|
|
|
1999 Wyoming Season in Review
Cowboys miss out on share of title, but still play spoiler with victories over Utah and BYU.
Dec. 13, 1999 * The Wyoming Cowboys posted a 2-1 record vs. Top 25 ranked teams in 1999. Wyoming opened the season with a 17-42 loss at defending National Champion Tennessee on Sept. 4. But Wyoming came back to defeat then-No. 24 ranked Air Force 10-7 in Colorado Springs on Sept. 25 and then-No. 12 ranked BYU 31-17 in Laramie on Nov. 13. * With its seven wins this season, Wyoming has won seven or more games for four straight seasons. That marks the first time in school history that UW has won seven or more games four consecutive seasons. In 1999, Wyoming posted a 7-4 record. UW was 8-3 in 1998, 8-5 in ’97 and 10-2 in ’96. * Wyoming appeared on television seven out of 11 games during the 1999 season. UW was featured on ESPN once, ESPN2 three times, ESPN Regional twice and SportsWest once. * Wyoming’s highest rankings during the 1999 season were: No. 15 in the New York Times Computer Ranking, No. 27 by Associated Press and No. 26 in the Seattle Times Computer Ranking. * Wendell Montgomery’s selection as a First Team All-Mountain West Conference honoree continued Wyoming’s string of all-conference wide receivers in the 1990s. Wyoming has had a First Team All-Conference receiver seven out of 10 seasons during the 1990s. Those receivers were: Ryan Yarborough (1992 and ’93), Marcus Harris (1994, ’95 and ’96) and Montgomery (1998 and ’99). * Montgomery ended his distinguished Wyoming career with the school record for consecutive games with at least one catch (41). He also ended his career ranked No. 3 in school history in career receiving yards (2,883) and No. 3 in career receptions (181).
* Wyoming receivers recorded five 100-yard receiving games during the 1999 season. Montgomery had three 100-yard receiving games -- 111 vs. Utah, 122 vs. BYU and 105 vs. New Mexico. Kofi Shuck had 139 yards receiving vs. Idaho, and Willie King had 108 yards receiving against Colorado State. *Wyoming’s passing offense returned to national prominence in 1999, due in large part to junior quarterback Jay Stoner. Despite missing two games due to injury, Stoner concluded his junior season ranked No. 21 in the nation in passing efficiency with a quarterback rating of 136.74. He led the Cowboys to a No. 29 ranking in passing offense in ’99, as the Cowboys averaged 249.5 yards passing per game. * Stoner will enter his senior season ranked No. 3 in career passing yards (6,122 yards) and No. 4 in career total offense (6,145 yards). He will need 1,824 yards passing to become Wyoming’s all-time leading passer, and he will need 1,498 yards of total offense to become Wyoming’s all-time leader. * Over the final four games of the 1999 season, Stoner was 80-of-135 (.593) for 1,140 yards and six touchdowns. * Wyoming quarterbacks have thrown just three interceptions in the team’s seven wins, but threw 10 interceptions in its four losses. * Cliff Brye had 155 yards rushing vs. New Mexico. He became the first Wyoming running back to rush for over 150 yards since Marques Brigham ran for 151 vs. Montana State on Sept. 12, 1998. * The Wyoming defense was outstanding at forcing turnovers during the 1999 season. Wyoming ended the season forcing 17 interceptions and recovering 12 fumbles. The Cowboys scored 14 TDs, three field goals and one safety off those turnovers. * The Wyoming defense intercepted three passes in four different games during the 1999 season. UW intercepted three passes against Idaho, UNLV, Utah and New Mexico. * Matt Lehning earned Second Team All-Mountain West Conference honors in ’99 while leading the Cowboys in tackles with 102. He also led the Cowboys with four interceptions. * Patrick Chukwurah earned Second Team All-Mountain West Conference honors and ranked No. 3 in the MWC in quarterback sacks with nine. * Cortney Barnes led the MWC in fumbles recovered in ’99 with three. He also scored two touchdowns from his linebacker position in ’99 -- one on a 31-yard interception return vs. UNLV and one on a recovered fumble in the end zone against Utah. * Wyoming head coach Dana Dimel has one of the most successful records in school history after three seasons. Through his first 35 games as UW head football coach, Dimel has posted a 23-12 (.657) record. The only Wyoming coaches who posted better records through their first 35 games were: Bob Devaney, 24-8-3 (.729) from 1957-61, Paul Roach, 25-10 (.714) from 1987-90, Bowden Wyatt, 24-11 (.686) from 1947-52, and Phil Dickens, 23-11-1 (.671) from 1953-56. * From 1958-’68, Wyoming faced Utah and BYU in the same season and earned a sweep against the pair in nine of those 11 years. Since 1969, the Cowboys have faced the Utes and Cougars in the same year 26 times and captured a sweep of the pair just four times. Prior to this year’s sweep, Wyoming accomplished that feat in only 1976, ’87 and ’88.
* Aaron Elling kicked three of the Mountain West Conference’s five longest field goals this year. He connected on field goals of 56, 55 and 52 yards.
|
|
