Wyoming vs. Texas State Game Preview: Get To Know The Bobcats
The Bobcats are looking for their first win vs. the Cowboys
Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire
Cowboys face off against a Sun Belt team
Wyoming has its road opener against Texas State out of the Sun Belt. The Bobcats dropped their first game against Texas A&M by a score of 41-7, so it is hard to tell how good this Texas State can be in 2019.
To get to know them, we chatted with Vidal Espinoza of Underdog Dynasty, who covers Texas State.
1. What did this team learn about itself in the opener against Texas A&M?
That despite the score and stats, the defense is the money maker of this team. All-world linebacker Bryan London II and company have ten returning starters from last year, so of course this defense should be good.
Oh, and turnovers are bad, very bad.
The execution was off, but a first year coach in a brand new system, debuting against the #12 team in the nation at their house, which holds over 107,000 people, with a sophomore quarterback in a completely new offensive scheme, will sometimes cause a team to have some mishaps. Give them time and the cogs will mesh.
2. How will the quarterback situation be handled since Tyler Vitt and Gresch Jensen each threw two interceptions?
Coach Jake Spavital hasn’t made a decision yet on who will start until game time. Coach Spav made it clear that both signal-callers made costly errors so, sure enough, we already have a quarterback controversy in San Marcos.
My money is on Jensen. Vitt is good, but Jensen’s pocket movement and the release is a little better, plus he’s already run the offense that coordinator Bob Stitt installed when they were both at Montana State.
3. Wyoming’s defense is a good unit, so how will this Bobcats team attack the Cowboys defense?
They need to stop the run. A&M had two running backs post 100+ yard days on the Bobcats. Last year, Texas State’s defense allowed only 5.3 yards a play, which was their lowest since 2013. A few times last year, they were able to make offenses one-dimensional and kept the Bobcats in games. To stop Wyoming, the Bobcats must stuff the run and force the Cowboys to beat them through the air.
4. Cowboys QB Sean Chambers has not shown the ability to throw all that well, what is the game plan to force him to beat Texas State through the air?
If I’m in the coach’s meetings, I say blitz the hell out of the Cowboys. Against the Aggies, Texas State pressured Kellen Mond and forced him to throw with a defender in his face or while getting hit. It did help at times, but Mond is a stud. He tossed dimes into double-coverage while getting smacked. Like I said earlier, stuff the run and let Chambers beat Texas State in the air. If he has a repeat performance of last week, it’ll work in the Bobcats’ favor.
5. How do you see this game playing out?
Wyoming stifled an SEC opponent and has the ability to step it up defensively against an unproven offense. If Texas State can get the defense swarming early and keep the offense on the field for longer than a fly’s lifespan, then the Bobcats have a good chance of winning. Give me Texas State to win, 29-27.
