Star-Tribune Editorial Board

For those who think it's important to have a successful NCAA Division I-A football program at the University of Wyoming - you can count us among them - the 2008 season is a crucial one.

After Joe Glenn took over in Laramie and led the Cowboys to a 2004 Las Vegas Bowl victory, all indications were that he had turned the program around, and fans could expect regular trips to bowl games in the years to come. The man who was hugely successful at Northern Colorado in Division II and Montana in Division I-AA seemed to be working his magic in the highest division of college football, and fans began to worry about whether UW would be able to keep him from moving to an even bigger coaching opportunity.

Since the Las Vegas Bowl victory, however, Wyoming has posted a record of 15-20, with nothing better than a .500 season to show for it. Now, instead of being mentioned among the hot coaching prospects around the country, Glenn is on the hot seat.

A winning record this fall, and a return to a bowl game, would put the program back on course away from mediocrity and give Glenn more time to build on his impressive overall 184-92-1 coaching record.

To be sure, Wyoming football is in better shape now than when Glenn arrived in Laramie. In addition to improving on a pathetic record of five wins in three years that preceded him, he has helped bring about significant improvements to UW's athletic facilities - an important factor in being competitive in Division I-A. He has been a great ambassador for the university and has fostered goodwill around the state. He has recruited student athletes who, knock on wood, have avoided off-the-field misconduct that would bring negative publicity to the program.

And, with the exception of an inappropriate response to a lack of sportsmanship by the opposing coach at the University of Utah last year, Glenn has been a fine representative of UW around the country.

But competitive sports is about winning. And without more victories this season, Glenn's infectiously upbeat personality won't be enough to attract sufficient numbers of fans to War Memorial Stadium - one of the most important factors in sustaining Division I-A programs.

Fortunately, the table has been set for just the season Wyoming needs. The schedule includes a record seven home games, and on paper, at least seven wins is a reasonable expectation. The Cowboys return a bunch of players from their outstanding defense of last season, and there is enough talent and experience to improve on last year's anemic offense - the primary reason for the second-half slide.

A decisive win Saturday in Laramie against Ohio University, followed by a victory next week at home against conference foe Air Force, would provide a great start.

One more note: While Wyoming fans have a right to expect the team to perform better this season, they also have an important role in achieving success. Not only are crowds of at least 25,000 important to motivate the players and coaches; they're essential to keep Cowboy football in the ranks of Division I-A.

Yes, it's true that many Wyoming fans must travel long distances to attend games in Laramie. Yes, fuel prices are high. Yes, the weather, especially late in the season, can hurt attendance. And yes, a capacity crowd of 30,000 is a remarkable achievement in a state with a total population of 500,000.

But none of that matters when you're competing with the big boys. If Wyoming wants to maintain a Division I-A program, the state must support it with both dollars and strong fan attendance.

A look at the program's history shows plenty of evidence that Wyoming is capable of producing a winner. We might have to overachieve - both on the field and off - to make it happen. But in many ways, we are a state of overachievers.