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Glenn J. “Red” Jacoby served as the Wyoming Athletic Director for 27 years, from 1946 until his death in 1973. Jacoby, who was instrumental in the construction of War Memorial Stadium and Fieldhouse, is credited with hiring some of Wyoming’s most successful football coaches including Bowden Wyatt, Phil Dickens, Bob Devaney and Lloyd Eaton. Jacoby was an integral figure in creating the Western Athletic conference. He served on the United States Olympic Committee Board of Directors. Jacoby was posthumously elected to the national Association of College Athletic Directors Hall of Fame and the Idaho Sports Hall of fame. The University of Wyoming golf course was named in his honor. Inducted October 29, 1993 Honors and Awards
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Category Archives: Player Profile
Jerry Hill
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Jerry Hill was selected as Wyoming’s Football Player of the Century during fan balloting in 1992. As an All-Skyline Conference running back in 1959 and 1960, Hill was Wyoming’s leading rusher each season. The Cowboys posted a 25-6 record during his career, and won the 1958 Sun Bowl. The Lingle, Wyoming native finished his career with 1,374 rushing yards on 288 carries. He played eight seasons in the national Football League for the Baltimore colts. He ranks eighth on the Colt’s career rushing list with 2, 668 career yards. Hill played in the Super Bowl III and V. Inducted October 29, 1993. Honors and Awards
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Mike Dirks
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Mike Dirks was one of college football’s best defensive players in 1967. An All-American and All-Western Athletic Conference performer, Dirks co-captained Wyoming’s 1967 WAC Championship football team that finished fifth in the nation. Led the Cowboys to a 10-1 record and berth in the 1968 Sugar Bowl. He spearheaded Wyoming’s line, the nation’s best rushing defense for two consecutive seasons. No team in the nation has since allowed fewer rushing yards than the 1966 and 1967 Wyoming defenses. Dirks produced 71 tackles, 30 unassisted tackles, and 26 tackles for a loss. He played in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles. Inducted October 29, 1993 Honors and Awards
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Fennis Dembo
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Fennis Dembo was a three-time All-Western Athletic conference basketball player. Dembo was selected the 1987 WAC Player of the year. He finished his career as Wyoming’s all-time scoring leader, 2,311 points, and rebounding leader, 954. He owned school records for career free throws and field goals and ranked in the top three of every career statistical category. Dembo led UW to the Finals of the 1986 NIT Championship and the “Sweet 16” of the 1987 NCAA Championships. He was the leading scorer in the 1987 NCAA Championship tournament averaging 27.8 points per game. He was the first Wyoming basketball player ever featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Dembo was a member of the 1989 World Champion Detroit Pistons. Inducted October 29, 1993 Honors and Awards
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Dick Ballinger
Dick Ballinger is the only wrestler in University of Wyoming history to win an NCAA championship. A native of Cody, Wyoming, Ballinger won the 1960 NCAA Wrestling championship at 167-pounds. During his outstanding career he was named an All-American three times. He placed second in the 1958 NCAA Championships and fourth in the 1959 NCAA Championships. Ballinger guided Wyoming to a sixth place national team finish in 1959 and a Wyoming all-time best third place team finish in the 1960 NCAA Championships. Inducted October 29, 1993
Honors and Awards
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1950 Skyline Champion Football Team
Football The defeat of Washington & Lee in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day, 1951 capped an incredible 10-0 season, and ushered in a new and successful era of Wyoming football. The 20-7 Gator Bowl triumph established Wyoming football as a premiere football power. Coach Bowden Wyatt’s Pokes outscored opponents 363-59, recorded seven shutouts and finished the season with the third best defense in the country. Wyoming, one of three undefeated teams in the nation that season, was nationally ranked for the first ever, finishing 12th in the Associated Press poll.Inducted September 16, 1994 Honors and Awards
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Clarence Bowden Wyatt
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In six short seasons, Bowden Wyatt established himself as the most legendary football coach in Wyoming history. He turned Wyoming’s lowly football program into a national powerhouse by winning more games in six years than the cowboys complied in the 16 seasons prior to his arrival from Mississippi State. Wyatt coached the school’s first two All-Americans (Eddie Talboom and Dewey McConnell), and under his leadership, Wyoming won its first conference championship (1949) and fielded its first nationally ranked team (12th in 1950). Wyoming’s offense and defense finished in the nation’s top three in 1949 and 1950 and he led Wyoming to its first ever bowl game. Wyatt, who was an All-American player at Tennessee, is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Inducted September 16, 1994 Honors and Awards
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Edward “Eddie” Talboom
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Eddie Talboom transferred from Notre Dame in order to run Coach Bowden Wyatt’s single wing offense as a tieback and kicker. The offense was a perfect fit for the athletic Talboom, who led Wyoming to a 9-1 record and first ever Skyline Conference title in 1949. Talboom engineered Wyoming’s 10-0 1950 season and was named the Most Valuable Player in the 1951 Gator Bowl. He became Wyoming’s first Cowboy All-American in football. Talboom set 13 Cowboy scoring records, including 303 career points and single game mark of 29 in a 103-0 rout of Colorado State College in 1949. He was also the first Cowboy to pass for 1,000 yards in a single season. After his career, Talboom was the greatest scorer in NCAA history and still ranks among the highest scoring football player ever.
Inducted September 16, 1994 Honors and Awards
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Kenneth R. “Ken” Sturman
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Kenneth Sturman established himself as one of the first great home-grown football players. Considered one of the toughest lineman ever to don the Cowboy uniform, Sturman played on both sides of the football as an offensive and defensive end. Sturman played every down of every game as a junior and senior and was rewarded with consecutive seasons of All-Big Seven Conference honors. He captained the 1939 Cowboy squad and was named an Associated Press honorable mention All-American. Sturman was offered a pro contract with Brooklyn following his senior year, but he was pressed into World War II service before he could sign. The Lusk native was among the highest vote-getters in the 1992 Wyoming Player of the Century balloting. Inducted September 16, 1994 Honors and Awards
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William Matthew “Bill” Strannigan
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As a coach and athlete, Bill Strannigan was one of the most productive cowboys of all-time. One of Wyoming’s first basketball All-Americans and a three-time All-Skyline basketball player, strannigan lifted the Cowboys from two consecutive losing seasons to a 1941 conference title. He led the team in scoring and was named to Chuck Taylor’s All-American team as a junior. Known as “Billy the Kid,” the talented Strannigan ran the single wing as a football tailback in 1940, and he won All-Skyline honors as a baseball pitcher in 1941 and 1942. Strannigan returned to Wyoming in 1959 to guide the Cowboy basketball team. His up-tempo style yielded 179 career victories over 14 seasons, the second highest total among UW coaches. He coached Wyoming to one NCAA tournament appearance and two NIT tournaments. Inducted September 16, 1994 Honors and Awards
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