Early analysis for Wyoming's season opener at Illinois
May 25—For the next 12 weeks, WyoSports' Josh Criswell will examine each game on the University of Wyoming's 2022 football schedule. Here is a look into the Cowboys' Aug. 27 season opener at Illinois.
Transfer QBs set to make debuts
With spring practice complete, all signs point toward a pair of incoming transfers making their first appearances with their new teams when the Pokes and Illini meet in Week Zero.
Tommy DeVito transferred to Illinois this offseason after spending the past five years at Syracuse. DeVito had his 2020 season cut short due to injury and lost his starting job last fall, but showed promise in his first year as a starter in 2019 — passing for 2,360 yards with 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also added two scores on the ground, and despite being sacked 44 times, finished the year with 122 rushing yards.
This promise was on display again in Illinois' spring game, during which he completed 16 of 20 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns.
In former Utah State quarterback Andrew Peasley, the Cowboys also have an incoming transfer that has spurred positivity behind center. Peasley's 201 passing yards in the spring game — which included 169 yards and two touchdowns on 64.3% passing over the final three quarters — was a mark reached only twice by UW quarterbacks last season.
New-look offense
DeVito isn't Illinois' only intriguing addition on offense.
The Illini also hired Barry Lunney Jr. as offensive coordinator following an impressive two-year run at UTSA. The Roadrunners ranked 11th and 34th in the country, respectively, in scoring offense (36.9) and total offense (439) last season, while securing the program's first Conference USA championship. UTSA's offense ranked 10th, or worst in the conference, in scoring and yardage in each of the three years prior to Lunney's arrival.
A former Bret Bielema assistant at Arkansas, Lunney will be a welcomed addition for an Illinois team that ranked outside the top 100 nationally in total, scoring, passing and red zone offense last season.
Strength on defense
While the Illinois offense struggled throughout much of 2021, the performance of the defense was a source of optimism. The Illini gave up 20 points or less in seven out of 12 games last fall, with their 21.9 points allowed per game ranking sixth in the Big Ten.
Keith Randolph is a promising returner up front, with the 6-foot-5, 300-pound defensive tackle earning an All-Big Ten honorable mention as a redshirt freshman in 2021. Jake Hansen and Khalan Tolson leave significant shoes to fill at inside linebacker, but Tarique Barnes and Calvin Hart Jr. should be able to step in as key contributors. Hart was named the Chuck Bednarik Award national player of the week for his performance against Nebraska, but missed the rest of the year with an injury, while Barnes made Phil Steele's All-Big Ten fourth team.
Devon Witherspoon has started 20 games and appeared in 30 during his three years with the Illini, and is poised to be an anchor at cornerback as he looks to build off last fall's all-conference honorable mention. This is also true for Sydney Brown at safety, who received the same honor following a productive junior campaign.
Other notable returners
The Illini have several other key pieces coming back, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Illinois returns its top four rushers from last year in Chase Brown, Joshua McCray, Reggie Love III and Jakari Norwood, who combined to rush for 1,832 yards in 2021. Leading receiver Isaiah Williams is also back after hauling in 47 catches for 525 yards and four touchdowns a year ago.
Opening line
DraftKings is the only Wyoming sportsbook operator that has released a betting line for the matchup between the Cowboys and Illini. UW is listed as a 10-point underdog.
Josh Criswell covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at jcriswell@wyosports.net or 307-755-3325. Follow him on Twitter at @criswell_sports.
