SB Nation - Colby Kirkegaard

Panel Of Pokes: Mission To Moscow

The Road — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 18:44:02 -0000

FULL DISCLOSURE: I own the full box set of the Police Academy movies. #2 is the best.

The Cowboys are heading to Moscow (idaho) with a mission. To get their first win of the season and help turn this season around. Hopefully the result will be better then the final installment of the Police Academy series.

In our Yahoo Pick Em group we have a tight race still. Group # is 12190 and password is gowyo if you are interested in joining.

Here are the top five. Eight people are actually tied for second place. Last week 21 people got eight out of nine picks correct. Guess which one they missed.

NAME	SCORE
SoDak Poke	21
Beachpoke	21
mrtnt3x	20
Wyoming Cowboys All Day	20
GoWyoGo.com	20

Our panel has their picks posted after the jump. Brad wrote another novel this week so make sure you grab a blanket, pillow and a snack so you are comfortable while reading it.

Ian McMackin - GoWyoGo

Poke Pick: WR Jalen Claiborne: He has showed some ability to make plays and if Robert Herron doesn't go, he will be the option for big plays at WR.

Game Thoughts: Lets see how the Cowboys can perform with their backs against the wall. I think the potential of this team is better than 0-3 and I don't believe this season is done, though this is a critical game and can't afford to go 0-4, since it would then be an up hill climb to bowl eligibility.

Score Prediction: WYOMING 31 IDAHO 23

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Matt Blaylock - Poke Pride

Poke Pick: Blair Burns

The Pokes D' should finally should be able to stop a teams run. Idaho averages 39.6 yards per game rushing the ball, yes The Cowboys have not been able to stop the run and the defense has to step up somewhere and against the Vandals bad rushing offenses is a perfect place to start. Know that the Vandals will have to rely on the pass Wyoming will make sure the secondary is ready and they should have a solid day and the turnover margin should be pretty nice in the Pokes favor making it easy for Wyoming no matter who the quarterback is to run up the score.

Final Score: Wyoming 45 - Idaho 9

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Brad Reed - WyoNation

Poke Pick: Shaun Wick. Wick needs to have a big games for the Cowboys this week to avoid another loss. Wick had a decent game vs Cal Poly but needs to put together more yards for the Cowboys to have success. At the time of writing this Brett Smith is still listed as doubtful. If Colby Kirkegaard is called upon to lead the Cowboys they're going to need a strong running game to get the offense going. Last week Kirkegaard was working with a pretty limited playbook with little big play opportunities available to him. Wick needs to make the big plays happen for the Cowboys to succeed.

Idaho, much like Wyoming, is sitting at 0-3. The Vandals hung around with LSU last weekend for a couple of quarters but things really got out of hand in the second half as LSU put up a lot of points in a hurry. The Vandals are likely going to be a very hungry team, much like the Cowboys, and will be hunting for that first win. On paper this game looks like a pretty good opportunity for the Pokes to pick up a win but the last couple of weeks have been pretty shaky. The nice thing for the Cowboys playing in Moscow this week is it will give the Pokes a little bit of exposure in the Pacific Northwest, a hotspot for Cowboy recruiting lately.. perhaps being in the PNW will give a boost to the Cowboy players who are PNW natives and likely to have a fair amount of family in attendance. Will this be enough to give the Pokes some momentum to get a W in this game? To get that W the Cowboys need to establish a solid running game, something that hasn't happened in any game this season. Along with getting the running game going the coaching staff has to open up opportunities for Colby Kirkegaard to succeed and let him take some shots down field and open up that passing attack. The Idaho Vandals aren't known as a rushing team but you have to think that they're going to try to run through the middle of the defense given the Cowboys woes in stopping the run. The Pokes are giving up an average of 270 yards/game right now rushing.. that seems really high, right? Idaho will try to keep that average going if they want to win the football game. If the Pokes can stop the Idaho passing attack, limit the rushing, and somehow find their offense I think the Pokes can pull this out. A lot of pressure on the coaching staff to win this game as the season is going to quickly spiral out of control if they can't find a W this weekend, and bowl hopes will likely be gone.

Score: Cowboys 24, Vandals 21.

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Matt Hargleroad - Cowboy Altitude

Poke Pick: I expect D.J. May to shine this week. He is the only Cowboy to average more then 4 yards per carry this year. With Brandon Miller doubtful it will give May some additional carries and he will make the most of them.

Nothing has gone according to plan for the Cowboys this year. After losing at home to a FCS school the Cowboys now face a FBS team on the road. While Idaho has not had much success recently, they can still be a dangerous team. The Cowboys let Cal Poly get off to a hot start and look how that worked out. I've been predicting Cowboy wins the last two weeks and that hasn't worked out. This week I'm going with some reverse psychology by predicting a loss.

Idaho 31 Wyoming 24

More Injuries, Players Leaving And Depth Chart Changes For Week 4

The Road — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 18:45:28 -0000

The Cowboys head to Moscow, ID this weekend and they certainly will not be at full strength. Injuries have taken their toll recently and now two players have left the program.

Junior WR T.J. Smith was dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules. Smith had some clutch catches in 2010 but has had problems with academics and was suspended at the beginning of the season for this violating team rules as well. Senior OG Zach Rushing has left the teams for personal reasons but remains in Laramie. Rushing lost the starting position at RG to Jake Jones after fall camp finished. He was injured last week in practice. Some rumors out that there that Rushing had a serious injury and he wouldn't be able to make it back this year.

Wish both players the best in the future. The offensive line was really beat up last week and it certainly didn't help the production of the offense last week against Cal Pol. Redshirt freshmen Austin Traphagan and Rafe Kiely both got their first playing time last week due to injuries to Josh Leonard and Jake Jones. This week Leonard and Jones are both listed as starters with Traphagan and Kiely as backups.

There are several players listed as doubtful for the Idaho game: QB Brett Smith, WR Robert Herron, RB Brandon Miller and DE Miraldo Michel.

Colby Kirkegaard is listed as the starter and Jason Thompson is his backup. Last week the offense was fairly limited under Kirkegaard but that was partially due to the play calling. He was only allowed to make short passes. Do you want see Thompson get the start or give Colby another chance? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Wick is the starting RB and is followed by Miller and D.J. May. If Miller in unable to go then Kody Sutton could certainly get some carries. No word on if Nehemie Kankalongo will be available.

Will Michel hurting, Eddie Yarbrough will get his first start at right defensive end. Michel is listed the backup, if he can't go perhaps Mark Willis will see the field and the #freemarkwillis movement will be overjoyed. Patrick Mertens remains the starter at right defensive tackle. Kurt Taufa'asua is back and listed as the backup.

We're back to the two Lukes in the secondary. Luke Anderson is starting at free safety this week, his backup his Chad Reese. Mark Nzeocha and Kenny Browder are the backups behind Luke Ruff.

Last week DeAndre Jones got the start at cornerback ahead of Marquestion Huff. Jones had the only interception for the Pokes, still he is listed as the backup behind Blair Burns this week. Huff is starting again, his backup is Darrenn White.

Wyoming Falls To 0-3 After 24-22 Loss To Cal Poly

The Road — Sun, 16 Sep 2012 04:43:38 -0000

Is this what rock bottom feels like? Have we hit rock bottom?

You chose a really bad week to stop drinking. That hole in the wall you punched is not going to be cheap to fix.

We knew that the offense would have some issues this with Brett Smith out. He doesn't play defense however. So what caused the Pokes to give two easy scoring drives and end up in a quick 14-0 hole? Cal Poly running back Deonte Williams had 154 rushing yards IN THE FIRST QUARTER. The Mustangs gained 325 yards rushing in the game. The Cowboys only managed 260 total yards of offense.

After the 24-22 loss the Cowboys are sitting at 0-3 and their perfect record against FCS schools is ruined (now 1-9). This is a team that had conference and bowl aspirations heading into the season. Those are still possible, it is just hard to find positives here that make you think those goals are still achievable.

Shaun Wick was Wyoming's offensive star of the game with three touchdowns. While he was able to find the end zone, none of the running backs were able to gain many yards. Wick ran 21 times for 64 yards, barely over 3 yards per carry. The Pokes gained 137 yards on the ground which a paltry average of 3.5 yards per carry.

"I would definitely trade my three touchdowns for a victory today. It’s a game that we need to put behind us, keep
grinding and work on preparing for Idaho.

- Shaun Wick

Colby Kirkegaard got the start at QB over freshmen Jason Thompson. He finished the game 15 of 23 for 123 yards and one interception. He was very timid in the first quarter and the offense had nothing going. In the second quarter he helped the team with two touchdown scoring drives and took a 15-14 lead at halftime. In the second quarter he completed all six pass attempts. It seemed like things were getting better and the offense would really roll in the second half.

That never happened. The offense put together one decent drive together in the final half. The Cowboys only had the ball for 10:39 minutes the second half. They also failed to convert a third down the second half. For the game Wyoming only converted 2 of 12 third downs. That depressing trend has shown up in all three losses. Wyoming had the ball on their own 25 with 1:39 to play. There was a chance of a game winning drive but Kirkegaard was intercepted on the first snap and the loss was complete.

There was chance that Jason Thompson could get some playing time in this game. In the end his redshirt has stayed intact. The same goes for DT Uso Olive. There is no guarantee that Thompson would have done any better then Colby. It would have been even worse for him to lose a year and have the Pokes still lose. He is more athletic then Kirkegaard but only played well in the third scrimmage. He still doesn't know the offense as well as the veteran.

Time to move on from this loss as quick as possible. Props to Cal Poly for coming ready and knocking off the Pokes on the road. They earned this win today. When will Wyoming get it's first win?

Panel Of Pokes: California Dreamin'

The Road — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:59:09 -0000

This week the Cowboys host the Cal Poly Mustangs. Our Panel of Pokes crew have their predictions for the game. Before that we'll take a look at he results of the Pick Em group.

Last week there were eight Mountain West games. No one had a perfect score as there a couple of unexpected upsets. Only one person predicted the Toledo victory, that is expected since we have so many Wyoming fans. Congrats to PokePick who was only person to pick NAU beating UNLV. That extra point gave them highest score for week with 6. There was big slew of people finishing with five points.

After two weeks SoDak Poke and Beachpoke are tops with 13 points, There are 11 others that are tied for second with 12 points.

Rank	Pick Set Name	Total Pts	W-L
1	SoDak Poke	13	13-4
2	Beachpoke	13	13-4
3	PokesPick	12	12-5
4	Rowdie Road	12	12-5
5	cowboydeacon	12	12-5

Click here to join our Pick Em Group. Group ID: 12190 and the Password: gowyo

Now we'll get some predictions on the game this weekend from the panel. Feel free to post your Poke Pick and score prediction in the comments.

Ian McMackin - GoWyoGo

Poke Pick: RB Shaun Wick - I think the Cowboys want to run at Cal Poly. One of the running backs will need to pickup slack. I'll pick Wick

Score Prediction for the Cal Poly game: Wyoming 45 Cal Poly 21

45 points might be high if Smith doesn't play. the Cowboys' mentality going into the game should be a sense of urgency and this should keep them from having another Weber State/Southern Utah type performance from the last two seasons.

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Brad Reed - WYONATION

Poke Pick: Shaun Wick. Wick has to step up this week. Brett Smith is doubtful this weekend and the Pokes are likely going to be relying on a backup, and unproven, quarterback to lead the offense. This is the week a running back HAS to step up for the Cowboys if they're going to win this football game. This looks like a great time for the true freshman to introduce himself to Poke Nation. If the Cowboys are going to keep the ball moving down the field they have to rely on the rushing attack as Kirkegaard is an unproven commodity in the Cowboy offense.

Score Prediction: 31-20 Cowboys. Cal Poly is a pretty tough FCS team from the Big Sky Conference, a conference who is riding pretty high right now after having two teams score FBS wins last weekend and another near upset between Eastern Washington and Washington State.

The game this week is going to be a real test of the meddle of the Cowboys.. they have to bounce back from a little bit adversity from last week. The heartbeat of the offense is doubtful for this week.. this would be a great week for some seniors to step up and lead this team and a thorough crushing of an FCS opponent. The defense has to figure out a way to stop the triple option rushing attack of Cal Poly or it's going to be a long day for the Cowboy football team. This won't be the first time the Pokes have to face a triple option attack so this would be a good time to brush up on stopping it. The Cowboy defense has been a sieve of giving up yards so far this season, and not so good against the rush. This could very easily become a trap game. With injuries to the defensive line it appears that true freshman Uso Olive will be making his Cowboy debut this week.. I hope he can step up and help close the holes in the middle of the defensive line. On offense the Pokes have to get some production out of the rushing attack.. outside of Brett Smith the rushing attack has not made an appearance this season. With Smith likely out someone has to step up and rush the football for some respectable yardage. The Cowboy offense should get Robert Herron back this week which will be a nice boost to the receiving corps and will give Colby Kirkegaard another target to throw out at a desperately needed time. This should be a Cowboy victory, and we could really use one of those right now. It happens this week. Go Pokes!

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Matt Blaylock -POKE PRIDE

Poke Pick: Robert Herron

With Herron being back it will make it easier on the whoever is QB. Herron has the speed to open space between DB and a QB should be able to hit an open receiver. Herron had a career day against Texas to start the season when this game is over he could have had a second career day. It also helps that since 2000 Wyoming is 9-0 against teams after this game and the help of Herron that 9 should be a 10.

Pokes 47 Mustangs 17

(Note: He picked Herron before it was announced he was doubtful for the game)

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Matt Hargleroad - Cowboy Altitude

Poke Pick: D.J. May

Brett Smith hasn't been ruled out this weekend but I certainly don't expect him to play. I think this will be a good test for Wyoming and force some guys to step up on offense. Last week D.J. May led the team in rushing yards and provided an unexpected spark. He remains third on the depth chart but will still get plenty of carries. May is also going to have a chance to return kickoffs this weekend as well. The Pokes have struggled on kick returns and this could be an opportunity to make a big impact. The passing game has yet to show any life with out Smith under center. I think this will be a lower scoring game and closer then we'd like. Still the Pokes end up with a W.

Score: Wyoming 28 Cal Poly 21

Brett Smith Injury Update: Wyoming QB Doubtful Against Cal Poly

Jeremy Mauss — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 19:47:17 -0000

The news on Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Brett Smith was not good on Tuesday afternoon as the quarterback did not practice for the second straight day. Smith left the game late in the fourth quarter against the Toledo Rockets on Saturday night after taking a hard hit while also being taken via a horse collar tackle.

After Tuesday's practice, head coach Dave Christensen said that Smith's status against Cal Poly was doubtful:

"Doubtful means he's probably not playing," coach Dave Christensen said after practice "We will see where he's at (today). It's day-to-day and he's not different (Tuesday) than he was (Monday)."

With Smith not practicing the first team snaps have gone to junior Colby Kirkegaard and freshman Jason Thompson. Kirkegaard came into close out the Toledo game, but he was unable to lead the team to a score.

Earlier in the week, offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon hinted that both Kirkegaard and Thomspon could play on Saturday:

"We've got to win this game," Brandon said. "And that's the bottom line. I'm gonna play the best guy. If it's Colby, it's Colby. If it's Jason, it's Jason. If it's both of them, it's both of them."

Letting Smith sit against a FCS team is the way to go, because Wyoming should really defeat Cal Poly, and they need him once league play begins..

However, with the rash of upset by FCS teams -- which include Colorado State and UNLV -- the Cowboys can not take any team lightly. They will need which other quarterback plays to come out and have a big game and get this team back in the win column.

For more Mountain West Connection Follow @JeremyMauss

Wyoming Vs. Toledo Final Score: Cowboys Lose Game 34-31 Also QB Brett Smith

Jeremy Mauss — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 00:10:21 -0000

Final - 9.8.2012	1	2	3	4	Total
Toledo Rockets	3	14	10	7	34
Wyoming Cowboys	14	6	0	11	31

Complete Coverage >

This was a game was one that most felt confident that Wyoming would win, but also a game that was not a slam dunk guaranteed win. However, what was even more concerning was that Wyoming quarterback Brett Smith left the game late in the fourth quarter in an ambulance when he was taken down by a horse-collar tackle and a hit to the head.

Here is the hit via kylegrantham, and ouch:

While taken off the field on a stretcher, Smith gave a thumbs up to the crowd at War Memorial Stadium. There is good news for Smith as his injury as all things were positive at the hospital, and Brett's father sent out a reassuring message about his son's situation:

Thx everyone for the thoughts and prayers. Brett has a headache but he will be fine. Pissed he didn't score on the play.#gowyo #thebestfans
— Kevin Smith (@ksmit1016) September 9, 2012

As for the game itself, Wyoming is in desperate need of at least a decent running game. In Saturday's game against Toledo the running game did not play well as they had 184 yards with 62 of those going to Smith. Starting running back D.J. May had 64 yards on just eight carries. So, not sure why they did not give him a few more carries, if not at least make the offense more balanced.

It could have been that Smith's arm was on fire as he threw for 339 yards on 20-of-28 completions, plus he tossed two interceptions and two picks. The offense had plenty of big plays, but 76 yards of penalties and three turnovers hurt the Cowboys in this game. Toledo did not turn the ball over at all and on those three takeaways they earned they were turned those into 10 points, and that was the difference in the game.

Toledo's offense also brought out a different strategy as they played two quarterbacks against the Arizona Wildcats with Terrance Owens and Austin Dantin, but on Saturday it was only Owens who saw time. Owens had a huge game by throwing for 300 yards and four touchdowns.

Wyoming started off strong by going up 14-3 and looked like they were going to cruise to victory as they were moving the ball at will. However in the second quarter and third quarters the Toledo offense came alive by outscoring Wyoming 24-6, and led 27-20 heading into the final quarter.

In the final quarter Wyoming did outscore Toledo 11-7 but it was not enough to get the win. The penalties are what really hurt Wyoming as they seemed to come at the worst possible times on Saturday afternoon.

Had Smith not been knocked out of this game late in the fourth quarter it is possible that Wyoming could have at least played for the tie. The Cowboys had one more possession after Smith left the game and the backup was Colby Kirkegaard but could not move the ball. Wyoming got the ball to their own 37-yard line after a 11-yard run by May to put the Cowboys about 35 yards out of field goal range to tie the game, but Wyoming did not trust Kirkegaard as they elected to run the ball on 4th-and-4 which came up short.

This game actually also could have been a much larger win for Toledo as they missed a pair of field goals in this game, but overall this is a tough loss for Wyoming who was in this game until the very end. Then losing Smith late in the game with the outcome still in doubt made this loss tough to bear, because they did not have their best player on the field to see if they could tie or possibly win this game.

For more Mountain West Connection Follow @JeremyMauss

Wyoming Loses 34-31 To Toledo, Also loses Brett Smith

The Road — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 00:50:35 -0000

Final - 9.8.2012	1	2	3	4	Total
Toledo Rockets	3	14	10	7	34
Wyoming Cowboys	14	6	0	11	31

Complete Coverage >

Wyoming may have lost today 34-31 to Toledo. But that isn't really the big concern right now. Late in the fourth quarter Wyoming QB Brett Smith was tackled at the sideline when he suffered a late hit by Chris Dukes. Smith lay motionless for several minutes. He left the field via ambulance, first h was strapped to a stretcher and kept his helmet on. Smith did give a thumbs up before being put into the ambulance. Here is a picture of that hit.

There are so many questions right now. No idea what Smith's condition is, or how long he will be out. Never want to see an injury like that occur to anyone. Wyoming's season really depends on how far Smith can take them. He may not be available for awhile. After the game Coach Christensen said that Smith was alert and talking. He is being examined at the hospital. Wish him the best and hope that there was not a serious injury.

The Wyoming offense showed plenty of big plays today. Unfortunately turnovers and penalties ruined what could have been a big win. The Toledo Rockets came to play and showed no issues in making the trip to Laramie. Terrance Owens usually splits the QB position with Austin Dantin. Instead Owens flew solo and made the Cowboys pay with his arms and his legs.

The these two teams were fairly evenly matched coming into the game and that is how things played out. When you turnover the ball three times and kill yourself with penalties, you don't win many football games. Wyoming jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter. Brett Smith was firing on all cylinders. He hit Dominic Rufran on a 38 yard touchdown pass on the opening drive and later found Jalen Claiborne from 19 yards out. It could have been more but Trey Norman dropped a pass in his hands and had no one around him.

In the second quarter Terrance Owens took over and helped make the most of Cowboy turnovers. Toledo outscored Wyoming 14-3 in the second quarter. Still Wyoming led 20-17 thanks to a late field goal before the half. Owens finished with 300 yard passing and four touchdowns, he also ran for 74 yards. Bernard Reedy caught six passes for 111 yards and two scores. David Fluellen ran for 109 yards and picked up several big first downs to keep drives alive.

In second half Wyoming shot itself in the foot further with an interception and a fumble. The offensive put up some solid yards but they weren't always timely. The Cowboys only converted 3 of 12 third attempts. They also lost the time of possession battle 35:29 to 24:31. Toledo was 9 of 19 on third down and was able to go on very long scoring drives. The Cowboy defense never had any huge plays and allowed 504 yards. If wasn't for two missed Toledo Field goals this would have been a much bigger loss. Wyoming had seven penalties for 76 yards and they seemed to come at the worst time.

Blair Burns had a couple opportunities for interceptions but wasn't able to hold on. On the day Smith was 20 of 28 for 339 yards passing with a pair of touchdowns and interceptions. He also added 62 yards rushing. DJ May led the team with 64 rushing yards. He was the only running back that was consistent today. Brandon Miller struggled except for a 25 yard run. Shaun Wick had 27 yards on four carries but also had a crucial fumble.

Dominic Rufan caught three passes for 102 yards and Jalen Claiborne caught four balls for 61 yards. Chris McNeill looked to be back in shape with six catches for 77 yards. He also three a three yard touchdown throw to Riley Lange on a trick play. Wyoming had the ball with a chance to tie or win the game in the final minute. Colby Kirkegaard was unable to get the offense going and Wyoming turned the ball over on downs.

Really just an all around crappy day for Wyoming. Losing a close game that was given away and then the injury to Smith leaves me in a somber mood. We're used to coming out on top in close games, I don't like this feeling.

Offense Shines In Final Wyoming Scrimmage

The Road — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:00:35 -0000

With a full roster the offense was able finally get in the groove of things. WR Chris McNeill washealthy and saw his first scrimmage action of the fall. The connection between Brett Smith and McNeill was evident right away as they connected on a touchdown in the opening drive. The chemistry between the quarterbacks and receivers was the best it has been this fall. The offensive was able to open up some running lanes and protect the quarterback better. There was no score kept for the final scrimmage.

Smith continued to be accurate with his passing, he went 9 of 13 passing for 79 yards and one touchdown. He also led the team in rushing with 66 yards. Smith is healthy and looks very sharp with just nine days before the season opener. Jason Thompson had his best performance of camp by completing 7 of 10 passes for 57 yards. Colby Kirkegaard was 2 of 6 for 48 yards and one interception.

Shaun Wick had the best performance of the running backs with 59 yards on four carries. In the video you can see his shoe fly off on his 39 yard run. Zaquoya Parham ran three times for 21 yards and a touchdown. D.J. May rushed three times for 17 yards. Brandon Miller didn't get any carries. Kody Sutton ran twice but only totaled one yard.

Here is the production from the recievers:

Player Receptions Yards TD Long Fumbles

#80 Chris McNeill, WR 3 25 1 14 0

#19 Keenan Montgomery, WR 3 25 0 12 0

#18 Josh Smith, WR 2 47 0 43 0

#6 Robert Herron, WR 2 30 0 16 0

#81 Justin Berger, WR 2 11 0 7 0

#32 D.J. May, RB 1 17 0 17 0

#33 Dominic Rufran, WR 1 11 0 11 0

#3 Trey Norman, WR 1 7 0 7 0

#5 Trent Sewell, WR 1 7 0 7 0

#25 Spencer Bruce, WR 1 5 0 5 0

#8 Brandon Miller, RB 1 5 0 5 0

#83 T.J. Smith, WR 1 1 0 1 0

Totals 19 191 1 43 0

With the kicking game Stuart Williams (5-7) edged out Daniel Sullivan (4-7) once again. Williams was also given a couple shots at punting where he averaged 42.5. Tim Gleeson averaged 49.2 thanks to a 71 yard punt that took a very favorable bounce.

While the offense improved you don't have to worry about the defense slacking. The first team defense did not allow a touchdown the entire scrimmage. They have played consistently well this entire fall. Jeff Rouche and Eddie Yarbrough each had a sack while Mark Nzeocha had his first inteception this fall.

Here are some of the tackle leaders:

4 - Patrick Mertens, Luke Ruff, Jake Schiffner

3 - Darrenn White, Blair Burns, Kenny Browder

Check out the full stats from the scrimmage.

Defense Wins Second Wyoming Scrimmage

The Road — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 08:34:30 -0000

The second scrimmage is in the books and there was definitely some progress made today. Not the huge leaps and bounds most fans were looking for, still there was improvements made by the offense. The defense remained strong and made it two in a row with their 55-34 victory.

While the offense is still not back to the 2011 production level, they did improve their execution and helped eliminate many of the mistakes that plagued them last week. No interceptions were thrown by the quarterbacks and only six penalties for 37 yards. Once again it took awhile for them to get in the groove of things. Brett Smith was 14-22 for 184 yards passing and one touchdown, he also gained 23 rushing yards. Obviously he has the starting job locked up. Unfortunately no one seems to really want the backup job at this point.

Colby Kirkegaard was 7 of 18 (38%) for 35 yards and one touchdown. Jason Thompson completed 7 of 22 passes (31%) for 40 yards and no scores. Thompson ran for eight yards while Kirkegaard finished with seven. Neither has been able to complete over 50% of their passes in either of the two scrimmages. Thompson has shown some nice physical skills but has been limited by his lack of experience. Kirkegaard hasn't shown a big boost from all those spring reps he took. I would still give him the edge at this point, but the backup spot is up for grabs.

The running backs lost Kody Sutton this week but no one really shined like the first scrimmage. Zaquoya Parham had 50 yards rushing but that was all against the third string defense. Brandon Miller ran for 27 yards, Shaun Wick 22, Tedder Easton 16 and D.J. May finished with 8. The running backs totaled 127 yards on 43 carries for an average of 2.95 yards per carry. Coach Christensen still feels very happy with the group of running backs and their work ethic.

Robert Herron is still showing that he wants to be #1 receiver this year, he caught four passes for 89 yards including a 69 yard touchdown where he made a great adjustment and broke away from his defender. Dominic Rufran caught five passes for 40 yards, Josh Smith had four receptions for 20 yards and Jalen Claiborne looked good again with three catches for 34 yards.

All of the freshmen wide receivers were able to contribute this scrimmage. Nico Brown caught two passes for 13 yards including an 8 yard touchdown pass from Kirkegaard, Jake Maulhardt caught two passes for 14 yards. Trent Sewell and Eric Nzeocha each caught one pass for seven yards.

Even though the defense didn't have interceptions they still looked quite sharp. As a unit the defense totaled six sacks and 20 tackles for loss. Jeff Rouche had two sacks while Korey Jones and Sonny Puletasi had one each. Kenny Browder, Mike Purcell, Alex Borgs and Kurt Taufa'asua tallied .5 sacks. Puletasi and Taufa'asua led the team with three tackles for loss.

Tackle leaders:

7 - Korey Jones
6 - Marqueston Huff, Zach Berg, Darrenn White, Todd Knight
5 - Browder, Purcell, Borgs
4 - Matt Eddington, Andrew Meredith, Lucas Wacha, Taufa'asua

Stuart Williams may be running away with the field goal kicking job. On the day he was a perfect 9 for 9 on field goal attempts with two makes from 40 and a long of 48. He also hit all four of his extra point attempts. Daniel Sullivan went 6 of 9 on field goals with a long of 48, misses: 40, 36, 40. He only converted two of four extra point attempts. Obviously he is behind the rest of the field in practice time and has been dealing with plenty over the last several weeks.

Here are the full stats from the second scrimmage.

YOUR TURN

What were your impressions from the second scrimmage? Surprises and/or disappointments? Let me know.