5 takeaways from Pokes’ spring practice – County 17

LARAMIE, Wyo. — Wyoming will kickoff the 2025 season in 120 days.

That may seem like an eternity for diehard Poke fans, but it’s more like a blink of an eye for second-year head coach Jay Sawvel.

“We have the makings of a good football team,” Sawvel said after last the spring game last Saturday at War Memorial Stadium. “We have to get a lot better in certain areas.”

The Cowboys will get a break before returning for summer workouts on May 26. The team, including the entire 2025 recruiting class, will report for fall camp in late July.

In the meantime, here are five takeaways from spring practice as UW ramps up for the Aug. 28 opener at Akron.

Strength at the point of attack

The interior of both the offensive and defensive lines has improved due to position changes, coaching and development.

Jack Walsh has moved from right guard to center, Caden Barnett from right tackle to right guard and Rex King remains at left guard on the offensive line.

“I think we’re going to have a great interior three and these tackles are coming along, too,” Barnett said. “We’ve got a really solid offensive line. I mean the bond inside is great, we’re going to move people.”

However, moving the defensive tackles was not easy during the spring.

Dante Drake, a 6’3″, 292-pound sophomore, stood out over the 15 practices. Seniors Ben Florentine and Caleb Robinson were also solid, and sophomore Lucas Samsula adds some reliable depth after missing the 2024 season due to injury.

The Pokes’ most talented defensive tackle, sophomore Jayden Williams, will participate in summer workouts after sitting out the spring following foot surgery.

Sawvel upgraded his staff from last season by hiring Deonte Gibson away from Air Force to coach the defensive tackles.

“There’s never been a good defense in the country without good D tackles,” defensive coordinator Aaron Bohl said. “We’ve got to make sure we’re good at that point, and Coach Gibson has done a good job of keeping the main thing the main thing, holding these guys accountable and really putting a fire in them because they have talent there.”

Hall of fame standard at WR

The promotion of Jovon Bouknight, who was inducted into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame last year, to full-time wide receivers coach is already paying off.

Jaylen Sargent put an exclamation point in his outstanding spring with four catches for 79 yards in the spring game. Chris Durr Jr. is an explosive target in the slot, but UW can also create matchup problems with touted freshman Deion DeBlanc and 6-6 senior Clay Nanke.

Jaylan Bean and Bricen Brantley each had a touchdown reception in the spring game. Arizona transfer Jackson Holman and Northwest Missouri State transfer Eric Richardson will also compete on the outside.

“Bouknight is so technical. He’s a great coach,” Sargent said. “The details that he preaches to us every single day, it’s unmatched. I’ve never had a coach at that position be that detailed just wanting us to win. I feel like he plays through us, he leads through us. I really do appreciate him and everything that he is teaching us right now.”

Improved physicality, play-making at safety

The Pokes struggled on the back end of the defense in 2024 when longtime starting safeties Wyett Ekeler and Isaac White missed significant time with injuries and never truly recaptured their form.

Sawvel, who coached the position at UW for four seasons before becoming head coach, hit the transfer portal hard to make sure safeties coach Jason Petrino had plenty of depth and talent to work with.

That was on display during the spring game when Cal transfer Brooklyn Cheek set the tone with an interception. Jaden DeCosta (Portland State), Justin Taylor (Wisconsin and Desmond Hearns (Southern Illinois) have also bolstered the unit.

Senior strong safety Andrew Johnson is the leader of the group and sophomore Jones Thomas is ready to make his mark.

“Sometimes it’s tough when you have dudes who have played a thousand snaps a year like Isaac White did,” Johnson said. “He was a leader, he was experienced, but now I’m that guy. I have experience in the room that no one else has. I’m trying to pass along whatever knowledge I have on the field along to them.”

John Michael Gyllenborg did not play in the spring game, but over the course of the 14 practices leading into the public showcase No. 84 was consistently the best player on the field.

If all goes according to script, Gyllenborg will be quarterback Kaden Anderson’s No. 1 target and a Mackey Award candidate.

“I think he could be a first-round draft pick,” Anderson said. “That dude is so special and we’re very lucky to have him, I’m very lucky to have him.”

The tight end position is the deepest on the team with Jake Wilson, Isaac Schoenfeld, Evan Svoboda, Justin Erb and Tyler Hampton all performing well in the spring and incoming freshmen Kyle Frendt and Landon Pace set to join the fray this summer.

Plenty left on to-do list

Over the next 120 days the Pokes need to sort out the offensive tackle positions, develop depth at defensive end, identify three reliable cornerbacks and develop a one-two punch at running back.

Rex Johnsen (right tackle) and Jake Davies (left tackle) took a lot of snaps with the first-team offense this spring. Redshirt freshmen Braylon Jenkins and Giovanni Panozzo took a step forward. Brandt Rice, Quinn Grovesteen-Matchey and Nate Geiger will join the competition after recovering from injuries.

Tyce Westland is UW’s top returning defensive end and Weber State transfer Brayden Wilson is a load at 6-5, 260 pounds. A combination of Esaia Booger, Eltoum Murgus, Kevin Sjogren and Tell Wade must be ready to contribute to the rotation.

The Cowboys have intriguing prospects at cornerback, but Markie Grant and Tyrese Boss are redshirt freshmen, Tyson Deen is a true freshman, BJ Inmon is new to the program, Caleb Merritt is relatively new to the position and Ian Bell has been hampered by injuries during his career.

Nico Hamilton rushed for 70 yards but suffered a broken arm in the spring game. Dontae Burch demonstrated a knack for being able to punch the ball in at the goal line and Charlotte transfer Terron Kellman showed flashes. Sam Scott, a pending transfer and three incoming freshmen will also compete at running back in fall camp.

“We’re a better football team than what we were a year ago at this time,” Sawvel said. “I think we have a lot of work to do.”