LARAMIE — Wyoming football is set to open spring practice Tuesday as the Cowboys begin a 15-practice schedule leading up to the annual Spring Game April 26 at War Memorial Stadium.
Wyoming will host open practices to the public on Saturdays, with times and details to be announced. The program will also hold a youth football clinic following practice on April 5, with additional information forthcoming.
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Sawvel on Spring Practice
Second-year head coach Jay Sawvel expressed his excitement about getting back on the field after the offseason.
“We are excited to get started. It’s time to get started,” Sawvel said. “Our players did well this offseason. We have hit some markers, and I see a lot of leadership from the veterans in terms of how they operate day to day. I have been very pleased with the new guys that we added from a physical and maturity standpoint.”
Sawvel outlined key areas of focus, particularly on the offensive and defensive lines.
“We have a lot of things to get done. The two biggest things for me are to increase the number of winnable offensive linemen, and that is a development thing,” he said. “On the defensive side, we have a lot of new players, and we have to get them to play the way we need them to play to be successful.”
Key Returners and New Faces
The Cowboys return several experienced players on both sides of the ball, including multiple All-Mountain West selections. Offensively, Wyoming brings back quarterback Kaden Anderson, All-MW tight end John Michael Gyllenborg, and running back Sam Scott. Wide receivers Jaylen Sargent, an honorable mention All-MW selection, and Chris Durr Jr. will lead the receiving corps. Nine offensive linemen from the 2024 two-deep return, including All-MW selection Jack Walsh.
On defense, the Cowboys retain key contributors such as defensive end Tyce Westland, nose tackle Ben Florentine, defensive tackle Jayden Williams, and cornerback Keany Parks. Sawvel brought in 10 defensive transfers to bolster a unit that led the nation in third-down defense last season.
Nickel-back Wrook Brown, who earned honorable mention All-MW honors in 2024, intends to enter the transfer portal as he wishes to be closer to his family.
“This was not a football decision or a complaint about anyone,” Brown said.
Coaching Staff Updates
Wyoming welcomed several new members to its coaching staff during the offseason. Former Cowboys wide receiver and UW Athletics Hall of Famer Jovon Bouknight takes over as wide receivers coach after serving as an analyst last season. Deonte Gibson joins from Air Force to coach defensive tackles, while Donnell Kirkwood Jr., who played under Sawvel at Minnesota, will coach running backs.
The Cowboys also added three graduate assistants: former Wyoming players Mason Schultz and Cameron Murray, along with Bryce Missey. Austin Maus, previously a graduate assistant and assistant director of player development, moves into the role of director of player personnel.
2025 Schedule Overview
Wyoming’s 2025 schedule includes a mix of regional and conference matchups.
Home Schedule:
- Sept. 6: Northern Iowa
- Sept. 13: Utah (first trip to Laramie since 2010)
- Oct. 11: San Jose State (Mountain West opener)
- Oct. 25: Colorado State (Border War)
- Nov. 22: Nevada
Road Schedule:
- Aug. 30: at Akron (first meeting)
- Sept. 30: at Colorado (first matchup since 2009)
- Oct. 18: at Air Force
- Nov. 1: at San Diego State (first trip since 2019)
- Nov. 15: at Fresno State
- Nov. 29: at Hawai’i (Paniolo Trophy game)
Wyoming opens its season at Akron on Aug. 30 before returning to Laramie for back-to-back home games against Northern Iowa and longtime rival Utah. The Cowboys will play Colorado on Sept. 30 and host Colorado State for the Border War on Oct. 25. Wyoming wraps up the regular season with a trip to Hawai’i on Nov. 29.
