Enthusiasm on the rise in Wyoming

Steve Guiremand

Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004 | 9:46 a.m.

(Last in a series previewing the Mountain West Conference

Head coach: Joe Glenn, 2nd year, 4-8.

2003 record: 4-8 (2-5, tied for 7th in Mountain West).

Returning starters: 13.

Top player: DT Zach Morris.

Key game: Oct. 9 vs. San Diego State.

2004 MWC media poll projection: 8th.

Wyoming coach Joe Glenn performed college football's version of the daily double in his first year in Laramie.

The Cowboys tore down the goal posts not once but twice in back-to-back home victories against BYU (13-10) and Border War rival Colorado State (35-28).

So what does the enthusiastic Glenn, who won a Division I-A title at Montana and back-to-back Division II crowns at Northern Colorado, do for an encore?

"We want to get this program to the point that people expect to win those types of games," he said.

Wyoming finished just 4-8 overall last year but that was still a big step up from the Vic Koenning era when the Cowboys won a total of five games in three years.

Enter Glenn, 55, who seems to have revitalized the program, even sometimes leading Cowboys fans through verses of "Ragtime Joe" on the piano at booster functions.

"It's like night and day," senior defensive tackle Zach Morris, named to the Outland Trophy watch list, said. "Coach Glenn brings a lot of enthusiasm every day. He just loves being around the guys. He just loves football."

The Cowboys return 13 starters but must replace star quarterback Casey Bramlet, a draft pick of the Bengals, leading tackler Tyler Gottschalk at linebacker and talented receivers Ryan McGuffey and Malcolm Floyd.

Still Glenn is optimistic.

"I think we've got flat-out better athletes this year," he said.

Bramlet will be replaced at quarterback by younger brother Corey Bramlet (6-foot-4, 215).

"Obviously, when you lose a player of Casey Bramlet's caliber, there is cause for concern," Glenn said. "But his brother Corey really accepted the challenge. I can tell you he's ready to go."

The younger Bramlet should benefit from something his older brother didn't have -- a solid running game to make opposing defenses honest.

The Cowboys signed running back Joseph Harris (5-foot-7, 205), a second-team NJCAA All-American at Butler County (Kan.) Community College after rushing for 1,694 yards, to help bolster a ground game that finished 115th in the nation, averaging just 84.4 yards per game. He'll split time with sophomore speedster Ivan Harrison. Both should benefit from an offensive line that returns four starters.

But it's on defense that the Cowboys must improve the most if they are going to improve on their 2003 win total. Wyoming finished last in the MWC in scoring defense (30.0 ppg) and 114th nationally in rushing defense (230.4 yards per game) a year ago.

Glenn is hoping a defensive line that returns three starters and adds Northern Colorado transfer Dusty Hoffschneider (5-foot-10, 260), an accomplished NCAA heavyweight wrestler, at nose guard, will be able to improve in that area. However, the Cowboys suffered a setback when senior strong safety Jay McNeal, the team's third leading tackler, suffered a knee injury in spring practice that could keep him out for the season.

"We are much better on that side of the ball," Glenn said. "There's no doubt in my mind that we have much better team speed. I believe we are going to be able to better handle the running game than we did last year. ... If we're going to get any better, we've got to run the ball better, and we better stop the other team from rockin' and rollin' with the running game."

The schedule is front-loaded for the Cowboys, who play four of their first five games in Laramie including winnable contests against I-AA power Appalachian State and Louisiana-Monroe. The Pokes also get a rare SEC visit from Eli Manning-less Ole Miss on Sept. 25.

"Things are coming along, but it's slower than you want," Glenn said. "It takes a little time."