It's a Family Thing: Muma Learned In His Youth The Importance of The Boot

Wyoming junior linebacker Chad Muma admits that Colorado State was basically the runner-up when it came time for him to make a decision on where he was going to play college football.

It, however, was a distant second.

Muma, afterall, had family ties — deep ties — to the Wyoming football team that were only reinforced by the approach of coach Craig Bohl and his staff, who never back off interest, even when he underwent surgery to repair a 70 percent tear of a patella tendon in April of his junior year at Legend High School in Park, Col.

His father, Ty, was a two-year letterman (1990-91) at Wyoming, and his maternal grandfather, Rick Desmarais was a running back with the Cowboys (1961-63).

And there was never a doubt in their mind where Chad belong.

“His mom is a Wyoming grad, too, and we’d talk about it, and I was, `How am I ever going to wear green?’” Ty Muma said. “If he chooses Colorado State, how can I ever wear green? I can’t to it.

“I wanted him to create his own path. If he chose Wyoming and it wasn’t the right fit and he didn’t get the playing time, that wouldn’t have been a good thing. I wanted him to find the right fit.”

Chad did — at Wyoming.

“My dad was proud,” Chad said. “He was tearing up a little bit. He was happy for me. And my grandfather. … He was ecstatic. It was cool to let them know I was going to Wyoming.”

You know what else is cool? When the Cowboys take the field in Fort Collins on Thursday night, Chad will be looking to celebrate not only what would be the Cowboys fifth consecutive win against their oldest rival, Colorado State, but for the third time in his three seasons with the Cowboys.

“This game has been special since I first starting learning about playing football,” said Muma. “My dad would tell me about Colorado State vs. Wyoming. I knew how important this game is.

“(Sunday) Coach (Craig) Bohl pulled all the Colorado guys out and all the Wyoming guys out, and talked to us about the meaning of this game. Everybody knows this game has a difference significance. This game, it doesn’t matter what the records are, whose having a good year. This is always a big game.”

And this game is even bigger for Muma. Not only is he filling one of the two linebacker jobs opened by the departure of Logan Wilson, now with the NFL Cincinnati Bengals, and Caash Maluia, now with the NFL New England Patriots, but he is one of four captains, elected by his teammates.

What’s more, Muma and center Keegan Cryder are the only captains on the active roster. Quarterback Sean Chambers suffered a fractured left fibula on the third play of the season, and defensive end Garrett Crall has missed the first three games with a slow heeling foot wound.

“I enjoy leading the guys on the field,” said Muma. “I don’t think I am the only leader out there, but being named a captain is very significant for me, but we also have leaders within each group that helps a lot.”

So does his embracing his Cowboy heritage.

“I grew up coming to games in Laramie,” Muma said. “I’d hear all these stories about my dad’s glory days. When I got the opportunity, it’s where I felt I belonged.”

And, he admits, he feels the Bronze Boot, which the team that wins the Border War, takes home, belongs in Laramie.

“In trophy type games there is always one team running to the trophy at the end of the game,” he said. “It sucks to be the other team. We definitely have that tangible goal at the end — run to the trophy, run to the boot.”

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