There's rap and there's country.

A laid-back California boy and a farmhand from Colorado.

A converted quarterback and an injury-plagued veteran.

Wyoming has its share of diversity on the roster, but tight ends coach Casey Glenn is stirring one of the most promising melting pots heading into today's season opener against Ohio.

"We've got guys in our meeting room from a farm in Colorado, a beehive worker from Montana, Joe Evers is from Sheridan, and then you've got Orlando (Arnold)," Glenn said. "Talk about a guy who was from the most opposite of Laramie that you could ever get.

"They have tons of fun together talking about music and talking about country-western music versus rap music, and to see us coming together even though we're so opposite, it's kind of fun."

Glenn's foursome could make UW's new-look offense more enjoyable as well, given the diverse skill set that each brings to the table and coordinator Bob Cole's affinity for tight ends.

Chris Sundberg is by far the most experienced of the group and has already spent four years in the program, though he's just a junior after an initial redshirt and a medical hardship following his knee injury early last season. When healthy, he's a reliable target in the passing game.

Jesson Salyards might be on the lighter side, but he's a fundamentally sound blocker and can also do some damage downfield.

Evers, the former quarterback from Sheridan, is easily the fastest of the bunch, and Arnold was one of the prizes of the last recruiting class after a productive junior college career.

They've all got kryponite - injuries and learning the offense among them - but collectively the tight ends could help take the Cowboys to another level on offense.

And they're leaning on each other to get it done, no matter how different they might be.

"It's weird, but that's just kind of the way football is," Sundberg said. "When I first got here, we had a lot of problems with some of the guys not getting along and stuff. As soon as you get to know each other and mesh and do all the same things together, everybody just gets along no matter where you come from.

"Maybe because we all go through the same things every day you just have to get along, but it seems like it's more than that. We spend time with each other off the field, outside of the meeting rooms, outside of the weight room. I can't really explain why it happens, it just does. No matter what part of the woods you come from, everybody just seems to get along."

The most important thing is they're all in the same part of the forest now, and each of them seems aware that it's time for the Cowboys to get out of it and into a bowl game.

That likely means all four will have to contribute at some point, which is fine with Glenn since he's convinced they're all capable.

"We have four tremendous athletes, who I expect to all be in the mix and all to be able to help us win on Saturdays," he said. "They're four guys that are big and physical, they can block off the line of scrimmage - and as an offensive line guy, I obviously like to work at that - pass game, they all want to run routes.

"They can run, they can catch, they can block. It's definitely a great situation for me because all four of them are going to compete. They all have an opportunity and the talent to be the guy."

It's definitely not a problem to have four of them.

Contact sports reporter Austin Ward at (307) 266-0634 or austin.ward@trib.com.

Cowboys Tracker

TODAY: Ohio at Wyoming, noon.

RECORDS: Season opener for both.

SERIES: Cowboys lead 1-0.

NUMBERS GAME: Junior tight end Chris Sundberg caught two passes - one for nine yards - before tearing a ligament in his knee during the opener last year and missing the rest of the season.

HE SAID IT: "To see us coming together even though we're so opposite, it's kind of fun." - Tight ends coach Casey Glenn.