LARAMIE, Wyo.—Dan Hammerschmidt knows a lot about the Border War between the University of Wyoming and Colorado State.
He has experienced it as a player and as a coach for the better part of 18 years. But 17 were on the Colorado State side.
Friday’s 101st football game between the two schools will be his first with UW.
“It’s a little weird for me because it’s the first time (at UW), and I don’t exactly know what to expect,” he said.
Hammerschmidt was a defensive back for CSU in the mid-1980s.
He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Rams in 1986. Hammerschmidt served as their receivers coach from 1996-2000 and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 2001-07.
CSU fired coach Sonny Lubick and his staff after the 2007 season. Hammerschmidt landed at Rice as its receivers coach in 2008.
First-year UW coach Dave Christensen hired Hammerschmidt to be his receivers coach and assistant head coach.
“I’m sure it will be an exciting time for him, but I know he’s 100 percent Wyoming Cowboys now,” Christensen said. “We are the ones taking care of him. They’re the ones that got rid of him.”
In Hammerschmidt’s 12 years as an assistant coach at CSU, it won or shared six conference titles and went to nine bowl games. But after four straight non-winning seasons, CSU fired Lubick and ended the best run in the 115-year history of the program.
“There’s always a little bitterness when you lose,” Hammerschmidt said. “I think we were more bitter (because) we failed Sonny. We were bitter with the way he was treated.”
Hammerschmidt hasn’t had to uproot himself or his family that much as a coach.
Prior to his 12 years at CSU, he was at Duke for seven. His move to UW was his second in as many years, but it was welcomed.
“When I was at CSU, I didn’t think I would be on the other side of the Border War,” he said. “But the reasons were easy for me to come here because I was at CSU.
“I knew I got my butt kicked by Wyoming a few times. I covered (former UW tight end Jay) Novacek, or tried to, as a player. I coached against (former UW coaches) Paul Roach, Dennis Erickson and Joe Tiller. I’ve seen (former UW receiver) Marcus Harris go up and down the field on us for an NCAA record (in 1996).
“I knew (UW) had better facilities. I knew that when I was down there. I knew the program and the conference, so I knew we had a chance to win up here. I knew more about Wyoming than anyone else, so it was an easy move for me.”
Hammerschmidt also has had reminders, some more subtle than others, about the rivalry between the two schools. He said an old CSU parking sticker was still on his car when he first arrived in Laramie.
A UW fan noticed and, in his words, “jumped his butt” about it. Needless to say, he got rid of the sticker.
Hammerschmidt also has tried to send friends in Fort Collins UW apparel, but he said more often than not it’s been rejected or resulted in fights or arguments.
Hammerschmidt worked with many of the current CSU coaches, including head coach Steve Fairchild. Both were assistants under Lubick.
“Dan is a tremendous coach and a good friend of mine,” Fairchild said. “He’s a tough guy with a great football knowledge.”
Fairchild also got in a good-natured jab on seeing Hammerschmidt wearing UW’s brown and gold colors.
“Weird and unattractive,” he said.
Hammerschmidt said he acquired a lot of his coaching knowledge from Fairchild, who was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at CSU when Hammerschmidt worked with the receivers.
“Steve is one of the best quarterback coaches I’ve ever been around,” he said. “I learned most of what I know about quarterbacks and receivers from him and from (former Duke and Florida coach and current South Carolina coach) Steve Spurrier.”
Just two years removed from CSU, Hammerschmidt recruited and is familiar with a lot of the players.
He recalls talking Lubick into putting defensive back Nate Oppenneer on scholarship after he transferred from the University of Mary, an NAIA school. Oppenneer leads the Rams with four interceptions and is third with 59 tackles.
He described junior running back John Mosure as having a “heart the size of a lion.” Mosure leads the Rams with seven rushing touchdowns and is second with 614 rushing yards.
He remembers when the current members of the Rams’ offensive line were sophomores and “had a chance to be pretty good.” Most now are seniors and have a combined 125 starts, the most in the nation.
He also remembers recruiting the Morton brothers out of California—Damon and Dion—as receivers. Dion is a senior and caught six passes for 160 yards and three touchdowns against UW last season.
“He’s definitely a good guy and someone that would get the receivers going,” Morton said.
Christensen planned on having Hammerschmidt talk to UW’s players, or at least some of the younger ones, about the importance of the Border War.
But the fact a win gets the Cowboys in a bowl game and secures a fifth-place finish in the league should be enough motivation, even if this wasn’t a rivalry game.
At least that’s what Hammerschmidt thinks.
“What’s nice is this is a big one for us, and we have our own things to deal with,” he said. “We have to find a way to make first downs and get the ball in the end zone. I’ll be more focused on getting our guys focused and ready.
“No matter if we were playing the Oklahoma Sooners or the Colorado State Rams this week, we’ve got to win this baby to have a chance at the postseason. It’s going to be about execution, focus and firing them up. I’m not going to spend a lot of time on CSU-Wyoming.
“It’s football. It’s about our kids, building a program and winning ball games.”
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Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle – Cheyenne,
