When Beau Suder crosses the state line this week as a starting halfback for Air Force, there will be special meaning when he reads the sign “Welcome to Wonderful Wyoming.”
His arrival will also be special to Steven Suder, longtime wrestling coach at Wyoming, as Air Force heads to Laramie to play the Cowboys in a Mountain West Conference game Saturday. Steven Suder is Beau’s father.
“He grew up running around this athletic department,” Steven Suder said. “There’s been some kidding around, but some members of the department were rooting for Beau, too, the last time he came up. But there’s no doubt what colors they’ll be wearing Saturday. I’m going to be in neutral colors, but I guarantee it won’t be CSU green.”
The game at War Memorial Stadium will be Beau Suder’s first against Wyoming as a starter.
“I’ll be on the field for more snaps of the ball this time,” he said. “I got a couple of snaps on defense and a couple of snaps on special teams before.
“My brother and I always were on the field up there (as kids). … We were mat rats during the wrestling season, but we tried to be as close as we could to whatever sport was going on at the time.”
Beau Suder makes his final visit to Laramie as an opposing player in a game that is important to both teams. It’s their MWC opener, and history says the game is a toss-up. Air Force leads the series 21-20-3, but the Cowboys have won 11 of the 20 games played in Laramie and have won the past two meetings with the Falcons.
Nationally ranked Tennessee edged Air Force 31-30 on Sept. 9, but Beau Suder knows the Falcons still have a lot to prove.
“We’re preparing as we did for our opening game, but Tennessee doesn’t see our offense every year as does the defensive coordinators in the conference,” Beau Suder said. “We’re capable of duplicating the performance we had at Tennessee. It wasn’t something unique. We have a lot to prove this year after two losing seasons.”
Beau Suder is trying to view the trip to Laramie as just another game. The 5-foot-11, 195-pound senior can’t let emotions run too high, but there’s more to the Suder family reunion than the game. His parents are involved with Wyoming’s Air Force Academy Parents’ Club, which provides special welcome activities for cadets from the state of Wyoming.
“I’ve been talking to them on the telephone about the plans,” Beau Suder said. “I know they’re setting up some tailgate areas before the game.”
His decision to go to Air Force is supported by his family.
“I don’t think I would have been satisfied doing the normal college thing,” Beau Suder said. “The challenge of one of the tougher schools in the nation, the military part and the athletic side, were compelling to me and something I had to do.”
Steven Suder said there’s pride in what Beau is doing.
“I know I’m going to be asked who I’m rooting for at least 10 times before Saturday,” he said. “I’m going to be rooting for No. 22 on Air Force. I’m not thinking much about the outcome of the game. Whoever wins the game will win the game and who knows why.”
Irv Moss can be reached at 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com.
