Jim Talich Feature

THE CODY BRONC FOOTBALL STAFF WILL SEE SOME CHANGE THIS COMING SEASON AS HEAD COACH MATT MCFADDEN WILL TAKE OVER THE OFFENSIVE PLAY CALLING AFTER FORMER OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOSH HAYS STEPPED DOWN, TO BE A DAD AND WATCH HIS DAUGHTER COMPETE. WITH COACH MCFADDEN TAKING OVER THE OFFENSE, JIM TALICH HAS BEEN PROMOTED TO DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR. TALICH, A FORMER WYOMING LINEBACKER HAS BEE WITH THE BRONC FOOTBALL PROGRAM FOR YEARS AND GETS HIS SHOT AT COMMANDING THE DEFENSE. COACH TALICH ON TAKING OVER AS D-COORDINATOR.

WELL A LITTLE BIT MORE RESPONSIBILITY, OBVIOUSLY. OUR STAFF IS FAIRLY INTACT STILL ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE WHICH IS A BLESSING FOR US, HAVING COACH MCFADDEN RUN IT FOR SO MANY YEARS FLAWLESSLY AND HAVING OUR SAME STAFF. WE DID PICK UP ANOTHER LINEBACKERS COACH. COACH SNELL CAME TO US FROM COLORADO, SO WE’RE EXTREMELY BLESSED THAT WAY. HE’S RUN A LITTLE BIT OF THE SYSTEM THAT WE’RE GOING TO BE INCORPORATING THIS YEAR. NOT A LOT OF CHANGES LIKE YOU SAID, FROM LAST YEAR. WE GOTTA PLAY WITH A LOT OF ATTITUDE, LOT OF ENERGY AND HAVE FUN.”

COACH TALICH SAYS THERE WON’T BE A WHOLE LOT OF CHANGE TO THE DEFENSE BUT DOES ADD HE HOPES TO BRING SOME NEW WRINKLES TO IMPROVE UPON AN ALREADY OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE SCHEME.

“JUST A LOT OF BUILDING ON. LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF PASSION FOR THE GAME. YOU KNOW DEFENSE IS QUITE A BIT EASIER THAN OFFENSE. OBVIOUSLY A LOT LESS EXECUTION NEEDS TO OCCUR. YOU CAN MAKE UP WITH A LOT OF THINGS JUST WITH A LOT OF HEART, A LOT OF ATTITUDE, A LOT OF EFFORT. NOT NECESSARILY ANYTHING NEW. I THINK, MORE THAN ANYTHING, WE WANT TO KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR OUR KIDS ON DEFENSE. WE WANT TO NOT MAKE THEM THINK A WHOLE LOT. WE WANT TO LET THEM JUST BE ATHLETES AND HAVE FUN.

AT THE END OF JULY THE BRONCS HOSTED THEIR BIGHORN ANKLE AND FOOT CAMP. COACH TALICH TALKS HOW GREAT THAT CAMP WAS.

“JUST TO GET OUT HERE NUMBER ONE, WITH WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE WHOLE VIRUS THING, JUST BEING A LITTLE BIT UNSURE AND NOT KNOWING. IT’S BEEN AWESOME JUST TO SEE KIDS COME OUT HERE, SEE NEW FACES, SEE SOME FAMILIAR FACES, SEE HOW THE KIDS HAVE GROWN. A LOT OF THIS LOCK DOWN HAS PROHIBITED US REALLY SEEING A LOT OF THOSE KIDS. SO JUST SEEING THE GROWTH AND SEEING A LOT THOSE SMILING FACES THAT WE’RE USED TO SEEING AND HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF GLIMPSE OF HOPE THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAPPEN.”

ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS ABOUT THIS YEAR COACH SAYS, WILL BE THE ABILITY TO COACH BOTH OF HIS KIDS, NIC AND LUKE TALICH.

“MAKES ME EXTREMELY PROUD, OBVIOUSLY. IT’S GOING TO BE EXTREMELY SPECIAL FOR MY TWO BOYS TO BE ABLE TO PLAY TOGETHER ON THE SAME FIELD. IT’S ALSO GOING TO BE TRYING AT TIMES FOR ME, YOU KNOW, TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OFF THAT DAD HAT. FORTUNATELY, I’VE GOT SOME PREDECESSORS IN FRONT OF ME. I’M GOING TO HAVE TO TAKE MY DAD HAT OFF AT TIMES. WE HAVE A BACK-UP PLAN FOR TIMES WHEN THAT OCCURS. ALL-IN-ALL I’M JUST EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY BLESSED TO HAVE THE BOYS THAT I DO, PLAYING TOGETHER AND EXTREMELY PROUD.”

AND WHILE IT MAY BE EARLY COACH GIVES A GLIMPSE AS TO WHAT THE FANS CAN EXPECT DEFENSIVELY THIS YEAR.

“WE’RE SUPER ATHLETIC. WE MAY NOT HAVE THE BIG GUYS. WE ALWAYS RUN INTO THIS EVERY YEAR, WHERE WE’RE KIND OF CONTEMPLATING EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO SIZE WISE. DOESN’T MATTER FOR US. WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT IS, WHEN THEY SHOW UP TO THE GAMES, THEY’RE GOING TO SEE A LOT OF ATTITUDE, LIKE I SAID, A LOT OF PASSION FOR THE GAME. THAT’S WHAT I EXPECT OUT OF MY DEFENSE. THEY ALWAYS SAY THAT DEFENSE KIND OF REFLECTS HOW THE COACH IS. THAT’S HOW I AM WITH THE GAME. SO WHAT THEY CAN EXPECT TO SEE IS A LOT OF GUYS RUNNING AROUND HAVING A GOOD TIME.”

THE CODY BRONC FOOTBALL TEAM BEGINS PRACTICE FOR THE 2020 SEASON MONDAY AUGUST 17TH. THE BRONCS GET THE REGULAR SEASON UNDERWAY AUGUST 28TH ON THE ROAD TO FACE DOUGLAS.