Compare talent level at past few coaching changes

Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:23 am

What do you think of the talent level this year compared with other years that we changed coaches (i.e. VK to Glenn; Glenn to DC; DC to Bohl). Feel free to compare back farther if you like. The key to the question is relative to the competition.

In other words, relative to the talent in the MWC at the time of the coaching change, how do you think the talent at WYO stacks up? Which cupboard was fullest? Which was cupboard was empty?

Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:54 am

I think this is the $64000 question and I think it is hard to know because CC was not the best at coaching our kids up. (Always out of position and basic fundamentals were not emphasized). Again...as I have said in other posts, CC was a pretty darn good recruiter and I think we have great talent, and I also think that the rest of the MWC will drop in quality this year. I am drinking the kool-aid that we will compete in the conference better than most think here or on mwcboard.com (7-6). Shoot, they are saying we will be one of the worst teams, but I am "all in" with Bohl and if you really watch him in his interviews, he is very pleased with this group. I trust he knows talent and he knows the game. I could definitely be wrong on all of this, but I haven't been this excited for a football season in almost a year!!

ps....I am sometimes ashamed at how optimistic I am...I feel like Beav...ugh. (jk beav)

Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:14 am

Dutchnation wrote:I think this is the $64000 question and I think it is hard to know because CC was not the best at coaching our kids up. (Always out of position and basic fundamentals were not emphasized). Again...as I have said in other posts, CC was a pretty darn good recruiter and I think we have great talent, and I also think that the rest of the MWC will drop in quality this year. I am drinking the kool-aid that we will compete in the conference better than most think here or on mwcboard.com (7-6). Shoot, they are saying we will be one of the worst teams, but I am "all in" with Bohl and if you really watch him in his interviews, he is very pleased with this group. I trust he knows talent and he knows the game. I could definitely be wrong on all of this, but I haven't been this excited for a football season in almost a year!!

ps....I am sometimes ashamed at how optimistic I am...I feel like Beav...ugh. (jk beav)

I'm actually with you and it is scary to be in the optimistic crowd. When was the last time we had NFL scouts at Fall Camp? I thought DC was improving speed and improving recruiting. I thought he was an adequate recruiter for the MWC. IMO, Bohl's cupboard is probably the best in that group relative to his competition in the MWC.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:34 am

I felt DC started with a bare cupboard and bohl is starting with significantly more except at QB

Thu Aug 21, 2014 9:16 am

Every new coach starts with questions. Current roster, recruits, facilities, staff etc. BC was placed in a tenuous position especially in the time he had left to recruit. If you look at the newfers, I think you'll see the areas which he felt needed to be upgraded. As time goes on, we'll recognize his concerns more and more. It ain't gonna happen overnight. And that's where my optimism lies.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 9:31 am

Yeah talent wise, DC was good at recognizing and recruiting it. Coaching and using it? Not so much. Bohl, just from watching some of last year's games (incidentally, I caught the K-State game), he knows how to get the most out of all of his players.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:27 pm

fromolwyoming wrote:Yeah talent wise, DC was good at recognizing and recruiting it. Coaching and using it? Not so much. Bohl, just from watching some of last year's games (incidentally, I caught the K-State game), he knows how to get the most out of all of his players.

Hope he can get maximum output from the potato eaters!

Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:39 pm

laxwyo wrote:I felt DC started with a bare cupboard and bohl is starting with significantly more except at QB

Bare cupboard??? BS!

Look at who Glenn left on the defensive side of the ball and we went to a bowl game on the backs of those players!! Glenn did not leave a bare cupboard. David Leonard? He was no slouch on offense. The O-Line Glenn left was probably better than any other O-Line DC had during his tenure.

Neither DC or Bohl started with much at QB. DC brought in ACS and Benjamin (ACS took over).

Thu Aug 21, 2014 1:41 pm

ragtimejoe1 wrote: IMO, Bohl's cupboard is probably the best in that group relative to his competition in the MWC.

Yes, there is no denying the MWC is significantly worse than it was when Glenn was coaching and the first few years of DC's tenure.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 3:09 pm

I keep looking at the coaching change from Christensen to Bohl and it constantly reminds me of the change in Minnesota from Tim Brewster to Jerry Kill. Brewster was great at recruiting, but terrible at coaching. He built up the talent level from the previous coaching regime, but never was able to really put it together. He came in talking big, practically guaranteeing Rose Bowl berths. He left with a 15-30 record (6-21 in B1G), and two Insight Bowl losses to show for all that talk.

Kill came in from a smaller level of competition. There were many skeptics about whether Kill could win at this level. He started out recruiting a lot of MAC level guys, which raised a lot of eyebrows. Success didn't come right away on the field either (3-9, 2-6 B1G in 2010), but has gone 14-12 in years two and three. The general feeling around the program is as high as its been in years.

This is the type of momentum I see Wyoming football gaining under Craig Bohl. Bohl might not have the flash and the charisma that Christensen had in the media or in recruiting, but he is a football coach through and through, and he will get the most out of his players' abilities.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 3:28 pm

joshvanklomp wrote:Bohl might not have the flash and the charisma that Christensen had in the media

We will all be thankful that Bohl does not have the "flash and the charisma Christensen had in the media."

"Woooooooooooooooooo"

Thu Aug 21, 2014 4:34 pm

OrediggerPoke wrote:
joshvanklomp wrote:Bohl might not have the flash and the charisma that Christensen had in the media
We will all be thankful that Bohl does not have the "flash and the charisma Christensen had in the media."

"Woooooooooooooooooo"

Nice f-word ethics man

Thu Aug 21, 2014 4:56 pm

laxwyo wrote:I felt DC started with a bare cupboard and bohl is starting with significantly more except at QB

DC started out with a good solid defense.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 5:01 pm

joshvanklomp wrote: Bohl might not have the flash and the charisma that Christensen had in the media or in recruiting

Are you f-word kidding me?

Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:00 pm

Cuttslam wrote:
laxwyo wrote:I felt DC started with a bare cupboard and bohl is starting with significantly more except at QB
DC started out with a good solid defense.

DC started out with a bunch of veterans from Glenn who knew their jobs in the 3-4 defense and had the size and ability to function in it.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 6:27 pm

Cuttslam wrote:
joshvanklomp wrote: Bohl might not have the flash and the charisma that Christensen had in the media or in recruiting
Are you f-word kidding me?

Look at me...Mr. f-word Howdy Doody

Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:07 pm

IMO, the coaches who got the raw end of the stick were Koenning and Glenn. DC did inherit some good defensive players..not so much on offense except for an olineman or two. Getting ACS his first year was key to having a successful first season. Bohl inherits some good players on both sides of the ball. DC, as many have pointed out could recruit, but couldn't coach. So far it is looking like Bohl might be an even better recruiter....let's see if his coaching talents follow him from NDSU.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:17 pm

The biggest difference we will see this year is the fact that coach Bohl will coach these kids up. something that CC never did while he was coaching. From the start of the game to half time this team will be focused, adjustments will be made. Time of possession will be managed like a real football team. Most of all I believe if we are in a position to win the game with 2.00 minutes left he will do everything in his power to score to win the game not to look good.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 7:21 pm

Talent in the trenches right now is below average-to-average depending on injury status. Against teams of a similar caliber, the teams results were mixed. Against the upper-echelon MW teams (Utah St., Boise, Fresno) Wyoming was flat out dominated in every way in the trenches. Different level of talent.

Obviously the QB talent would have been better had Bohl not gotten a little lucky with Smith/Thompson. RB talent is adequate. Not great, but not horrible either. Middle of the MW level. WR talent is solid, but it remains to be seen if these are more spread WRs than pro-style WRs. Bohl seems to favor guys with height big time.

Wyoming's secondary talent has always oddly been pretty good. Consistently sending players to the NFL, but for whatever reason they suck while they're here.

Overall, I'd say the talent level is decent considering Wyoming rarely makes an impact with higher level recruits.

Thu Aug 21, 2014 8:49 pm

J-Rod wrote:Talent in the trenches right now is below average-to-average depending on injury status. Against teams of a similar caliber, the teams results were mixed. Against the upper-echelon MW teams (Utah St., Boise, Fresno) Wyoming was flat out dominated in every way in the trenches. Different level of talent.

Obviously the QB talent would have been better had Bohl not gotten a little lucky with Smith/Thompson. RB talent is adequate. Not great, but not horrible either. Middle of the MW level. WR talent is solid, but it remains to be seen if these are more spread WRs than pro-style WRs. Bohl seems to favor guys with height big time.

Wyoming's secondary talent has always oddly been pretty good. Consistently sending players to the NFL, but for whatever reason they suck while they're here.

Overall, I'd say the talent level is decent considering Wyoming rarely makes an impact with higher level recruits.

I want to see what these players who are in top physical condition and who are getting some real coaching and who will not be out on the field for 60 minutes a game can do can do when adjustments are made during a game.
What happened last year will probably have very little to do with what happens this year. Talent had nothing to do with what happened last year. I would rate our RBs in the top half of the conference and probably in the top third.