Former NDSU coach Bohl expects philosophy to stay the same

LAS VEGAS - Wyoming first-year head football coach Craig Bohl has changed teams, but not his philosophy.
The former North Dakota State head coach - who led the Bison to three straight national championships - is convinced the style he used at the NCAA Division I FCS level with the Bison can work in the FBS with the Cowboys.
Bohl’s case study: NDSU’s season-opening victory at Kansas State last season.
“That gave me a firm conviction, if we can do this model in Fargo, it will work in Laramie,” Bohl said Tuesday during Mountain West Football Media Days at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
“It really hit me after we beat Kansas State, and I have a great deal of respect for (head coach) Bill Snyder and the Kansas State program.”
Wyoming starts the Bohl era against an FCS foe on Aug. 30 when the Cowboys host Montana in Laramie.
Bohl wants the Cowboys to play a physical brand of football, similar to the championship teams he molded at NDSU.
Bohl doesn’t expect that transition to happen right away.
“That’s a process when you get into physical style of football, that doesn’t come about overnight,” Bohl said. “That’s not a schematic thing. That’s a mindset.”
Wyoming is in the Mountain Division of the 12-team league along with Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico and Utah State.
Fresno State, Hawaii, Nevada, San Diego State, San Jose State and UNLV are in the West Division.
“We’ve got a great conference,” Bohl said. “I think you’re going to see great football in this league. The margin of difference between the big five (conferences) and the Mountain West I think is going to be very minimal.”