Positions to watch in Wyoming's spring game
Apr. 30—LARAMIE — A handful of starting spots and key roles are still up for grabs at the end of spring practice for the University of Wyoming, adding intrigue to today's Brown and Gold game.
The annual scrimmage will kick off at 2 p.m. and is free and open to the public, with tailgating beginning at 9 a.m. in the parking lot east of the stadium. Here are five positions for fans to keep an eye on this afternoon.
Quarterback
With the Cowboys set to unveil a new starting quarterback in 2022, all eyes will be behind center today.
There hasn't been any official indication on who is leading the position battle, but Utah State transfer Andrew Peasley has been the most talked about signal-caller throughout spring practice. He's the most experienced player of the group — which also includes Snow College product Evan Svoboda and returners Hank Gibbs and Jayden Clemons — after receiving limited action in four years with the Aggies, and has impressed the coaching staff with his ability to grasp UW's pro-style offense.
"I've been studying a lot and getting to know the offense," Peasley said. "For me, being comfortable with knowing what I'm doing makes it a lot easier to make decisions on the field. About halfway through spring ball I really made a step towards better decisions and better accuracy, just because I was learning more and picking it up faster.
"I still have a lot to learn with the run game and protection-wise, but it's going good."
Running back
It's no secret who is in line to get the bulk of the running back reps next season. However, with starter Titus Swen unlikely to play extensively in the spring game out of precaution, fans will receive a solid look at the candidates vying for the No. 2 spot.
Sophomore Dawaiian McNeely rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown with an average of 6.6 yards per carry last season. A hip injury forced him to miss roughly half of the spring, but all signs point to him being the favorite to back up Swen.
Redshirt freshman D.Q. James has had a couple productive scrimmages in the past few weeks, with Jordon Vaughn and Joseph Braasch also competing for playing time. Jeremy Hollingsworth had received praise from coaches this spring, as well, but he recently suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Running backs coach Gordie Haug says the competition within the group has had a positive effect.
"No doubt," Haug said. "That's the best part. You can't have enough running backs in the room, just because of the beating they take throughout the season. To have as many guys as we do is pretty lucky, and every day is a competition."
Offensive line
While other positions might typically garner more attention, the UW offensive line is a source of intrigue this off-season.
The Cowboys have a pair of seasoned returning tackles in Eric Abojei and Frank Crum, but the interior line likely won't be solidified until close to the season opener. Emmanuel Pregnon, Nofoafia Tulafono, Jack Walsh and Caden Barnett are some of the underclassmen that have impressed new offensive line coach Joe Tripodi in his first year with the program.
"We kind of have two things going on," Tripodi said. "We have our older guys, and then we have all these hungry younger guys. The competition is what makes us all better, so that part has been exciting."
Linebacker
Similar to Swen, it wouldn't be surprising for starting middle linebacker Easton Gibbs to have his snaps limited today. In addition to avoiding injury, this will allow the Pokes to receive an in-depth look into the players competing for playing time at weakside linebacker.
Sophomore Shae Suiaunoa has been working with the starters during the spring, and is the team's most experienced linebacker outside of Gibbs. Fellow returner Connor Shay and Michigan State transfer Cole DeMarzo are also in the mix, with the competition expected to last well into fall camp.
"A lot of guys are stepping up and playing really well," Gibbs said. "This competition is bringing a lot out of everybody, because it's not really set between two guys. It's really the whole room, so everybody is upping their game. We've been really physical during the scrimmages, which is always a big thing to have at linebacker."
Cornerback
Regardless of who the two starters at cornerback are, defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel has indicated he would like to rotate at least three players at the position.
Bohl has spoken frequently about Ole Miss transfer Jakorey Hawkins' speed and play-making ability, with sophomore returner Cameron Stone showing significant progress from where he was at this time last year. Wisconsin transfer Deron Harrell also will be a vital part of the Pokes' plans.
Hawkins is excited about the depth that these three, as well as the rest of the cornerback room, will provide.
"It's good to have," Hawkins said. "I'm confident in the guys. Cam, Kolbey (Taylor), Deron, (Mathew Posas), Tre (Dean), we all work very hard. I feel like we've had a good spring, and I'm confident we're going to handle our business."
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.
