November 3, 2021 |
Frank Crum was just a little boy when he first played on the grass at War Memorial Stadium. Crum is a big boy now. The 6’7″, 314 lb offensive tackle for the Wyoming Cowboys, grew up in Laramie. He knows all about the Border War. It’s a three-generation family tradition.
War Memorial Stadium has changed since Crum attended his first Border War, and certainly since his granddad played CSU there, as well. The rivalry between the two teams has only grown deeper. With the addition of the Bronze Boot as the traveling trophy in 1968, at the height of the Viet Nam War, it has even become deeply meaningful and patriotic.
Coach Craig Bohl said he’d heard about the rivalry from afar, but did not appreciate the true meaning of the rivalry until he took the job at Wyoming. Now it’s his job to get his 4-4 Cowboys ready for the mission. Quarterback Levi Williams will start for the second straight week. Coach Bohl said the plan is to build on the success of last week’s running game.
So Cowboy fans can expect to see a whole lot of Xavian Valladay and Titus Swen. Williams, who picked up 35 net yards last week, will see some carries, too. He’ll be throwing the ball, too. Coach Bohls talked about the natural battery of throwing and catching from Williams to Issaih Neyor.
Last year, Williams went 19 of 31 in the Border War for 321 total passing yards. He threw one pick during the 34-24 loss at Fort Collins. This year the game is in Laramie. The Wyoming offensive line is bigger. The official team roster pegs Crum as 6’7″. Bohl described him as 6’8″ this week. Crum is hoping to use that size against the Rams the way he and his veteran teammates in the trenches did last week.
That will be the assignment again this week. The Border War kicks off — the fur starts flying at 1:30 Saturday afternoon. Bigfoot 99 will be on the air at high noon with the pregame show.
Pictured above: File photo of War Memorial Stadium. Photo by Joey Saverine/Bigfoot 99.
