The first burst of winter-like weather hit the area Thursday, and the University of Wyoming football team practiced in it.
Instead of going into its indoor practice facility, the Cowboys practiced outside in cold and wet conditions — a likely preview of what Saturday’s homecoming game with New Mexico will be like.
Good move by first-year coach Dave Christensen.
While the indoor practice facility is nice — and expensive at around $11 million — the team needed to be outside in these elements to get an idea of what it will be like Saturday.
Even players from areas that get snow haven’t really experienced it here because in the past when the weather turned, the team went inside to practice. More importantly, it’s good for a trio of true freshmen like quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels, running back Alvester Alexander and receiver Chris McNeill to experience the cold and snow. Carta-Samuels and McNeill are from California, and Alexander from Houston. They may know what it’s like to play in rain and wet weather, but not snow and cold like this.
All this doesn’t mean UW is a lock to win Saturday, but you can bet New Mexico can’t simulate this down in Albuquerque.
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Found out New Mexico will be staying in Cheyenne Friday night. If the weather does what is forecasted (three to seven inches here Friday night) wonder if there will be a problem for the team to get to Laramie?
I am told no matter what this game will be played this weekend, even if it has to be moved to a later time or day.
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Got a comment from someone who read my column in Thursday’s paper on UW assistant coach and American Samoa native Mike Fanoga and how the tragedy of a tsunami that hit there last week affected him and his family. The person said that UW true freshman linebacker Trendt Marsom, who is from Hawaii, also has family in Samoa and American Samoa who barely escaped to safe ground.
Good to hear that, and thanks for the post and update.
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I asked Christensen who he liked in tonight’s Nebraska-Missouri game in Columbia, Mo., and without hesitation he liked Missouri — the school he was the offensive coordinator at prior to coming to UW.
He is right so far as Missouri leads 9-0 at halftime.
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See Friday’s paper on a pair of stories on two of the more underrated players for both UW and New Mexico — receiver Zach Bolger for the Cowboys and defensive end Jonathan Rainey for the Lobos.
Weather permitting, the live blog for Saturday’s game starts at 11 a.m. from Laramie.
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