By Jeff Bugher
Photo Courtesy of UW, Easton Gibbs
The 2023 Mountain West Football Media Days will be held at Circa Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on July 19th and 20th. This two-day event will feature one-on-one interviews with all 12 head coaches and two student-athletes from each MW institution. On July 19th, the student-athletes will be available for interviews, while the 12 head coaches will participate on July 20th. Wyoming's delegation will include two outstanding players who have significantly impacted the program and are expected to continue to do so in the future. Head Coach Craig Bohl will also be present at the event.
Photo Courtesy of UW. Head Coach Craig Bohl
Craig Bohl has been the Head Coach of the Wyoming Cowboys for 10 years now. He took over in 2014 and is currently the second-longest-serving HC in the Mountain West Conference. Bohl was named the MWC Coach of the Year in 2016 and has achieved many significant accomplishments during his tenure. The most notable of these is leading the Pokes to their first conference championship game in over 20 years during the 2016 season. Bohl has also managed 6 bowl-eligible seasons and 5 bowl games, with a bowl record of 3-2. Many of Bohl's players have gone on to play in the NFL, including Buffalo Bills QB Josh Allen.
Photo provided by UW, Andrew Peasley
One of the two players invited to attend is senior QB Andrew Peasley. He transferred from Utah State University in 2022 and immediately stepped into the starting role. In his single season with UW, Peasley proved to be a valuable asset as the team's second-leading rusher, accruing 339 rushing yards over 12 games. Peasley also completed 144 passes out of 275 attempts, resulting in a completion percentage of 52.4%. He threw for a total of 1,574 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per attempt and 5.0 adjusted yards per attempt. Although Peasley threw 10 touchdown passes, he was intercepted 9 times, resulting in a passer rating of 105.9.
I saved the best for last... Easton Gibbs, a 2023 First Team All-American, has been chosen to attend Media Days for the second year in a row. I know it's rare for a non-quarterback player to receive this honor twice. Easton is a well-known player who doesn't need much introduction; his performance on the field speaks for itself. If he can match his total number of tackles from last year, he'll tie Chris Prosinksi at #6 for all-time career tackles.
Let's take a look at Easton's statistics as a Cowboy:
2020: Gibbs played 6 games and recorded 21 solo tackles, 21 assisted tackles, and a total of 42 tackles. He had 2.5 tackles for loss.
2021:Gibbs played 13 games and had an improved performance with 50 solo tackles, 39 assisted tackles, and a total of 89 tackles. He had 7 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and 4 passes defended.
2022: Gibbs played 13 games and had an impressive season with 64 solo tackles, 57 assisted tackles, and a total of 121 tackles. He had 9 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Gibbs also had 1 pass defended and recovered which resulted in a touchdown.
It seems that Wyoming is gearing up to have a solid team this season, particularly with what could be the best defense in the conference. The buzz around Mountain West Media days only adds to the excitement and eagerness for the season to kick off. Is it possible for September to arrive any faster?
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