When Wyoming attracted Craig Bohl to become its head football coach, there was a confidence, not to mention excitement, that he was the man who could retool and refresh Cowboy football.
He said that it would take time, but he would return respect to the Brown and Gold. He's done what he said he would do.
That kind of commitment and accomplishment transcends the respect we have for him in Wyoming. It flourishes on a national level as well.
In other words, Bohl is as well-respected in his profession as any coach on collegiate football.
If one spends any time with him at all, the love he has for the game of football is more than apparent. He cares deeply for the game, especially the college game.
He has given much to the game, and it has been good to him.
Bohl has spent 18 years as a head coach, and another 19 as an assistant. His stops have included eight seasons at Nebraska as an assistant and 11 as head coach at North Dakota State. During those two stops he was a part of five national championships. Three of those rings came while he was Bison head coach, and two came while with the Huskers. He went to 11 bowl games while at Lincoln!
He knows success, and Wyoming has certainly experienced that first hand.
But a side of Bohl that most in Wyoming are not aware of is the respect he enjoys beyond the field of play. His voice is definitely heard nationally.
At the present time Bohl sits on two national committees.
He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Board of Trustees as second vice president. He will be president of that organization in two years. Trustees of the AFCA are selected by vote of the membership, and he has served as a Board member for 12 years! TCU's Gary Patterson is the current president. Bohl's status with fellow coaches is impressive. He is highly regarded among his peers.
As if that position wasn't enough, Bohl also serves on the prestigious 13-member NCAA Division I Football Competition Committee.
The Competition Committee is one of the most influential bodies in college football. Bohl is one of two coaches among the Committee's 13 members, the other being David Shaw of Stanford. In the main, the committee is comprised of conference commissioners, athletics directors, faculty-athlete representatives and supervisors of officials. This group is charged with issues ranging from bowl tie-ins to the development of fall practice plans, to regulation of uniforms.
Obviously with the current state of affairs, the Competition Committee is dealing with a number of unique issues such as the feasibility of having a season, what fall camp will look like and what kind of qualifications will be necessary for bowl participation if there is a season. The Committee is also studying various recruiting models.
Both committees require a major commitment of time, something football coaches don't have a lot of. But Bohl believes that serving on both is extremely important.
"It's a labor of love for me," Bohl says of his participation. "The game of football is extremely important to me. I enjoy being a part of both groups.
"The Competition Committee has a significant and profound impact on the game. It does take a considerable amount of time, but I'm honored to do it. Our group includes some major stakeholders of collegiate football. It's a group from different areas of collegiate athletics providing different perspectives which is extremely healthy.
"We are looking into the future, especially recommendations regarding when we play, what we are doing with bowl games, and adjustments in national signing day. There are a lot of very important decisions that come out of this committee.
On the AFCA Board, each conference is represented. "As trustees we provide perspective on what the college coaches are thinking regarding all issues pertaining to the game, recruiting, practice models, and the safety of our kids. We take our board participation very seriously. We have a great bunch of guys who I really enjoy meeting with and discussing serious issues about our game.
"These committees outside of coaching football allow me the opportunity to give back to the game I care very deeply about," Bohl continues. "There are some days maybe that I don't feel like I have time. But because of the importance of these responsibilities I'm happy to make time. It's part of being involved in the game of football."
Wyoming certainly appreciates what Craig Bohl has done while directing the Cowboy football program. But it's also good for us to know and appreciate his contributions to the game on a national level.
