Spring Practice No. 4: Wyoming’s Effort and Intensity on the Rise

File Photo - Jaylen Sargent scores his first touchdown (2024), photo by Troy Babbitt, UW Athletics

Tuesday was Wyoming's fourth spring football practice. During his April 1 press conference, head coach Jay Sawvel discussed the team's progress, highlighting improvements and areas of focus.

Physicality and Effort: A Step Forward

Sawvel was pleased with the team's physicality, noting that the previous Saturday's practice was one of the best he had seen since taking over the program. "I thought Saturday was one of the better practices that I'd seen since I've been here from a physicality and effort standpoint," Sawvel said. "Everything in that way, I thought today was right there with it." The second-year head coach made it clear that accountability is important, and it was more than just words. The defense failed to make a crucial play at the end of practice, meaning the entire group had to face the consequences. "They didn't win, everybody suffered," he said, showing his team that success is a shared responsibility.

Offensive Dominance and Defensive Growth

During the press conference, it was brought up that the offense appears to be ahead of the defense. Sawvel stated that the disparity is expected given the amount of returning experience on the offensive side of the ball. "Offensively, there's a lot of returning players, starting with the quarterback, a skilled group of receivers, and an interior offensive line that's played a lot of football," he noted. "Defensively, there's a lot of new, and so at times, there’s going to be some things there."

Don’t let that fool you; Sawvel expressed optimism about the defense's potential. "Look, we'll be alright," he said. "It’s also a building process on that side of the ball because a lot of guys are here in a foreign language for the first time." Still, Sawvel saw encouraging signs, citing physicality and good efforts in the defensive line and perimeter blocking drills. "We weren't even in the realm of physical in the perimeter a year ago, and we are right now," he said.

Development of Key Players: Wide Receivers

At wide receiver, Sawvel singled out Jaylen Sargent and Chris Durr as leaders in the group. "At every position, there needs to be a leader or leaders that set the course," he said. "We have that at that position right now, and we need to maintain that and keep going."

Additionally, Sawvel spoke highly of freshman wide receiver Deion DeBlanc, stating that he’s doing a great job adjusting to the system of college football, and has the potential to be a key contributor. "He can play faster than he's playing right now," Sawvel said. "He's physically ready to compete."

Defensive Line and Linebackers: Leaders Emerging

The defensive line has seen growth and challenges, with players like Caleb Robinson stepping up after his recovery from a car accident. Sawvel is very happy with Robinson’s playmaking ability. "When Caleb plays, he does a good job leading with his hands," Sawvel said. "He was missed last year."

Linebackers, on the other hand, are still in the process of finding their leadership. Sawvel highlighted the progress of players like junior cornerback Keany Parks, who is doing well, but noted that the linebacker and secondary positions are still looking for solid leaders. Finding those leaders will be even more critical, especially since the team will no longer have captains.

Kicking Competition and Final Thoughts

Sawvel concluded his comments with an update on the kicker situation, expressing confidence in Eric Sandvik’s development. "I'm really happy with where Eric is. He's come a long way," Sawvel said. With Wyoming’s all-time leading scorer John Hoyland moving on, Sandvik has some big shoes to fill in 2025 and beyond.

Coach Sawvel appears to be leading in full force this year.  With the spring season in full swing, it’s clear that the Cowboys are building toward something special under his leadership.