Laramie Boomerang says it's Christensen

[WYO Bandit]

I am very happy with this hire. It will be great to watch a wide open offense in Laramie once again. Burman hit this one out of the ball park as far as I'm concerned.

[Snowman_55]

Agreed. Obviously there are no guarantees when it comes to hiring new coaches, especially giving coordinators their first head coaching job, see Vic Koenning. However I really think this is a smart gamble, the spread offense Missouri runs is agressive, and a style that Wyoming fans will enjoy here. I like the hire, and am now excited about Pokes football again. The spring game should be fun, even if the offense is just starting to be installed.

[one-smooth-poke]

Agreed. Obviously there are no guarantees when it comes to hiring new coaches, especially giving coordinators their first head coaching job, see Vic Koenning. However I really think this is a smart gamble, the spread offense Missouri runs is agressive, and a style that Wyoming fans will enjoy here. I like the hire, and am now excited about Pokes football again. The spring game should be fun, even if the offense is just starting to be installed.

LOL. "even if the offense is just starting to be installed." Hell, even if it is just getting installed, it will have to be better than what Cole had going on during the spring game. LOl. I think it will be a great hire and I honestly think we go to a bowl game our first year. We may not pull of the "trifecta" by beating BYU, CSU, and UTAH, but I think we go to a bowl game.

[WYCowboy]

I'll throw my hat in the ring too and say I'm excited about this hire and the future of Cowboy Football once again. Now the Cowboy Nation doesn't have to feel depressed all winter - we have something to look forward to. According to what the Mizzou fans are saying, Christensen will not be doing any more coaching there - even their bowl game. He must be planning on assembling his staff and hitting the recruiting trail right away (after getting his family settled in Laramie). I also saw a comment on espn that Christensen is a good friend of Andy Ludwig the OC at Utah, and spends time in the Mountain West area in the summertime visiting with Ludwig - that could be interesting. The fact that he likes the Mountain West area could be a big plus. I think the coaches and media (who are really in the "know") outside the Mountain West area are beginning to realize how the strength of the Mountain West Conference and the area is growing.

[one-smooth-poke]

WYCowboy,

Great post. I am right there with ya. Just hiring DC seems to give some credability to the Pokes. We will see.
Speaking of ESPN, I watched some of the mountain tv yesterday and last night. NOT ONE THING ON THE TICKER about this hire. If the mtn.tv is supposed to be the "place for all your mountain west news" then how in the hell did ESPN get the scoop on them and lay it out there before ANYTHING has came up on the mountain tv channel? What a joke they are. Also, 9 news in Denver reported that the hire was a done deal on their 10 pm news during the sports. That should get the attention of some of the Colorado kids that Wyoming was after.

[WYCowboy]

That's a good question and a good point.

[McPeachy]

I'll throw my hat in the ring too and say I'm excited about this hire and the future of Cowboy Football once again. Now the Cowboy Nation doesn't have to feel depressed all winter - we have something to look forward to. According to what the Mizzou fans are saying, Christensen will not be doing any more coaching there - even their bowl game. He must be planning on assembling his staff and hitting the recruiting trail right away (after getting his family settled in Laramie). I also saw a comment on espn that Christensen is a good friend of Andy Ludwig the OC at Utah, and spends time in the Mountain West area in the summertime visiting with Ludwig - that could be interesting. The fact that he likes the Mountain West area could be a big plus. I think the coaches and media (who are really in the "know") outside the Mountain West area are beginning to realize how the strength of the Mountain West Conference and the area is growing.

I hope you are right with the "no more coaching at Missouri" thing for Dave...he needs to put a staff together and be recruiting for next year like a mad man. My concern is that part of December is a "hands-off" period for recruiting I believe.

[SnipeyPoke]

I hope we get a lot of attention for this hire. Wyoming and MWC can use some good positive air time to attract some good talent to all sports.I just remember all the times the MWC gets recruits and they magically loose stars for accepting offers in the conference and gain stars for going to a BCS school. Instead I would like to see MWC as a whole to be seen as a solid conference that can have big names and it is no surprise. This respect should go towards all sports. However, if the past is any indicator we will be waiting a while before any of those things happen. That is why I can also see how DC could be really down played if not ignored all together except the little we did hear.

As for the hire, Maybe DC will want to stay here and ends up to be an epic coach that creates a football team we all wanted for xmas, birthdays, and any other occasion we hope for the best. With his resume something will happen, I just hope it is something that makes me celebrate instead of being cynical and wonder why I take time to attend a game in person. If celebration doesn't happen I hope DC can atleast recruit so the next guy will have a shot.

[djm19]

interesting..... Perusing the old threads... it is like a journal entry.

Here is a link to the article:

http://www.laramieboomerang.com/article" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 488621.txt


Mizzou Asst. Head Coach Wyoming bound


By BOB HAMMOND Boomerang Sports Editor

Veteran Missouri assistant head coach Dave Christensen is in line to become the next head football coach at the University of Wyoming, according to a source close to the situation.

Christensen and his wife, Susie, reportedly flew into Laramie Saturday night from Kansas City following Missouri’s 40-37 loss to Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium. They were scheduled to meet with UW officials last night.

According to the source, a deal between Christensen and the University of Wyoming has been reached in principle, but it was still in the hands of the attorneys and was not yet official.

UW officials would neither confirm nor deny the report other than to say that UW athletics director Tom Burman “would not comment on any candidate or any particular situation until a deal was in place.”


According to the source, Christensen and his wife were to remain in Laramie overnight before returning to Columbia later today for a Missouri seniors’ function. They would then return to Laramie early this coming week for a press conference to announce his hiring.

Earlier this week, Burman, UW president Tom Buchanan and UW Senior Associate Athletics Director of Eternal Affairs Kevin McKinney were reported to have met and talked with three candidates for the Wyoming position. They met with Christensen in Columbia, Mo.; Nebraska wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore in Lincoln, Neb.; and former Louisville and Michigan State head coach John L. Smith in Lansing, Mich.

Wyoming has been actively pursuing a new coach since letting Joe Glenn go a little less than a week ago. Glenn had a six-year record of 30-41 overall, including a 15-31 mark in the Mountain West Conference.

Christensen is considered by many to be one of the top offensive coaches in the nation, and has coached under Gary Pinkel since 1992. He has been Pinkel’s offensive coordinator since 1997, and has coached the offensive line the past 16 seasons. Christensen is in his eighth season as Assistant Head Coach — the highest-ranking assistant on Pinkel’s staff.

This past spring, Rivals.com ranked Christensen as the nation’s No. 1 offensive coach.

Heading into yesterday’s game with Kansas, Missouri was averaging 45.7 points and 512.3 yards per game.

Missouri’s unique no-huddle spread offense has drawn numerous accolades since Christensen conceived and installed it prior to the 2005 season.

Last season, the Tiger offense was one of the nation’s most potent offenses, scoring a school-record 558 points (smashing the old mark of 399), and ranking among the NCAA’s top 10 in three major categories — total offense (5th at 490.29 ypg), scoring offense (8th at 39.86 ppg) and passing offense (9th at 314.07 ypg).

Christensen’s offense produced no fewer than three major national awards candidates. Then junior quarterback Chase Daniel was a Heisman Trophy finalist (finishing fourth in final Heisman voting), while senior tight end Martin Rucker and freshman wide receiver Jeremy Maclin were both consensus First Team All-Americans, marking the first time in MU history it has had two consensus first teamers in a single year.

Prior to joining Pinkel’s staff at Toledo in 1992, Christensen has been an assistant coach at Idaho State, Washington, Spokane Falls Community College, Eastern Washington and Western Washington. He also served as a high school coach in Everett (Wash.) and Sehome (Wash).

Christensen, who played at Washington from 1980-82, earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Western Washington in 1985 and a Master of Science degree in college instruction/sports science from Eastern Washington University in 1988.

Christensen and his wife, Susie, are the parents of three children — Katie, D.J. and Emily.

Bob Hammond’s e-mail address is bobh@laramie boomerang.com

[Cornpoke]

He may be a great hire BUT when the rest of the nation hears who we announce as our next Head Coach, they will be saying: "WHO? Never heard of him." I think many high school players will also be asking: "WHO is that?"

We had a chance to get a big name guy here and we squandered it away and hired another small time coach. We had a chance to REALLY bring some much needed recognition to our University and football program.

I also think Missouri has only been as good as they have been because the Big 12 north is so weak. The greatest thing that ever happened to Missouri was Nebraska & Colorado falling apart and Kansas st. no longer a power. It's not because Missouri finally stepped up and started competing.

Wow. Looks like I was right on the money back in '08... unfortunately.

[djm19]

haha, i know right.