by Keith Kelley–10 Aug ’18
Members of the Wyoming Cowboy defense keep saying the right things. Those players are telling the media, and anyone who will listen, that they aren’t focused on all the preseason accolades they’re getting. The Pokes have to continue to play with the edge and chip on their shoulder that they played with last year. But just where does that edge come from?
Senior safety Andrew Wingard says it goes back to his freshman season. “That 2-10 year really put a hurt on some of us. I came from a high school, and little league football, where you could win games pretty easily. But when you get to D-one college football, every single game, you’ve got to go out and play like your playing the New England Patriots. It’s hard to win.”
Wingard added, “And that really hurt, ten losses, so I think that’s where it comes from. Obviously Coach Haze (defensive coordinator Scottie Hazelton) didn’t let us forget about those days. And he said ‘If you don’t run to the ball. If you don’t try to make plays, you don’t do it for the guy next to you, then we’re going to be right back in that same position’.”
Wyoming is coming off of a bowl win, and back-to-back eight win seasons. Their defense led the country in take-aways last year, and was top ten in scoring defense.
The Pokes open up the year August 25th at New Mexico State.
