LARAMIE — The Wyoming Cowboys closed the spring with the annual spring game inside War Memorial Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Cowboy offense, led by quarterbacks Tyler Hughes (13-20, 131 yards, 2 TDs) and Mason Drube (11-16, 112 yards, TD) got the best of the defense 37-21 in a modified scoring system.
“We got good work today and we have a long way to go,” Head coach Jay Sawvel Said. “Every day is an important day for us. Even these next few weeks when guys are still here before we get to the summer is important. For what we were trying to get out of it today, there were a lot of things we can take from this for the good and the bad. When one side of it is going good, one side of it is not so good. There were positives on both sides of it, there’s a lot of work to do on both sides of it, too.
“When we have a good summer and get the fall and have our complete group defensively, have our complete group offensively … the offense did some good things today, but you don’t have Sam Harris out there, you don’t have Kyle Frendt out there. Hopefully there’s even more to it.”
The modified scoring system saw the defense start the game with a 21-0 lead. The offense got on the board for the first time with a 47-yard strike from Hughes to wide receiver Jackson Holman to cut the lead to 21-7 in the first quarter.
“That’s probably the best feeling, I think, in all of football, catching a go-ball mid stride for a touchdown,” said Holman, who finished his day with two grabs for a team-best 71 yards. “I don’t think anything beats it, really.”
The offense made it a seven-point game on a Dontae Burch rushing score in the second quarter. The sophomore from Kansas City showed patience in the backfield, before bouncing it outside and cruising in from four yards out.
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The drive was highlighted by a 33-yard pass from quarterback Mason Drube to true freshman receiver Jayden Williams. Erik Sandvik tacked on a 28-yard field goal for a 21-17 game halfway through the second quarter. Wyoming’s offense, led by Hughes, stalled inside the 5-yard line. The William and Mary transfer busted a 55-yard run on that possession.
“I’m blocking backside, and I look up, he’s on a full dash almost 20 yards down the field,” said wideout Eric Richardson, who led the offense with six catches for 55 yards. “So, you never know what Tyler will do. He’s gonna make things happen.”
Hughes threw his second touchdown pass of the contest and gave the offense a 24-21 lead in the closing seconds of the second quarter. That came on a naked bootleg, rolling out to his right and finding running back Nico Hamilton all alone inside the pylon.
Hamilton led all rushers with 68 yards on 13 attempts. Redshirt freshman Jaden Lawrence added 53 more yards on just seven carries. Nikos Varelas also finished with 42.
The contest went to a 24-21 game at the half with the offense leading after being down 21-0 to start the game.
The offense added a pair of scores in the second frame with Nico Hamilton finding the end zone on a scamper of over 20-yards. Tight end Gage Brook tacked on a score to end the game from five yards out with the offense taking the contest, 37-21. That also came on a bootleg throw to the right from Drube.
The UW defense, which was shorthanded, playing without potential starters Jayden Williams, Dante Drake and Ethan Stuhlsatz, did record eight tackles for loss in the contest with a pair of sacks. Travis Franklin Jr and Gary Rutherford led the defense, combing for over 14 tackles.
Saturday’s game was the final practice for the Cowboys this spring, as UW practiced 15 times this in the month of March and April.
* A UW press release contributed to this report
University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
The rules are simple: What was the player’s impact while in Laramie? That means NFL stats, draft status or any other accolade earned outside of UW is irrelevant when it comes to this list.
This isn’t a one-man job. This task called for a panel of experts. Joining 7220’s Cody Tucker are Robert Gagliardi, Jared Newland, Ryan Thorburn, and Kevin McKinney.
We all compiled our own list of 50 and let computer averages do the work. Think BCS — only we hope this catalog is fairer.
Don’t agree with a selection? Feel free to sound off on our Twitter: @7220sports – #Top50UWFB
Gallery Credit: 7220Sports.com
– University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players
