New University of Wyoming President Shane Reeves is taking one for the team — literally — while suiting up for the Cowboys for Saturday’s “Border War” game with arch-rival Colorado State in a new video on social media.
“I’m going to use my COVID year of eligibility,” Reeves says as he prepares to put on his uniform.
Two players, senior tight end Isaac Schoenfeld of Rock Springs and senior defensive lineman Alex Haswell of Sheridan, stare from the sideline, not believing what they are seeing.
“This is a really bad idea,” says Schoenfeld.
That remains to be seen, given that Reeves’ mission is to motivate the Pokes and their fans for the game against the arch-rival Rams in Fort Collins.
But it was definitely Reeves’ idea.
He did a similar series of weekly videos while serving as a dean at U.S. Military Academy at West Point before he was chosen UW's 29th president in April.
Rock It Like A Hurricane?
After donning a uniform and stretching, Reeves asks the two players, “Are you ready for me to rock this like a hurricane?”
“He’s referencing an old ‘80s hair band called the Scorpions,” explains Shannon Moore, who coaches special teams, tight ends and fullbacks.
A bewildered Schoenfeld asks, “How old is this guy?”
“Old,” Moore responds. “Please don’t hurt him.”
“I think he was at the original Border War,” Haswell observes.
Reeves lines up to try to get past Haswell. He charges. There was a collision, followed by an explosion.
The camera shows all that’s left of Reeves is a helmet and a jersey covered in dust.
“Where did he go?” the Schoenfeld asks.
Moore tries to put their minds at ease.
“It’s OK guys. He’ll be a part of us forever now,” the coach says as Schoenfeld coughs. “But we’re never going to get him out of our lungs.”
Moore walks off the field, adjusting his cap.
“I guess we’re going to need another president,” he says solemnly.
Border War Runs Deep
The Border War game between the rival schools Saturday will be the 118th installment of the oldest college football rivalry west of the Mississippit River.
Colorado State holds an overall 59-52-5 lead in the series, which dates back to the first game in 1899, which also remains the rivalry's most controversial and the beginning of the schools' disdain for each other.
It was Thanksgiving Day in Laramie when then-Colorado Agricultural College (now CSU) was awarded a win by forfeit while leading 12-11 late in the game when one of the officials ruled Wyoming wasn't following the rules.
Another official, however, allowed the Cowboys to run in an uncontested touchdown after the forfeit was declared, which touched off a brawl on the field.
To this day, the game remains a bone of contention between the schools.
CSU doesn't count the forfeit as an official win, dropping it in 2009 after the NCAA enacted guidelines stating that forfeits and incomplete games shouldn't count toward the official records.
However, UW continues to consider the game an official loss, which puts the series at 60-52-5 according to the UW record books.
Although he didn't hold to it, the president of Colorado Agricultural College threatened to never play the University of Wyoming again unless CAC got a written apology from the Cowboys. That didn't happen, and the schools played again the next season.
But the bad blood from that controversial first game has fueled more than a century of rivalry between the schools.
Team Effort From The Top
It’s difficult — perhaps impossible — to imagine Reeves’ predecessor, Ed Seidl, participating in such a video. Ditto for most of UW’s other presidents in recent memory.
But it’s something Reeves was eager to do.
“Before he even arrived on campus, he noted he would like to be able to do these at UW,” said Chad Baldwin, UW’s associate vice president of marketing and communications.
Baldwin's department is producing the football video series.
“It’s a team effort, but to this point most of the ideas have come from President Reeves himself,” he added. “We’re going to do one two days before every game this year, home and away, and we’ve filmed a couple more already.”
Baldwin said he hopes there will be some suspense each week for viewers.
“He’s a seasoned pro at doing them,” he said. “They were very popular at West Point, and we think they will be here as well.”
DJ Handle Was “Rockin’ Reeves”
The reference to the Scorpions song came natural to Reeves, Baldwin said.
“In high school in Rock Springs he was a deejay on his father’s radio station,” he related. “As a late-night deejay he played a lot of this type of (heavy metal) music. In fact, his handle was Rockin’ Reeves.”
In another video earlier this preseason, Reeves said he wants to start a new tradition at home football games.
The university will play an anthem “that will get everybody out of their seats at War Memorial Stadium and singing along” between the third and fourth quarters. He requested people suggest songs in the video’s comment section.
“If you don't want to drop a comment, I’m going to have to pick the anthem,” Reeves said. That would make it a choice between “Friday” by Rebecca Black or “What Does the Fox Say?” by Ylvis.
Swavel’s suggestion was “Quality” by Slipknot.
“That would be my song,” the third-year head coach said, also volunteering that if his song isn’t selected, it’s likely to blare out of the stadium’s speakers during warmups.
Alex Jewell, associate athletic director for development at UW, said he’s received favorable feedback from people who watched the CSU video on its first day.
“I’ve actually heard from multiple financial supporters, with some very positive feedback,” Jewell said. “It’s an exciting time to have top-down alignment from the president’s office to the athletic department. It’s a fun and creative way to shine a light on our student athletes and the amazing things they do.”
No Substitute For Victory
Earlier this year, a veteran UW sportswriter asked Reeves what he knows about the Border War.
“Is that a serious question? Is that a legitimate question?” He responded. “It’s the oldest rivalry in Wyoming football history.
“I will use an Army quote: There’s no substitute for victory here. I fully expect to go down there and come out of CSU with a victory.”
In the video, shown on Facebook and Instagram, Reeves jokes that the Pokes' rival is really “Southern Wyoming.”
During a practice, UW Coach Jay Sawvel told a reporter that having Reeves there to watch the team practice and talk to him and Tom Burman, UW’s athletic director, was “huge.”
“You can’t quantify it enough when your president will have football-related conversations with you, and then finish that football-related conversation with, ‘Do you need anything?’” Sawvel said.
Reeves also met with the players and told them the best teams have a culture where teammates take care of one another, and they play for something bigger than themselves: The entire state of Wyoming.
“Every single one of you has to be a leader,” Reeves said.
Senior defensive tackle Caleb Robinson said the president’s message was clear, that being a leader "is not necessarily being the most vocal guy but holding people accountable, making sure not only you’re right, but everybody else is right around you and conducting yourself in a way that you’d want to see out of other people.”
Spoiler alert: The Border War video has a final scene Pokes fans will no doubt appreciate.
“Go Pokes! Beat the sheep,” the “actors” cheer.
Reeves reappears wearing his uniform.
“Hey, I thought you turned to dust!” Schoenfeld says.
“What do you think I am?” Reeves answers, deadpan. “A CSU Ram?”
Kerry Drake can be reached at: Kerry.Drake33@gmail.com
