Former Wyoming Head Coach Joe Glenn Battling Alzheimer’s Disease

LARAMIE -- "It's impossible to have a bad day around him."

Those are the words of former Wyoming linebacker Ward Dobbs. He uttered that phrase back in 2008. He was referring to his head coach Joe Glenn, a man known for his million-dollar smile and genuinely kind nature.

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Casey Glenn echoed those sentiments Thursday in a Facebook post, penning that his father has never had a bad day.

"Some are just better than others," he added. "That is certainly the case here."

That followed the revelation that "Cowboy Joe" is battling Alzheimer's disease, an irreversible and progressive brain disorder that effects memory and thinking skills.

The 76-year-old is in "great physical health," according to Casey Glenn, and, as always, has his beloved wife Michele by his side.

"She is a saint," he said.

Glenn, who now calls Eagle, Idaho home, coached at Wyoming from 2003-08 after stints at Northern Colorado and the University of Montana. At those two previous stops, the Lincoln, Nebraska native claimed three national championships, including two in Greeley at the Division II level.

The latter program is now making a push to get Glenn enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame.

When Glenn arrived in Laramie, the Cowboys had won just five games over the previous three seasons. He immediately injected life into the not only the program, but a long-suffering fanbase.

Glenn, the 30th head coach in UW history, instantly became a fan favorite on the high plains, coining the rallying cry "Powder River Let 'Er Buck." He was also known to sit behind the piano and bang out the school's fight song, Ragtime Cowboy Joe.

"We are absolutely thrilled to have attracted Joe to Wyoming," then athletic director Lee Moon said in December of 2002. "He has won championships on every level he has coached. We set our goal to hire the most qualified individual we could, and a successful head coach if possible. With Joe we reached our goal. I talked to a lot of people during my search. It was clear that Joe was the right man to bring our football program back to where we expect it to be. He is a man of integrity, and a class act all the way around. His coaching philosophy matches mine as far as his offensive and defensive plans, and his treatment of his student-athletes. He brings a great deal to the table.

"Joe is a great fit for this institution and for the state of Wyoming. We could not be happier, and we look forward to watching Joe bring this program back to the kind of success it has enjoyed throughout its tradition."

Wyoming won four games in his first season the sidelines. That included upset victories over the Cowboys' two biggest rivals, Colorado State and BYU. The following season, the win total reached seven, including a 24-21 victory over heavily-favored UCLA in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Glenn was lifted on the shoulders of fans who rushed the field after the final whistle.

That was the program's first postseason win since 1966.

"I couldn't be happier for our whole team, and I think it is a shot of spirit for our whole state," Glenn told the Associated Press.

Glenn's tenure also included upsets of Ole Miss (x2), Tennessee and Virginia. His Cowboys also escaped with a 16-13 victory over the FCS's top-ranked team, North Dakota State, in 2008.

Glenn capped his 26-year head coach career in 2015 at his alma mater South Dakota. He finished with an overall record of 200-134-1 and was 18-7 in the playoffs.

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