Keith Kelley, play-by-play announcer for the Wyoming Cowboys, called into First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday to chat with Duke & Dahl about the upcoming football season for Wyoming.

The Cowboys open the season on Thursday, August 28 at the University of Akron. The game will be broadcast live on local radio on The Spur. In southern Lincoln County listen on 105.3 FM/940 AM, in the Afton area of Star Valley listen on 107.5 FM/1210 AM and in the Thayne/Alpine area of Star Valley listen on 106.7 FM. The Spur can also be streamed live anytime at SVInews.com/radio or the SVI News app.

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It’s almost Cowboy football season. In fact, (0:18) less than a week away from the season opener for the Cowboys and play-by-play (0:22) voice for the Pokes, Keith Kelly, joining us on Sports Friday. Keith, good morning.
(0:26) How are you today? It’s a great morning. I’m so happy to be with you guys again. (0:32) Thank you so much for for having me on.
And yes, we’re less than a week away. The (0:37) old Thursday night Maxion in Akron next week and I can’t wait for it. Well Keith, (0:42) one of the things I want to start off with is listening to the the show with (0:48) Coach Saville on Wednesday.
It’s kind of still eye-opening to me having a (0:55) guy like Coach Saville directly following someone like Coach Bull. And I (1:00) really like Coach Bull, but he was very cards to the to the chest. Nobody sees (1:05) anything.
Don’t give out anything. Jay is almost the opposite. Very transparent and (1:10) you’ve seen that even more so over the since the end of last season.
Kind of (1:14) describe that to us from your perspective as part of the media and then also what (1:19) you’ve seen since that that surprise win over Washington up until now. I mean it’s (1:25) he may be the most transparent coach that Wyoming’s ever had. I mean think (1:31) about the open scrimmage last Thursday for fans to come out.
They called it (1:37) community night and it was it was a good showing the open media practices that (1:42) that we’ve been able to go to a handful of those during camp. That wouldn’t have (1:45) happened before and it’s just been tremendous. He wants the fans, he wants the (1:52) media to to see and tell stories about these players.
Plus I mean there’s 47 new (1:59) players that we have to know as well. So it’s just been really really good. You (2:05) know peel back the curtain just a little bit when we do our pregame (2:08) interview.
It’s nice just to chat with Jay and and get a little information we (2:13) can use for our pregame show and stuff. Obviously can’t use it before then, but (2:18) you know it’s it’s really nice and you know I think between he and Sundance and (2:25) Heather Mark Branch all the coaches over there so so willing to allow media (2:32) access fan access. I mean Calgary Volleyball is doing an exhibition for (2:36) the third year in a row.
They’re in Cheyenne this year. They’re doing the (2:40) free youth clinic that’s full. I mean just the access that we’re getting is is (2:47) unlike I think it’s ever been.
And I think a lot of that has to do and I know (2:52) why you’re going a little long here. You know we talk name, image and likeness, (2:55) but I think that’s allowed some of these student athletes to get out and about (3:00) and get in front of the fans and you know for that purpose. And Wyoming really (3:04) does that the right way.
But you’re exactly right. To go back to your (3:08) original point, the access you get and the openness from Jay Savelle is unlike (3:13) anything we’ve really seen to be honest with you. Maybe you go back to Joe Glenn.
(3:16) Maybe? Yeah I say yeah Joe building it up to the piano and playing the piano for (3:24) for the for the people at the fundraiser. Things like that that that’s actually a (3:28) great example. I think so and and I used to love that and you know Jay’s not (3:34) gonna play the piano.
You know I can remember an incident and not an incident (3:38) an event was it last summer I think December 24 during frontier days when (3:43) Jay and Sundance came over to an establishment and Sundance got on on the (3:50) tabletop and was speaking to the the fans in attendance and Jay said Jay was (3:58) just as lively. He’s like I’m not getting up on there though. So it was kind of (4:01) funny how they handled that.
They’re amazing. Well of course the (4:06) inaugural season for Coach Savelle didn’t go as he had hoped last year and (4:09) heading into a second season. Have you noticed any changes in approach this (4:14) year compared to preseason last year or I mean as far as this team goes and the (4:22) way he’s approaching the season with his players? Well I think there’s a couple (4:25) things.
I think you saw it in spring and then during the the three weeks of camp (4:31) they broke camp earlier this week and that’s just and as what they say the (4:37) violence that they’re bringing to practice in preparation for the season (4:41) and talking to a lot of the players. I talked to Ben Florentine earlier this (4:45) week and he said you practice you play how you practice and we want to play (4:49) physical. We want to be that type of team.
I think that’s the biggest change I’ve (4:55) seen and also to not really anointing anyone as a starter like we did. I (5:01) remember you know when Jay Savelle the first day he was hired you know Evans (5:05) Faboto was the quarterback and there was really no competition. The competition (5:10) has been really really fierce and I think that’s what happens when you bring (5:14) in 47 new guys many of who are transfers but I think they really did learn a lot (5:20) from year one to year two and how could you not after a three win season.
I mean (5:24) you have to kind of change some things around but I believe those are the the (5:29) two things really. And look you guys can I think everybody can do look at each (5:36) position and break it down like you know Jack Walsh Caden Barnett West King. I (5:40) mean they’re gonna start right.
I mean Caden Anderson gonna start. Some of the (5:45) interior linemen things like that. The J Mike they’re gonna start but largely the (5:50) competition especially in the two deep has been tremendous.
I think that’s one (5:55) of the biggest things that I’ve seen that and the physical nature with what (5:58) Jay practiced. And I guess you know you look at that the transparency the the (6:04) full reflection and examination after last season because last season was (6:09) pretty miserable for most involved. Who am I telling right? But but but as far as (6:16) the willingness to look at what he what was going on with the program and say (6:21) let’s fix this.
I I think up until now I mean obviously the game still got to be (6:26) played. You got to be pretty encouraged by the idea of what the coach what coach (6:31) Saval on the program has done to this point. I really think you’re gonna see an (6:36) improved football team.
And let’s just take the last and it’s easy to cherry (6:41) pick and pick the positive things right. But let’s just take the last two and a (6:46) half games of last season. The second half of the border where the whole game (6:49) was was not good.
But I’m talking about the defensive side of the ball (6:53) really. They held CSU to seven points in the second half of that game. You know (6:59) they lost.
They had every opportunity to win that game. The offense just couldn’t (7:02) get anything going against Boise State. I mean Wyoming may have played I mean (7:07) Oregon beat Boise State and then they lost in the playoff to Penn State.
But (7:12) outside of those games Wyoming may have played him tougher than anybody. And had (7:15) Caden Anderson not been knocked out at halftime they may well have beaten Boise (7:20) State. And then the game at Washington they held Boise to 17 points.
That was an (7:25) explosive offense. And then Washington State a team at home averaging like 50 (7:29) points a game held him to 14 and shut him out in the second half. That’s (7:32) encouraging because you had buy-in from a lot of those guys on defense and (7:36) you’ve got something on tape that shows you hey if we listen and do what we’re (7:41) supposed to do this is what can happen.
Hopefully that can carry over. Again I’m (7:45) taking a positive spin on this. The first two games of the season are going to be (7:49) really really important because we know how difficult the schedule gets after (7:52) that.
You got to go to Akron and win. You got to beat Northern Iowa at home. You (7:57) got to look good doing it and let’s see what happens after that.
But I agree (8:01) there is potential particularly on offense man. They have got skill guys (8:06) across the board that I know they’re really excited about. It’s just about (8:10) getting them the ball at the right time.
You know there’s a lot of excitement. It’s (8:15) going to be an improved football team. Keith Kelly play-by-play voice of the (8:18) Wyoming Cowboys with us on First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday.
So you mentioned (8:21) they had the Thursday night kickoff to open the season at Akron. Nationwide (8:25) Wyoming at Akron is is certainly not it’s no marquee matchup right but it is (8:32) Thursday. Everyone’s hungry for football.
I would expect that there may be some (8:38) eyeballs on this game and and then you compare that with the way the university (8:42) is really capitalizing on Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills and this year (8:46) partnering with the Buffalo Bills organization for extra sponsorships (8:50) within to promote Wyoming and the university. What are your thoughts on (8:56) that maybe overall big picture for the football program in Wyoming and what (9:01) the future may be going? I mean they’re doing what they can right there they’re (9:06) utilizing everything that their disposal to try and build the brand to (9:12) continue to build the brand of Wyoming football. We know that bucking horse and (9:17) rider that steamboat is an iconic image it is and I happen to be back in (9:24) Oklahoma a few weeks ago watching the Bills first preseason game on NFL (9:27) Network right and I saw University of Wyoming red zone I’m like holy cow (9:32) that’s really really cool and I know NFL Network takes the local feed but (9:36) there is a there’s a partnership now and I can’t remember the exact dollar (9:41) amount that they did but there there is an investment in Western New York and (9:47) we know how big of a brand the Buffalo Bills are I mean that’s a big deal (9:51) somebody actually brought up on my show on my local show here that Wyoming and (9:57) the University of Buffalo should do a game at the new Bill Stadium once it’s (10:03) done and then it just kept going on and on like you know what would we say you (10:09) make it a weekend like a home weekend for the Bills right so you have the (10:13) Wyoming Buffalo game on Saturday then a home Buffalo Bills game for folks and (10:17) then I added well why not try and get a meet-and-greet with Josh Allen as well (10:20) so we’re trying to just see if that I have no idea if that’s even in the works (10:25) to be honest that’s just somebody that one of our listeners brought up but that (10:28) partnership is great you have to strike while the iron is hot what Josh is going (10:33) into the UW Athletics Hall of Fame in September he’s not going to be able to (10:36) be there how can we get Josh Allen back to Laramie well it’s really really tough (10:41) it just is I mean when you’re the NFL MVP you have a lot of things going your (10:47) way it’s just really hard to get him back are they trying to do some things (10:52) yes but I really really think that the university is doing everything they can (10:56) to build this brand but you know what will help even more winning seven eight (11:00) nine games this season would even be better and yeah I don’t know if that’s (11:04) going to happen but winning would actually help that out a lot just prove (11:08) that last year was more of a an anomaly as opposed to you know what we’ve been (11:15) used to seeing which is that six to eight maybe even nine wins one of the (11:18) other things I want to talk about Keith is let’s be honest it’s gonna be kind of (11:23) awkward this this whole school year academic athletic year with the the (11:28) schools departing for the the PAC 2 or the PAC 12 you you’re gonna have some (11:34) gaps in in some of these rivalry games most notably the border war after this (11:39) year you have a two-year kind of what-ifs what’s what might happen before it (11:43) resumes I’m I’ve been thinking about losing the Bridger rifle all for since (11:48) last year things like that what are some of your thoughts on this whole thing and (11:53) how you think it might impact some of the some of the visuals for the (11:58) conference this year I completely disliked the the whole notion too many (12:04) egos got involved particularly at Oregon State I think that that’s the (12:08) biggest culprit but Washington State thinking that they were bigger than what (12:13) they actually are there’s a reason why nobody wanted them they’ve been living (12:17) high on the hog with the pack the OG PAC 12 money for so long and it’s it’s (12:23) running dry by the way I can’t take credit for this but we call them PAC (12:29) stabbers the PAC stabbers is what they are and I can’t take credit for it (12:34) there’s a Wyoming fan on X Twitter however you want to call it that brought (12:38) it up and I borrowed it from him it’s actually gaining traction Mark Ziegler (12:43) from the San Diego Union-Tribune mentioned it in one of his his articles (12:47) we’ve talked about it ad nauseum on our show and Kevin and I will actually we (12:51) will not be referring to them as PAC 212 or it’s the PAC stabbers all year (12:56) long I’m in and yeah we got a kid this ball rolling I just really dislike it (13:02) because I think you could have had a great conference west of the Mississippi (13:07) River if you would have just done however you want to call it reverse (13:10) merger or Oregon State Washington State coming into the Mount West that would (13:14) have been a fantastic league it really really would have and it probably would (13:20) have garnered if you would add up the TV revenue dollars that the new the PAC (13:26) stabbers in the Mount West are going to get it probably would have been in that (13:30) ballpark if you would have combined the two it just egos got involved I dislike (13:35) it I love what Gloria Navarez is doing she’s standing she’s standing firm on (13:41) you know the the court case they feel like they’ve got a great legal battle in (13:46) front of them and I love the additions I love having UTEP coming in Hawaii (13:51) being a full-time member I mean you had to do it Grand Canyon coming in that (13:55) immediately is a in an NCAA tournament basketball team that’s coming in UC (14:00) Davis is coming in northern Illinois for football only it just adds a central (14:04) time zone I really like what Gloria has done and I think you know yeah did they (14:10) have some concessions by paying UNLV and Air Force all that money to stay in (14:14) sometimes you got to do those sorts of things but I think what she’s done has (14:19) been really really good and you know it stinks about the rivalries it does but (14:23) we’ll see CSU again I think they signed that eight-year deal in a couple years so (14:27) we’ll see them again would be nice maybe to get something with Utah State but it (14:32) is what it is it’s what called the way college athletics and and look guys when (14:35) we get the inevitable split when you’ve got those top 40 50 teams that are gonna (14:39) split off eventually and have their own league and play for their own (14:42) championship we’re all gonna be back in this same table again playing for the (14:46) same thing so I mean it just didn’t make any sense it didn’t it was dumb well (14:52) Keith all that aside we’re looking forward to kickoff in Akron coming up (14:57) August 28th this upcoming Thursday so we’ll have of course you on the airwaves (15:02) here in Lincoln County in western Wyoming and we’ll see if the folks can (15:05) get that that first win on the year it would be it’s gonna be great like I said (15:11) those first two games are gonna be crucial because then you go Utah (15:14) Colorado and UNLV boo at San Jose State and Air Force those are really tough (15:19) games but I appreciate you guys so much and your commitment to Wyoming athletics (15:25) and we absolutely love all our fans out there in the Star Valley thank you so (15:30) much Keith Kelly play-by-play voice of the (15:32) Wyoming Cowboys it’s first Bank of Wyoming sports Friday on SBI radio