By Jeff Bugher
8/18/2024
We had the chance to sit down with first-year Wyoming football head coach Jay Sawvel to discuss all things “Wyoming Football.” Sawvel shared lots of important information with us, including his philosophy and also a lot of information about his views on the team for the upcoming season
"Our main goal this season is simple," Sawvel began. "Every week, we show up with an intent to play harder, faster, smarter, and do it longer than our opponent. We want to ensure that we're consistent in our approach every day. All the other stuff that everybody else wants to talk about are byproducts of that, and that’s ultimately what we’re trying to do."
Promoting Aaron Bohl to Defensive Coordinator
We asked Sawvel about promoting Aaron Bohl to the defensive coordinator position, he explained the decision was based on the existing strength and cohesion within the defensive unit. "We’ve performed fairly well on defense over the last few years, and our players know the system inside and out," he said. "It wouldn’t have made sense to bring in someone from the outside to change everything. Aaron was ready, and it was an easy decision to make."
Offensive Coordinator: Jay Johnson
Sawvel’s decision to bring in Jay Johnson, with whom he previously worked at Minnesota, was driven by Johnson's experience and demeanor. "We won nine games at Minnesota, which isn’t the norm," Sawvel recalled. "Jay has a great demeanor in both wins and losses, and he doesn’t get flustered. He’s very team-oriented, which is crucial for success."
Running Back Depth
It’s no secret that Wyoming will be without their returning starter, Harrison Waylee, for the first part of the season as he heals from knee surgery. Sawvel revealed Waylee was not a guaranteed starter; instead, North Carolina Tarheel transfer DJ Jones was in the mix for a starting job. “DJ Jones was in a battle for the starting role, not just a backup,” Sawvel said. “He is an excellent football player with tremendous pass protection skills and very good hands.” Sawvel continued, “He kills himself daily to be as good as he can be.” We saw glimpses of DJ Jones during the spring game, so it should be fun to watch.
With a stacked running back room that includes projected players Dawaiian McNeely and Jarmari Ferrell and the return of Harrison Waylee, we wanted to ask the coach about what role Sam Scott will have in the upcoming season. Sawvel stated, “Sam Scott is a very talented guy. He had a couple of nice runs in last week’s scrimmage and has good hands.” Despite Harrison Waylee’s absence, Sawvel is confident in the depth of his running back corps, stating, “We’re still in a good spot with our running backs, and I believe in their ability to step up and perform well.”
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Quarterback Development: Evan Svoboda
Coach Jay Sawvel spoke about new starting quarterback Evan Svoboda, “My expectation is that by the fifth game of the year, he’s a lot better than he will be the first game of the year.” Sawvel elaborated on Evan’s talent and work ethic, saying, “There’s an immense amount of talent and a huge level of investment that he makes,” growing pains are expected. Sawvel continued, “There’s a fundamental learning curve, and he’ll get better and better each time he goes on the field.”
Additionally, Sawvel stated,
“A lot of times things get placed on quarterbacks that are not always fair because it takes ten other people to do their job.”
Receiving Corps
Wyoming’s receiving corps lost several key players last year due to the expiration of NCAA eligibility. Coach Jay Sawvel spoke confidently about the new talent stepping up, saying, “Do we expect to see Chris Durr Jr on the field this year? Yeah.” Sawvel continued, “We knew midway into spring ball that Durr would be a significant contributor. His playmaking ability and catch radius are going to make a difference.” Sawvel also mentioned other key players, noting, “You still have Alex Brown and Will Pelissier, and there’s a high expectation for them to be good players.” He highlighted Tyler King’s recent improvements, stating, “Tyler King has had a very, very good two-plus weeks of practice. He has dynamic speed and really good hands.” Additionally, Sawvel expressed optimism about Justin Stevenson and Jalen Sargent, saying, “Sargent made a big stride in the spring, and I’ve seen an increase in his playmaking and catching.”
Kicker John Hoyland
Coach Sawvel expressed confidence in John Hoyland’s kicking abilities despite some minor struggles in 2023. “John Hoyland is kicking well right now. I have no concerns about him,” Sawvel said. He acknowledged that Hoyland experienced a brief period of inconsistency last season but highlighted his impressive track record, noting, “He had seven kicks over 50 yards last year.” Sawvel praised Hoyland’s overall reliability and mental toughness, stating,
“John is a consistent person with ice in his veins. He’s very calm about what he does and has always performed well under pressure.”
Enough said.
On Relationship with Craig Bohl
When Sawvel took the job, he mentioned that Craig Bohl would need to keep his phone on so he can call for advice. That advice hasn’t been needed. Instead, communication between the two is more about their friendship. Sawvel said, “Craig Bohl and I are good friends first,” Sawvel said. He noted that Bohl has been intentionally hands-off, stating, “He has been so hands-off and wanted to create so much distance that he doesn’t want to have any perception that he’s interfering.” Sawvel appreciates this approach yet would like to see him stop by practice, adding, “I tell him we’d love to have him come to practice sometime. People love the man.” Despite their separation, Sawvel and Bohl stay in touch regularly, with Sawvel mentioning, “I had dinner with him last night,” and noting that they often discuss more than just football.
Defense
We didn't have many questions for Jay about the defensive side of the ball. All of our burning questions were related to the changes on the offensive side. Sawvel told us he's very confident about the defensive side under Aaron Bohl's leadership.
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