Craig Bohl retires after 10 seasons at UW

Dec. 6—LARAMIE — Craig Bohl will retire as the University of Wyoming's head football coach following the Cowboys' appearance in the Arizona Bowl later this month.

Bohl spent 10 seasons at UW, which is the longest football coaching tenure in school history. He also has the most bowl wins (three) and bowl appearances (six) of any coach in Laramie.

"As I began to look at this team, and I look at where we're at, I think we're in a really good place — a really good place," Bohl said during Wednesday's news conference. "I also think it's time for new leadership. I think it's time for new leadership to elevate our program to a higher level.

"We play in a great conference, and there's great challenges and opportunities out there, so, I met with (athletics director Tom Burman), and I said, 'You know what Tom, I think my time and my tenure — I really need to ride off into the sunset after this last bowl game, and you're going to be charged with finding my replacement.'

"So, Tom began to (go) through that, and I'm excited about his choice. So, I will be coaching one more game. I have one more rodeo in me before we ride off."

Bohl currently has an overall record of 164-92 and a record of 60-60 at UW. His 164 wins rank No. 13 among active Football Bowl Subdivision football coaches. Bohl served in the same post at North Dakota State prior to arriving in Laramie. He guided the Bison to a 104-32 record and three Football Championship Subdivision national titles.

"We damn sure want to win every game," Bohl said. "We'll think about some of the highs and lows of these wins and losses, but what we'll most cherish is the opportunity to have the chance to mentor and develop young men."

Bohl had six winning seasons since being hired in 2014, including a 8-4 overall record this fall. His six winning seasons are second-most in UW history behind Lloyd Eaton's mark of seven from 1962-70.

Bohl's contract was set to expire following the 2024 season. The longtime coach said he appreciated the opportunity to retire on his own terms.

"Very few head coaches have an opportunity to walk away on their terms when they want to," Bohl said. "(Burman) has been very supportive all along. He and I have a great relationship, and we communicated — and I knew it was time.

"... I began to look at our players during the course of the year, I looked at the fans, I looked at where our program was at, and I looked at the culture, and many times, coaches stay around too long. They wear out their welcome, and they, for whatever reason, their decision model is not one of great clarity.

"So, I felt like now was the time, and that we were at a really good place. I also feel like ... to have a younger voice to step into that locker room and to move forward was going to be important."

Burman has been the head of the athletic department for the entirety of Bohl's tenure. He named defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel to take over as UW's next head coach following the Arizona Bowl on Dec. 30 in Tucson, Arizona.

"We talked during the year, but I knew it was probably going to be the end (after the regular-season finale at Nevada last month), just based on how he was thinking and acting and the conversations we had," Burman said. "When you have a coach that's at this stage of his career, you always have to have your head on a swivel and be prepared for a change, and that's what I get paid to do."

Burman, a Laramie native, has seen plenty of football coaches at UW over the years. What sticks out the most about Bohl's tenure was his ability to connect the Cowboys with the entire state of Wyoming.

"Coach Bohl, what I think resonates most with Wyoming people is, he was going to put a product on the field that came to work," Burman said. "You could drive from Greybull and come to a game in Laramie, and you knew that that group of players and that group of coaches were going to be prepared, and they were going to play hard, and they were going to leave everything on the field. That hasn't always happened. He connected with (UW fans) that way."

The Cowboys went 7-0 at War Memorial Stadium this fall for the first time in program history while setting a new attendance record in the process. While it's bittersweet to leave the game he loves, Bohl said he is excited about the direction UW's football program is heading in going forward.

"We have a great game," Bohl said. "College football right now has never been more popular. The TV ratings are through the roof. You saw us break home attendance records. We are in a great state, and I've never been more optimistic on where college football is."

Bohl started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Nebraska in 1981 and spent 21 seasons as a head coach between NDSU and UW. One of the most successful coaches in UW history is excited for whatever new challenges greet him in retirement.

"My wife and I talk at the end of each year, and we have new adventures that are out there," Bohl said. "I think an opportunity (could be possible) to still be involved somehow in college football. I don't know what those parameters are, but we have horses, and I like to play golf.

"I may have a Manhattan and smoke a cigar tonight."

Alex Taylor is the assistant editor for WyoSports and covers University of Wyoming athletics. He can be reached at ataylor@wyosports.net. Follow him on X at @alex_m_taylor22.