There were not a lot of surprises when the All-Mountain West first and second football teams came out Tuesday.
Here is the link to the complete list:
http://www.themwc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/120412aaf.html
Congrats to Wyoming senior center Nick Carlson and senior defensive tackle Mike Purcell for making the first team. I voted for both on my first team. Of UW’s players, those two were the most deserving and had the best chance of making the first team.
Wyoming offensive coordinator Gregg Brandon talks about Saturday’s season finale against San Diego State and looks ahead to next season. The interview was done on Monday, Nov. 19.
Wyoming senior center Nick Carlson plays his final game in a Cowboys uniform on Saturday against San Diego State. The interview was done on Monday, Nov. 19, 2012.
For more on Carlson, see Wednesday’s Wyoming Tribune Eagle and Laramie Boomerang, and go to www.wyosports.net
To me, Wyoming receiver Chris McNeill has been “Mr. Reliable” throughout his career.
No matter who threw the ball, McNeill often was the one the quarterback wanted to get the ball to when it was third-and-8 or even on fourth down. More often than not, McNeill came up with the catch.
Unfortunately, McNeill’s career is done as he suffered a knee injury after a catch in the fourth quarter in UW’s 28-23 win at UNLV last Saturday and won’t play in the season finale at home against San Diego State Saturday in Laramie.
“I have countless memories of Chris,” senior center and co-captain Nick Carlson said. “I feel like every fourth down situation we’ve been in it has been him that came up with a catch. That comes from his understanding of the offense, his awareness in space and how to be found by (sophomore quarterback Brett Smith).”
Carlson quickly recalled a fourth-down catch at Air Force last season, and one in Smith’s first game against Weber State at home. I’m sure UW fans can come up with several more.
WyoSports senior editor Robert Gagliardi did a question-and-answer swap with Mark Anderson, who covers UNLV football for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Anderson answers five questions Gagliardi gave him about UNLV, and then Gagliardi answers five questions Anderson had about Wyoming.
Look for Q&As with writers who cover the opponents of the University of Wyoming football program every Friday.
Question: This will be UNLV’s final home game but will it be the final home game for coach Bobby Hauck, who is 6-30 in nearly three full seasons?
Answer: No, Bobby Hauck will return next season. Athletic director Jim Livengood said two weeks ago he had seen enough progress, despite the record, that warrants sticking with Hauck.
Wyoming senior center Nick Carlson talks about the Cowboys’ 45-31 win over Border War rival Colorado State Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012.
Wyoming senior center Nick Carlson talks about Saturday’s Border War game with Colorado State, and a little about Halloween as well. The interview was done on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012.
Wyoming senior center Nick Carlson talks about the Cowboys’ 28-27 loss to Air Force on Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, as well as comparing UW’s 1-5 start to the season to the Cowboys’ 3-9 season of 2010.
Wyoming senior center Nick Carlson talks about the ejection of sophomore quarterback Brett Smith last week at Nevada, about playing Air Force this week for the last time in his career and the consistency among the starters along the Cowboys’ offensive line this season.
Check back here and at www.wyosports.net Friday for WyoSports senior editor Robert Gagliardi’s Q&A swap with David Ramsey of the Colorado Springs Gazette, who covers Air Force football.
If one thing’s been consistent along Wyoming’s offensive line this season, it’s been the lineup.
UW has used the same five starters in all four of its games, and it’s expected to be the same again when the Cowboys open Mountain West play at Nevada Saturday.
The Cowboys used seven different starting lineups each of the last two seasons due to injuries and production — or lack there of.
“We’re not as deep as we’ve been,” coach Dave Christensen said. “We’re trying to redshirt a couple of guys, and there are a couple of guys in our two-deep we’re trying not to play because they’re not ready to play yet.
“If there was a guy that was equal to somebody that was in there we would certainly play them. We’re not in a position where we’re going to switch anybody out right now.”