Cody Tucker with 7220sports.com joined Duke & Dahl during First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday on July 25 to recap the Mountain West Conference Media Days and preview the upcoming Wyoming Cowboy football season.  Every game of the season can once again be heard locally live on The Spur. (104.5 FM Kemmerer/Bridger Valley, 107.5 FM in Afton and 106.7 FM in Thayne/Alpine)

(0:00) First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday with Duke and Dow (0:03) on the SBI radio network. (0:05) Visit GoFirstBank.com to grow your savings. (0:10) First Bank of Wyoming offers great accounts, great rates.
(0:13) Maximize your earnings by visiting GoFirstBank.com (0:17) or stop by your local First Bank of Wyoming branch location (0:19) in Alpine, Afton, Kemmer and Mountain View. (0:22) Duke and Dow with you in studio this morning. (0:24) And always a pleasure to chat with Cody Tucker at 7220sports.com. (0:29) That’s who our guest is right now.
(0:31) Cody, good morning. How are you today? (0:33) Oh, doing great, fellas. (0:34) Thanks for having me on.
(0:35) I’m I’m still kind of recovering slash enjoying shine frontier days (0:40) right before Wyoming football season kicks off on Monday. (0:43) So, well, you kind of don’t know if I feel good yet or not today. (0:47) Well, and that’s that’s coming off.
(0:50) That’s coming off the weekend of media day, which is in Las Vegas. (0:53) And so one of the things I want to touch on as we get started was, (0:56) you know, everybody kind of puts on the nice face (0:59) and covers their team and covers the poll, which we’ll get to here in a second. (1:04) But I think one of the things I want to talk about with this one, (1:06) because you had kind of a fractured family dynamic (1:10) going on down there with the five schools (1:14) saying that they’re going to leave next year, starting next July.
(1:17) So this was the last media day with the Mountain West as it’s currently constructed. (1:22) Did that have kind of an overall feeling to it? (1:25) In your opinion, as you were covering it, was that was that much of an issue? (1:29) Or what are some of your thoughts on that? (1:32) Zero, zero issue. (1:34) And I’ve been asked that a few times, Del, just and I get why it’s asked.
(1:39) And I wondered myself going in. (1:40) But no, a coach like Spencer Danielson, for instance, (1:45) will praise Wyoming up and down and Jason up and down and be sincere about it. (1:50) I mean, I think you need to go up a rung (1:53) when it comes to the animosity and stuff like that.
(1:55) And maybe you’re talking more A.D.’s, presidents, things of that nature. (1:59) But no, not at all. (2:01) Everybody was it actually seemed painfully normal in a lot of ways.
(2:06) And, you know, every coach says the same thing. (2:08) Like, hey, we’re not focused on that stuff. (2:10) There’s nothing we can do about it anyway.
(2:12) That’s that’s definitely not our pay grade. (2:14) So, no, I totally get why you’d ask that. (2:17) And I’ve been asked that numerous times this week.
(2:19) But it was painfully normal and really good stuff, as usual. (2:23) And all the coaches were great and the student athletes are always great, too. (2:26) So it was it was totally normal.
(2:28) So, you know, Cody, outside of the media days, though, you got to think (2:32) that that’s going to have some sort of conversation at some point this season, (2:36) because you look at the rivalries and the traveling trophies (2:38) for some of those rivalries and saying, all right, (2:40) this is the last chance we’re going to have to win the trophy (2:44) and keep it here for good. (2:46) At some point, those conversations are going to happen, though, right? (2:50) Yeah, I think so. (2:51) Like you just mentioned about it being the 80s and the presidents and stuff.
(2:54) The fan bases are the other ones. (2:57) The Pac-12, of course, these these guys, these these fan bases (3:00) have been taking a victory lap, so-called victory lap for a year now. (3:04) And maybe that had something to do with this week, this last week, too, fellas, (3:08) is that, you know, this is old news at this point.
(3:10) We know we’ve known it. (3:12) So there’s no shock here. (3:13) It’s it’s kind of worn off in some ways because we don’t even know (3:16) what that’s going to look like when the dust settles for the Pac-12 (3:19) or the Mountain West.
(3:20) So they’re handling that in the courts, of course. (3:23) But it is. Yeah.
(3:25) I mean, I talked to Bronco Mendenhall a little bit. (3:27) And, you know, of course, Utah State wants to play BYU every year. (3:31) They want to play Utah every year.
(3:33) Yeah, they want to play Wyoming every year, too. (3:35) But I mean, schedules are already out. (3:37) And, you know, I talked to Wyoming players that are (3:40) they said last year they circled that one as being the one that really (3:43) really upset everybody to lose on a walk off, you know, 40 yard field goal (3:47) like that at home.
(3:48) And the fact that they’re not going to have the chance (3:50) to get Jim Bridger’s rifle back for for God knows how long. (3:53) And then, of course, the border war being the big one. (3:56) This is the last scheduled border war.
(3:59) And there’s a two year break coming. (4:01) And it sounds like neither side has made any progress on on it. (4:06) And, you know, we were looking into the numbers at media days.
(4:10) There are some games that these two schools could totally get rid of (4:13) in the non-conference slate and hook up, but I’m not sure that’s going to happen. (4:18) These guys like playing these FCS schools. (4:21) And so I don’t think it’s going to happen.
(4:23) It’s sad. That’s the worst part. (4:25) It’s by far the worst part.
(4:27) Well, definitely some extra sauce for the bronze boot this year as if it needed any. (4:31) But let’s talk about the poll. (4:33) Boise State, obviously, you can count on death taxes in Boise State (4:37) at the top of the Mountain West preseason poll.
(4:41) UNLV is considered the top challenger. (4:43) Also, San Jose State getting quite a few kudos there. (4:46) Your thoughts on the poll, how it matched up with yours (4:49) and some of your thoughts on that? (4:51) You know, to be honest, though, anybody who thinks they know (4:54) where anybody is landing outside of, say, Boise State is just they’re just lying.
(4:58) I mean, UNLV has an entirely new coaching staff. (5:01) They have new quarterback. (5:02) They lost an all American linebacker.
(5:05) They lost their best receiver slash kick returner. (5:09) Do I think UNLV is going to be good? Yeah. (5:11) Yeah, they got some good pieces back.
(5:12) But, you know, Wyoming’s returning most of their entire offense, (5:15) including the starting quarterback, which is, you know, so important. (5:19) I picked personally, I picked Wyoming to finish eighth. (5:22) They obviously landed 10th in the poll.
(5:24) Do I think they’re an eighth place team? No, I don’t. (5:26) I think they’re I think they’re way better than that. (5:28) But they are replacing their entire defense.
(5:31) And, you know, you need to see what that looks like. (5:33) And Colorado State’s in the same boat. (5:35) They have a quarterback back, but they lose Torrey Horton (5:37) and they lose their entire defense to the transfer portal.
(5:40) So we saw it last year, guys. (5:42) A guy that Coach Saubel has talked about so much is Kenny Dillingham, (5:46) the coach in Arizona State. (5:48) They were famously picked to finish dead last in the Pac-12 last year.
(5:51) They make it to the college football playoff. (5:53) And I think we all went into that opening game in Tempe going, oh, man, (5:56) if Wyoming’s ever going to win a road game over a P5 team, this is it. (6:00) You know, they should they could actually roll this team.
(6:03) They got absolutely crushed and it turns out they weren’t alone. (6:07) So, you know, nobody knows. (6:09) And if they say they do, they’re nuts.
(6:11) Boise State’s bringing back a ton of talent, including their quarterback. (6:14) So I’m not shocked. (6:16) I voted Boise State number one.
(6:18) I have all seven years I’ve covered this league (6:21) because you got to knock them off. (6:23) And Wyoming just has not been Wyoming, along with a lot of schools, (6:27) have not been able to consistently do that. (6:29) Wyoming doesn’t play Boise this year, which I don’t think anybody’s crying about either.
(6:35) Speaking this morning with Cody Tucker, 7220sports.com (6:38) this morning on First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday. (6:41) Cody, you mentioned a lot of new faces going to be on the defensive side (6:43) of the football this season. (6:45) Who have you seen so far emerging as the front runners of some (6:48) maybe defensive players that we’re going to hear a lot about this year? (6:52) Two words, fellas, and that’s Gary Rutherford, (6:55) weak side linebacker.
(6:57) Going back and listening to the recording of signing day (7:01) two years ago when he arrived on campus, (7:04) literally Kirby O’Meara, the former UW personnel man, was like, (7:09) I don’t I’m just going to be honest. (7:10) I have no idea how we landed this guy. (7:12) He’s a Big Ten guy and he’s from Illinois, Peoria, Illinois.
(7:15) He absolutely looks the part. (7:17) Just a motor. Doesn’t quit.
(7:19) Really like that kid. (7:21) And, you know, I asked Coach Savel in the spring, (7:24) you know, does Gary Rutherford really have a chance to start this year (7:27) as a redshirt freshman? (7:28) He looked at me like I had a third eye. (7:31) So, yeah, he he will probably start and and should really good, really athletic.
(7:37) And then, you know, just really the whole, you know, we just got to kind of see it. (7:41) But there’s some there’s some intriguing guys. (7:43) I really like Justin Taylor, a safety out of Wisconsin.
(7:46) Brooklyn Cheek, a safety from Cal. (7:48) Desmond Hearns, he’s probably a Nickelback. (7:51) We haven’t even seen this Enoch Sibmama or Sibmana, you know, (7:57) we don’t even know these names yet.
(7:58) But the kid from North Dakota State, who is kind of positionless, (8:01) but also can play kind of anywhere. (8:03) So really looking forward to seeing those guys. (8:06) Jaden Williams coming back, looking to see what Tyce (8:09) Wesleyan can do leading this whole new look defensive end group.
(8:13) So what I will tell you is there’s a lot of new names to learn. (8:16) And they’re they’re faster, they’re stronger, they’re deeper. (8:20) As I’ve said many times this offseason, (8:24) the bill came due at a lot of spots last year.
(8:26) The linebackers were on the field way too much. (8:30) And there were just didn’t get enough help in the two deep. (8:33) And then the safeties, of course, when Wyatt Eckler and Isaac White went down, (8:37) you saw the dramatic drop off and it was it was a tough field to swallow.
(8:40) So they did a really good job loading up on a bunch of depth. (8:43) But there’s forty seven new faces. (8:45) So, you know, get to know them.
(8:48) You know, the other position group that kind of stands out to me, (8:51) obviously, you know, the big one is is Caden Anderson coming back a quarterback (8:54) and obviously his health. (8:56) He can stay healthy. (8:57) He showed a lot of great things and and things like that.
(8:59) You got three offensive linemen back that are going to be more than solid. (9:04) But the position group that stands out to me that seems like it’s maybe (9:08) if you’re going to go 12 months from night to day (9:11) from for maybe potential is the wide receivers. (9:14) You go back to last year, who was slated to be the wide receivers this year, (9:17) who’s coming back? (9:18) And then I’m not going to lie.
(9:20) My I’m going to say it. (9:21) My all time favorite cowboy, Javon Bonite, is the receivers coach. (9:25) How big of a difference has he made for that group? (9:28) Well, that’s what I was going to say.
(9:29) You’re being totally biased here because I know your love affair with Bonite. (9:34) You know, I share that one from my youth. (9:37) No, in all seriousness, I’m with you, Del.
(9:39) I’m with you. (9:39) That’s a really intriguing position group. (9:43) Chris Durr coming back is nothing short of huge.
(9:46) Jalen Sargent finally breaking out last year was huge. (9:50) To me, I don’t think you can be overstated. (9:53) Guys were going to Javon Bonite last year, which obviously was making a veteran (9:56) coach and Mike Grant probably feel a little, a little awkward, you know, (10:00) to have a wide receiver coach, number one and number two, (10:03) and they were going to Bonite.
(10:04) And, you know, there’s a reason Mike Grant’s not here anymore. (10:07) He just he wasn’t renewed. (10:09) Those guys have not produced in a long, long time.
(10:12) Aside from a guy like Isaiah Mayer, who’s just a freak. (10:15) Uh, there haven’t been a real threat out there since, uh, since the, the gentry days. (10:20) So, um, this, this group just looks, they’re bigger for one.
(10:24) Uh, you know, I think under Craig bowl and I had asked Craig about it. (10:28) They were kind of. (10:29) Every receiver looked the same.
(10:30) They were about six foot, you know, they all look like Austin Conway. (10:34) And, uh, I always thought, man, this is weird. (10:36) Aside from Nair, who obviously was just a monster.
(10:38) And, uh, now they got five, six guys that are over six foot three. (10:42) They got a couple of six, five guys. (10:44) I’m really excited to see what a guy like Jalen Bean can do.
(10:47) Bryson Brantley. (10:48) These are kind of two unknowns that are real tall, skinny, fast guys. (10:52) And, uh, you know, but love Jalen sergeant, uh, love, uh, love Christopher (10:57) jr. (10:57) And then Dion DeBlanc, obviously, uh, arguably the biggest steal and they (11:01) recruit on the recruiting trail.
(11:02) A guy who was offered by Oregon and offered by Texas tech and Arizona state (11:07) who, who just developed a relationship with Jay Sovel and, uh, you know, he’s (11:11) down at power, he was down at a North shore high school, just an absolute (11:14) powerhouse in the greater Houston area. (11:16) And, uh, those are big deals, man. (11:18) I used to cover high school football in that area.
(11:20) And those guys are absolutely coveted. (11:22) And they’re on the front page of the Houston Chronicle. (11:23) And now he’s a Wyoming Cowboy.
(11:25) So make no mistake. (11:26) He’s going to make an impact early as well. (11:29) Cody Tucker, 7220 sports.com. (11:31) Uh, Cody, I always feel like a head coach needs at least three years to kind of (11:36) really get a feel on what his success may or may not be.
(11:39) Uh, however, because of how last season went under the first year with coach (11:43) Sovel, do you think maybe he’s already feeling some pressure? (11:46) Do you feel there’s already a little hot seat there? (11:48) Uh, have you seen any changes in the way he’s approaching this (11:51) season as compared to last season? (11:54) Yeah. (11:54) Um, as far as hot seat, uh, you know, I would say absolutely not right now. (11:59) Uh, you know, but if they get off to a rough start and lose it home to a (12:03) Northern Iowa, for instance, or even lose to an accurate on the road and the (12:07) opener, uh, then, you know, then it’s going to start getting really hot (12:10) because let’s face it this day and age, you know, you need all the boosters (12:14) you can get, you need money coming in and you need that NIO and Wyoming’s (12:18) put all this money into warm Memorial stadium, you know, you, you have to (12:21) produce man that those seats need to be filled and that’s the business side of (12:24) things, but no, I don’t, I feel like he’s, he’s, uh, you know, I think he’s (12:31) fine and I think something he learned, you know, he’s not naming captains anymore.
(12:34) Um, that’s one instance where last year he said, you know, he saw instances where (12:40) we, you know, they felt like they couldn’t be leaders because they weren’t team (12:44) captains and he wants more leaders. (12:46) He wants more people like that. (12:47) And, you know, there’s unofficial guys that are leaders like the (12:50) Caden Barnett’s and Jack Walsh’s of the world, but they don’t need the sea.
(12:54) Uh, so to speak and, uh, you know, I know in talks with Frank Crumb back in the (12:58) day, he was not happy about not being voted a captain and, you know, he kind (13:01) of felt like those duties had to go to those four guys specifically. (13:04) And it just doesn’t. (13:05) And let’s be real last year, the four captains struggled vitally.
(13:09) So it’s pretty hard to be a captain when you’re, when you’re struggling yourself. (13:12) So, um, really into that. (13:14) And the other thing that he did this year is, you know, last year he brought (13:17) in, you know, a DJ Jones from North Carolina and it’s he King from Texas tech.
(13:22) He doesn’t care about it. (13:24) And he learned this from Kennedy Dillingham at Arizona state. (13:27) Once again, but he brought up that, you know, he said, get guys (13:30) who want to be Wyoming Cowboys.
(13:31) I don’t care what level they came from, whether it’s Juco or D2 or any of it. (13:37) And, and that’s what he did. (13:38) I mean, he got a lot of guys where you’re like, this guy went to Oklahoma Baptist.
(13:42) Where the hell is that? (13:43) You know, and it’s a, there’s a lot of guys on this roster that are like that, (13:47) but he will tell you all day long that they’ve worked the hardest. (13:50) They they’re in the gym all the time. (13:52) They’re in the weight room.
(13:52) They want to be Wyoming Cowboys and they, they want this opportunity (13:55) and they finally got it. (13:56) So it’ll be interesting to see if that pans out. (13:59) But once again, I’m with you.
(14:00) Coaches need three, four years, but nowadays with the portal and everything, (14:04) I just don’t know if it’s going to allow for it. (14:06) I, and, and with conference realignment and, you know, so-called being left behind. (14:10) I mean, winning now is more important, arguably than it ever has been.
(14:14) Cody Tucker, find more at 7220sports.com. (14:17) As always, Cody, appreciate the insights. (14:19) Thank you so much. (14:20) Thanks fellas.
(14:21) Have a great week. (14:22) It’s first bank of Wyoming sports Friday on SVI radio.