Wyoming Cowboys
Report Card
Offense: C+ | Defense: B+ | Special Teams: A- | Meeting/Exceeding Expectations: A
Is it better to be lucky or good? In the immortal words of one Tony Stark, is it too much to ask for both?
Wyoming entered the 2023 season with 74% of last year’s returning production on their roster, the most in the Mountain West, so it made sense that now would be the ideal time for Craig Bohl’s Cowboys to engineer a breakthrough. After clawing back from a 17-point deficit against Texas Tech and creating a last-minute field goal block to escape Appalachian State, though, it also made sense to think the Pokes might come back down to earth. At midseason, Wyoming is now 3-0 in one-score games… but they never trailed against Fresno State.
So are the Cowboys lucky or good? Does it matter? What we know is that quarterback Andrew Peasley is playing arguably the best ball of his college career, and though he won’t set the stat sheet alight every week (1.6% big-time throw rate, second-lowest among Mountain West QBs), he’s also played mistake-free (1.7% interception rate). Harrison Waylee, when healthy, has also picked up where Titus Swen left off in 2022, averaging 135 rushing yards and 7.2 yards per carry in his first four games with the brown and gold. As a whole, the offense has had a knack for maximizing its opportunities with a 94.4% red zone conversion rate.
The defense has been able to make that stand, too, improving their overall havoc rate from 14.2% last year to 17.8% through the first six games of 2023. Unlike last season, though, when the defensive line ate week after week, Wyoming’s secondary has been the most significant difference-maker. Wrook Brown has three interceptions, Wyatt Ekeler is playing like one of the best safeties in the conference, while Isaac White, Jakorey Hawkins, Tyrecus Davis, and Kolbey Taylor have all been rock solid and helped the Pokes lead the country with 44 passes defended through Week 6.
Add it all up, though, and there may yet be work to be done to prove there’s staying power in Laramie. On the aggregate, Wyoming has a net of +0.02 points per drive (66th in FBS), -6.2% available yards per drive (85th), and +0.34 yards per play (53rd). If one side of the ball or the other can find one more level of efficiency, it could truly be a special season in the Equality State.
Head of the Class: Wyatt Ekeler, S
The Cowboys have gotten it done on defense at every level through six games, but Ekeler’s breakout campaign needs more notice. In addition to leading Wyoming, his 81.9 overall PFF grade currently ranks ninth among all Mountain West defenders on the strength of 38 tackles, four tackles for loss, two sacks, five passes defended, and an interception.
One Player Deserving of More Attention: Jack Walsh, G
Walsh has been tasked this fall with replacing Emmanuel Pregnon, who bolted through the transfer portal to USC, and it seems safe to say he’s been up to the task. His 76.6 overall PFF grade is tied for the sixth-best mark among Mountain West offensive lineman with at least 100 snaps, much of which boils down to having allowed just one sack and two quarterback hurries in 182 pass-blocking snaps.
Midseason Grades By Team
Air Force | Boise State | Colorado State | Fresno State | Hawaii | Nevada | New Mexico | San Diego State | San Jose State | UNLV | Utah State | Wyoming
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