In sharp contrast to the last time he met the University of Wyoming football team, Ty Detmer, the BYU quarterback, had a clue as to what was going on Saturday afternoon in Cougar Stadium. What a difference a clue makes, not to mention a year. Last time: Wyoming 24, BYU 14. This time: BYU 36, Wyoming 20.
Detmer expertly led the BYU offense past the Cowboys, throwing for 337 yards and two touchdowns while handing off for an additional 127 yards on the ground. The sophomore Cougar quarterback did not throw an interception.Now, contrast that to a year ago, in Laramie, Wyo., when Detmer was introduced to the bright lights of major college football in the second half of a nationally televised (ESPN) season-starting game between the Cougars and the Cowboys. Sean Covey, the BYU starter that night, had been dealt a concussion-causing tackle in the first half, and would not return to the lineup.
Up to that point in his life, Detmer was a much-heralded BYU recruit from San Antonio who had redshirted his freshman year and had yet to live up to his reputation.
That much was also true after the game.
Detmer threw 26 passes in the half, completed just nine for 133 yards, and had four intercepted. After early success via a touchdown pass to Chuck Cutler, the new quarterback was rendered ineffective.
As Detmer remembers it, "I was shell-shocked. They ate me up pretty good. All of a sudden the world came tumbling down.
"Our defense would hold them every series. They scored three points in the second half. But we never got past the 50.
"I never really saw what was going on. I'd drop back, and if somebody was wearing a blue shirt, I'd throw it to him."
Detmer only played sparingly for a couple of months after that, not getting significant playing time until toward the end of the season. That gave him plenty of time to dwell on what had happened in the face of a solid Wyoming defensive front.
In fact, he dwells on it still.
"Every time I get ready to play, I think about it," he says.
That included yesterday's Detmer-Wyoming rematch.
"They had a couple of guys back from that defensive line of a year ago," said Detmer. "I was ready. I had a lot to prove."
Such an atmosphere didn't give Wyoming much of a chance to sneak up on either Detmer or his teammates, many of whom had similar long memories. Even if the Cowboys were 1-4, they had the Cougars' attention.
Inspired by the past, the Cougars rolled to a 22-0 halftime lead, with Detmer throwing for 199 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked four times, so at least the Wyoming defense, led by All-America end Mitch Donahue, was showing some mettle. But the difference was, this time Detmer accepted the sacks, rather than looking for a blue shirt and letting the pass fly - and then watch it turn into an intercpetion.
"I'm seeing everything so much better this year," says Detmer. "Last year, I never audibiled. Now, I do all the time. I've got a much better idea of what's going on."
On and off the field.
No sooner had the game ended and the BYU team entered its locker room than Detmer hustled over to where the offensive line players dress. He gave them a personal standing ovation.
In all, he had been sacked six times. But he knew it could have been worse.
BYU offensive tackle Bryan May challenged Donahue _ who was credited with one sack and one hurry _ all afternoon long. "He's quick and strong, and hard to shut down all the way," said May, who weighs 290 to Donahue's 250. "But I'm satisfied, and as an offensive line we've got to be satisfied. That was a good defensive line we went up against. We were thinking about this game all summer. I know I was. I knew Donahue could either make me or break me."
And if he ever forgot it, Detmer was there to remind him.
BYU Coach LaVell Edwards audibled a sigh of relief after the game. "I don't care what their record is, that's a football team that scares the heck out of you, especially on defense," he said.
Of Detmer, he said, "He learns from the past. He's the type of guy, you'll ask for his input during the ballgame, and he won't say anything unless he's sure of his answer. He knows what's going on."