The Cowboys played their 15th spring practice game that saw defense triumphing over offense 21-14.
The Cowboys are miles away from where they started but also miles away from where they need to be.
That was the general consensus Saturday when, after 15 spring practices, the University of Wyoming football team showcased its progress at the annual spring game at War Memorial Stadium.
After a full 60-minute game in front of 1,700 fans, Brown, the No. 1 defense, won 21-14 over Gold, the No. 1 offense.
“Offense sells tickets and defense wins championships. There’s a lot to be said for that,” said head coach Craig Bohl. “Our style of football has always been such that we’re going to leverage our defense. We were pleased with the performance today but that’s not to say we were completely complacent.”
Wyoming’s defensive line proved to be physical from the first drive as junior linebacker Malkaam Muhammad sacked Gold’s quarterback, redshirt senior Colby Kirkegaard, for a loss of nine. Brown mirrored Muhuammad’s play with a follow-up sack for a loss of nine by junior and senior defensive ends Eddie Yarbrough and Sonny Puletasi.
[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJvtRrF5o34″]
Succumbing to an overpowering Brown defense, Gold ended its first possession scoreless after a quick four minutes.
Led by sophomore quarterback Tom Thorton, Brown was the first to put points on the board after a ten-minute drive that saw sophomore running back Oscar Neverman rush for 40 yards.
The possession ended with a touchdown pass by Thorton. Thorton finished the scrimmage with two touchdown passes, including a game-highlight 52-yard pass to sophomore wide receiver Trent Sewell late in the third quarter.
“I thought Tommy really did some good things,” said Bohl. “He’s had a good spring and we’re in a competitive situation with the quarterback spot.”
Saturday’s scrimmage did not make the starting quarterback decision any easier. According to the depth chart released last week, Kirkegaard sits in the first-string position, followed by senior Sam Stratton and Thorton. But Thorton’s performance on Saturday may warrant a revision. He led all quarterbacks with seven completed throws for 117 yards and one sack, followed by Kirkegaard with five completed throws for 85 yards and three sacks.
Despite being out-passed, Kirkegaard played a controlled game out of the pocket, including a bootleg and six-yard run resulting in Gold’s first touchdown.
“The first few series, we were a little frustrated,” said Kirkegaard. “Once we got in the end zone, we started to see some success. I would like the offense to get more comfortable. At times it ran smoothly – other times, not so much.”
After spending spring practices working on a power-running game, Wyoming’s offensive line showed improvement on its zone-read plays and utilized the field laterally, running regularly to the outside.
Senior receiver Jalen Clairborne played a standout game, leading Gold’s offense with five catches, 75-receiving yards and 25-rushing yards. Clairborne is expected to be a significant factor in Wyoming’s offense come fall. His ability to make plays and his punt-return skill indicates he will be able to take over the role played by former Cowboy receiver Robert Herron.
“I feel like I did really well; I just try to make plays for my team and really be difference maker,” said Clairborne. “We’ve made a lot of strives to be where we want to be, I am pretty comfortable with the offense, but I want to be more comfortable. We want to get better everyday.”
“It’s all a process in changing to becoming Cowboy tough football – it’s not an easy process,” said Bohl. “We’re pleased with our process, but we’re not content with where we’re at.”
