Bowl last year. Wyoming has had two weeks to get their players ready for this game: they are healthy and focused.

Why Utah will win: Talent. The Utes are a deep and talented team and even if they aren't firing on all cylinders they can still manage a victory against the Cowboys. Wyoming hasn't scored a point in the State of Utah since 2006.

Prediction: Utah gets back on track with a 34-21 victory.

Week 9 Press Conference

Coach Christensen discusses the bye week and what to except when the Cowboys face Utah this weekend.

Cowboys Add 3 Star DB

Greg Barksdale a OLB/Safety out of Crete Monee High School (IL) verbally committed to University of Wyoming for the 2010 season. Barksdale (6-3, 210 pounds) is rated as three star prospect. He has Rivals rating of 5.5 and was clocked at 4.6 seconds for his 40.

Northern Illinois was the only other school to offer a scholarship.

Two reasons Barksdale chose Wyoming are the relationship with the coaching staff and the players. Wyoming spent a lot of time recruiting Barksdale and it payed off. His high school teammate CB Dylan McElveen will also be attending Wyoming next year.

The Cowboys now have 13 commitments for the class of 2010 including three "3 Star" rated players.

COMMITTED	Pos	Stars	Ht	Wt	40
C.J. Bennett	QB	***	6'0	198	4.9
Greg Barksdale	LB	***	6'3	210	4.6
Darrenn White	ATH	***	6'0	180	4.5
Riley Lange	DE	**	6'4	230	4.65
Drew Martinez	WR	**	6'1	165	-
Sonny Puletasi	DE	**	6'3	215	4.73
Sam Stratton	QB	**	6'0	185	4.56
Desmond Tautofi	DE	**	6'4	275	-
Dylan McElveen	DB	**	6'1	185	-
Tyler Strong	DT	**	6'3	268	-
C.J. Morgan	WR	**	5'10	170	4.45
Nehemie Kankolongo	RB		5'11	200	-
Billy Vavau	DT		6'3	295	-

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Recruiting Notes: Last year the Cowboys had 25 commitments including four "3 star" rated players. The coaching staff had only a couple months to hit the recruiting trail once Coach Christensen and his crew took over for the departed Coach Joe Glenn.

The Coaches used the bye week last weekend to visit with recruits from around the country. Coach Christensen spent his time in California while other coaches hit the Junior College circuit.

The Cowboys have really started to expand the territory from which they recruit. The Front Range is always going to be important but being able to attract players from California, Texas, Missouri and Illinois can really help the Cowboys take that next step as a program.