First-year Temple coach Steve Addazio spoke to the media Monday on the Mid-American Conference bowl teleconference and he was asked about Wyoming true freshman quarterback Brett Smith, who was recently named the Mountain West Freshman of the Year and was a First Team All-Freshman selection by CollegeFootballNews.com
Addazio spent the previous six years as an assistant at Florida where he was a part of two BCS national championships teams with quarterback Tim Tebow, now the starter with the Denver Broncos.
“(Smith) is a really great competitor, and I think there are a lot of ‘it’ factors to him,” Addazio said. “He does not play like a freshman, and he reminds me of a guy I had in Gainseville (Tebow) that had that kind of feel about him.”
UW has sold approximately 4,100 tickets as of Monday afternoon through its ticket office, which equates to about $150,000.
The school had to meet a minimum requirement of $125,000.
UW won’t get the difference in money generated exceeding $125,000. Excess funds will go into a pool and distributed by the Mountain West to all of its members.
UW sold about 4,100 tickets for the 2009 New Mexico Bowl game against Fresno State.
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The Cowboys practiced indoors for about two hours Monday morning. It was in full pads, and was the final one in full pads prior to Saturday’s game.
Coach Dave Christensen said he likes the way the team is preparing and is focused so far. He went over some of the events he and his team will participate in once they arrive in Albuquerque on Wednesday.
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A mix of rain of snow and temperatures in the 40s is the weather forecast for the bowl game. The game will be played on a natural grass field. Think if weather is a factor it helps or hurts UW? Temple likes to run the ball so a sloppy field may not affect it much. Thoughts?
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There hasn’t been much injury news from UW and Temple leading up to this game. Christensen said a few days ago everyone that played and was available to play against CSU on Dec. 3 would play in the bowl game.
Addazio said senior center John Palumbo is questionable with an injury, however his backup is another center — Jeremy Schonbrunner.
Sophomore quarterback Chris Coyer, who started the last three games but hurt his throwing shoulder in the regular-season finale against Kent State, should start against UW, Addazio said.
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See Tuesday’s Wyoming Tribune Eagle and Laramie Boomerang for a story on UW junior Luke Anderson and what position does he play — defensive back or linebacker? And, see senior linebacker Brian Hendricks’ daily journal entry on his thoughts getting ready to play in the New Mexico Bowl.