Plainsmen, Cowboys on same path

In many ways, it was hard to tell the difference between the two local football teams last weekend -- Laramie High School and the University of Wyoming.

Compare the results:

The Plainsmen muff the opening onside kick at Evanston and two plays later, the Red Devils score. An average Evanston team can do no wrong and rolls to a 51-23 win in its Homecoming game. Up next for Laramie: No. 2 Green River at home.

The Cowboys have their first pass tipped at the line of scrimmage, intercepted and returned for a touchdown. One play and they're down, 7-0. Wyoming would go on to lose to a very average New Mexico team 24-0 in its Homecoming game. Up next for Wyoming: No. 14 Utah at home.

The only real difference last weekend was that the Plainsmen were able to move the football this time and score. The Cowboys weren't. Two weeks ago, Laramie fell to Scottsbluff, Neb., at home 23-0 and couldn't move the football and the Cowboys moved the football at times but fell to Bowling Green at home, 45-16.

The Plainsmen are now 0-2 in South 5A Conference play and 1-5 overall. The Cowboys are 0-3 in Mountain West Conference play and 2-4 overall.

Strangely enough, there seem to be too many similarities with the two programs this season and in the last few years,

LHS head coach Bob Knapton is trying to bring a winning attitude back to the once proud program that just can't seem to get over the hump in this decade. After Laramie fell in the state title game in 2000, the Plainsmen have qualified for the state playoffs just twice. In the previous seven years, Laramie has failed to win a game three times, won one game once and won two games once.

Wyoming head coach Joe Glenn has had just one winning season in his tenure year and is trying to find a little momentum since winning the 2005 Las Vegas Bowl. The Cowboys, however, have lost 10 of their last 13 games since opening 4-1 last season and are sinking fast.

The difference might be in the fact that Knapton is in his first season with Laramie and Glenn is in his sixth year with the Cowboys. Knapton has time to instill a winning mindset with the Laramie program; Glenn might be running out of time to do the same with the Cowboys.

Regardless, it's been a tough fall on the gridiron in Laramie. Knock on wood, it turns around soon.

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