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UW Spring Football Report (4/14/23)

Wyoming Cowboys Prepare for Scrimmage on Saturday as They Enter Second Half of 2023 Spring Drills

Laramie, Wyo. (April 14, 2023) -- With eight of 15 spring practices now in the books, the Wyoming Cowboys are preparing for a scrimmage on Saturday, April 15 that head coach Craig Bohl says will give them a better idea of how the team has progressed through the first half of 2023 spring drills. Bohl made his comments after the Cowboys wrapped up the eighth practice on Thursday night.



“We had our eighth practice today and we’re making progress,” said Bohl. “This Saturday, we’ll have a scrimmage and that will give us more of an indication of where we are at.”



Bohl had good things to say about several skill players heading into Saturday’s scrimmage. Among the players he singled out were transfer running back Harrison Waylee, who joined the Cowboys this spring as a junior from Northern Illinois University, sophomore wide receiver Jaylen Sargent from Logan, Utah, and sophomore cornerback Kolbey Taylor from Houston, Texas.



“Some of the things I’m seeing -- I think Harrison (Waylee) is really showing some exceptional vision, burst and he’s got good hands,” commented Bohl. “Jaylen Sargent is starting to mature more as a receiver, and then the other guy who I think is making some leaps and bounds progress is Kolbey Taylor. If we can get a guy with that kind of range playing corner that can really help us.”



Asked if there was something that Bohl could attribute to the 6’2”, 186-pound Taylor’s improvement this spring, the head coach said, “I think a lot of it is Kolbey understanding how to play corner. In this game, to be able to utilize your length but not grab, be able to process the defense and carry out the calls and then just maintaining focus and composure. Kolbey has always had ability, but some of those things I mentioned he wasn’t able to put into action before. Sometimes there were self-inflicted wounds, where he would lose focus here or there, but I haven’t seen that (this spring). We’ve had eight really hard days (of spring practice), and he’s had eight good days.”



On the defensive line, Bohl was asked about the status of junior defensive tackle Jordan Bertagnole from Casper, Wyo., who missed the final two regular-season games last season for the Pokes due to injury before returning for the Arizona Bowl. Bohl commented on Bertagnole’s status and also highlighted the improvement of another defensive tackle, junior Gavin Meyer.



“He’s (Bertagnole) a little bit banged up, but he’s been good,” said Bohl. “The guy who I think has made significant strides is Gavin (Meyer) inside.”



While the defensive line is expected to have excellent depth this coming season, this spring has seen the offensive line missing several key players in practice due to injuries or offseason surgeries. Asked about how the offensive line was progressing after Bohl mentioned last week that they were down in numbers on the O-line, Bohl responded, “We’re still a little thin right now, but it’s giving some young guys like Wes King and Rex Johnsen some opportunity to go out and work. We are a work in progress there right now. We don’t have Frank (Crum) and we don’t have Caden (Barnett) at tackles, but it’s given us an opportunity for some other guys to get some reps.”



Another couple of players who Bohl highlighted in his comments to media included one young Cowboy, in sophomore tight end John Michael Gyllenborg from Leawood, Kan., and one veteran, in graduate wide receiver Wyatt Wieland, from Colorado Springs, Colo.



In the case of Gyllenborg, he only played one year of high school football his senior year at Rockhurst High in the Kansas City metropolitan area, but Wyoming was able to find him and sign him. Bohl was asked how he and his staff found Gyllenborg.



“I’ve known his high school coach for probably 35 years,” said Bohl. “He and I go way, way back. There were pieces in place (regarding Gyllenborg) that indicated he could have a really big upside. It was one of those situations where you’re turning over every stone and sometimes you get lucky. I wouldn’t say we were necessarily lucky in this case -- we did our due diligence. I think you’re going to see John Michael really add some great value to our offense this next year.”



In terms of Wieland, who will be entering his sixth season as a Cowboy in 2023. He has played in 39 games as a Cowboy entering the 2023 season, and has consistently increased his role as a wide receiver and valuable special teams performer through the years. The Colorado Springs native from Pine Creek High School, Wieland has already earned both his bachelor’s degree in finance and his master’s degree in business administration at UW. Wieland has put on weight and was up to 207 pounds entering spring drills. He has also continued to improve his numbers in the weight room.



“Beyond the size, all of his measurables he has made progress in,” said Bohl about Wieland. “When you find a guy who is later in his career and making those kinds of gains physically, that is an indication of true discipline. When your younger, it’s easier to put on some lean muscle mass, but as you get older and more mature, that is when you have to make a concerted effort, and he’s done that.



“I think his confidence has improved and his catching ability. Also earlier in his career, I didn’t think he had a great ability to separate from a defensive back, but we’re seeing more separation now. That is also reflected in his flying 10s and other measurables from this offseason.”



Bohl continues to coach the Wyoming specialists. He has the luxury of welcoming back First Team All-Mountain West place-kicker John Hoyland this coming season. The junior from Broomfield, Colo., also earned Second Team All-America honors from Pro Football Focus (PFF) in 2022 and was one of 20 national semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award that is presented annually to the nation’s best place-kicker.



At punter, Bohl also welcomes back both his starting punter from the 2022 season, in graduate Clayton Stewart who was an Honorable Mention All-MW selection, and its starting punter from 2021, in junior Ralph Fawaz. Bohl was asked what he has seen in the competition between his two veteran punters this spring.



“Competition always brings out the best in people,” said Bohl. “I thought Clayton did a good job for us this last year. I can tell you this, we watch everything and competition is always good. We had significant improvement in the punting game last season. I appreciate Ralph’s attitude and I’ll continue to watch that competition, but right now Clayton has done a better job.”



Wyoming’s next practice is its scheduled scrimmage to take place on Saturday, April 15. All practices and scrimmages are closed to the public, but the Spring Game on Saturday, April 29 will be free and open to the public.

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Maldonado Set for Portsmouth Invitational

Maldonado Set for Portsmouth Invitational Tournament

LARAMIE, Wyo. (APRIL 10,2023) –
After a record setting career in the Brown and Gold, Hunter Maldonado is set to play in the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament this week in Portsmouth, Va. The Tournament features 64 of the top senior players in college basketball. Maldonado will open play with the K&D Rounds Landscaping team on Wednesday at 7 p.m. MT. The tournament will run from April 12-15.

Since 2016, Wyoming has had four players in the event along with Maldonado. Josh Adams played in 2016 with Hayden Dalton doing so in 2018 and Justin James in 2019.



The 64 players will be placed on eight teams that will play a tournament style format beginning on Wednesday and will run through Saturday.

The Portsmouth Invitational is the oldest amateur basketball tournament in the nation and is the only event dedicated to college seniors. Maldonado will have the opportunity to showcase his skills in front of NBA and international scouts. The top players in the event will also get an invite to the NBA Combine.



Maldonado finished his career with 2,158 points to rank third all-time in school history. He also is UW’s and the Mountain West’s all-time leader in assists with 630. He ranks eighth at UW in rebounds with 808 and is the only player in college basketball history to record over 2,000 points, have over 600 assists and grab over 800 rebounds.



He played in a school record 157 games along with a school record 144 starts. He recorded a career-high 36 points against New Mexico in the MW Tournament in his final game at Wyoming.



Maldonado also added 188 steals at UW for second all-time and made 558 free throws to rank second at UW.



Fans can follow live stats and watch the games by visiting www.portsmouthinvitational.com.

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Cole Godbout Article

Committed to Wyoming, Cowboy Nose Tackle Cole Godbout Prepares for His Final Season
TIM HARKINS

Laramie, Wyo. (April 13, 2023) -- It was definitely not the season Cole Godbout had anticipated when he began the 2022 college football season. Godbout entered the ‘22 season having been voted a team captain by his teammates. He was coming off a 2021 season in which he was named Second Team All-Mountain West Conference by Pro Football Focus (PFF) and Honorable Mention All-Conference by Mountain West head coaches and media. Godbout was having an outstanding start to the 2022 season leading the Cowboy defense from his nose tackle position, but then six games into the season it all came to a sudden end due to a foot injury.



At the time of his injury, the Hudson, Wis., native ranked third on the team in tackles, with 32, had 10 quarterback hurries and 4.5 tackles for loss in just six games. But his injury would force him to miss the next six games of this season before he made it back to start in the 2022 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl. Overall it was a long and frustrating season for him personally. It was the first time in Godbout’s career that he missed extended time due to an injury.



“I had a slight knee injury in the very last play of the 2019 season, but that was a quick recovery and I was back for spring practice, but this current injury is the biggest injury of my career,” said Godbout. “I’m very blessed that I’ve stayed relatively healthy, but this last year was tough. Watching my team play, knowing that I could contribute if I was healthy.



“When you have goals for yourself and expectations for yourself and then an injury cuts your season short it’s frustrating, but it’s out of your control at that point. I just tried to improve the rest of my body the best I could during that time. I’m feeling a lot better now. I’m improving each week. It’s a slow process because they don’t want me to go backwards, but it’s been going smoothly.”



The 2023 season will be Godbout’s sixth season as a Cowboy. He came to Wyoming in the summer of 2018 and redshirted his true freshman season. As a redshirt freshman in 2019, he started five of 13 games. Godbout started five of six games during Wyoming’s COVID-shortened season of 2020. Beginning with the last two games of that 2020 season through 13 starts in 2021 and six to start the 2022 season before he suffered his injury, Godbout had started 21 consecutive games for the Cowboys. For his career, he has started 30 of 38 career games entering the 2023 season.



His breakout season was in 2021, when he ranked third on the Wyoming defense in tackles, with 70, trailing only linebackers Chad Muma and Easton Gibbs. Godbout led the Cowboys with 5.0 sacks and ranked second on the team in tackles for loss, with 7.0, only one TFL behind Muma’s team leading 8.0. Godbout averaged 6.25 tackles per game during conference play in 2021 to rank second among all defensive lineman in the conference. Those numbers led to his All-Conference recognition from both Pro Football Focus and the MW head coaches and media.



When Godbout returns to the field this coming season, he will be rejoining his defensive tackle running mate, Jordan Bertagnole, on the interior of the Wyoming defensive line. The two have been a formidable force together, but they aren’t the only quality players returning for the Pokes. Due to Godbout missing half the season in ‘22 and Bertagnole also missing a couple games due to injury, younger Cowboys got their chance to play. Gavin Meyer and Caleb Robinson gained valuable experience at nose tackle and defensive tackle in their sophomore season of 2022 as did then sophomore Ethan Drewes and then redshirt freshman Ben Florentine.



“I’m really excited about our returning group,” said Godbout. “Between me going down and Bert missing a couple games, it did allow some of our younger guys to get some much-needed experience. That has some benefits of getting those guys ready for bigger roles this upcoming season. I really think our position group is going to be one of the deepest on the team next year, which is exciting. When I come out or Bert comes out, we have guys who can step into those roles and play just as good as us.”



While Godbout was injured, he took on a new role of serving as a mentor to his teammates and be as helpful as he could to defensive tackles coach Oscar Giles.



“I tried to act as a secondary coach because I’ve seen a lot here,” said Godbout. “I tried to be a second set of eyes for Coach Giles, give the guys tips when I could, give them encouragement. I tried to make it easier for them and helped coach the younger guys like Ben Florentine, who is honestly having a hell of a spring camp. He’s going to play a big role for us next year.”



When it comes to Coach Giles, who joined the Cowboy coaching staff for the first time in 2022, he came to Wyoming after successful coaching stints at the University of Texas, University of Houston and SMU, as well as a standout playing career at the University of Texas. Godbout is excited about what Giles brought to the team last season and what he’ll add again this year.



“He has a lot of experience to share with us since he actually played the position,” said Godbout. “He was able to look at our position from a little different perspective, which we appreciated. He had insight into playing our position and came from a background of coaching some future pros at other schools he was at. One of the former players he coached was Ed Oliver (University of Houston), who is tearing it up for the Buffalo Bills. Seeing how his coaching has benefitted other players like that gives us a lot of encouragement that if we follow what he is teaching us he can help us all be the best players that we can be. He’s been there and he knows what to do to get there.”



As Godbout looks ahead to his final season wearing the Brown and Gold, he is taking the final stages of his rehabilitation slowly, building up to being fully healthy for the coming season.



“I’m probably about 60 percent back right now,” commented Godbout. “They wanted me to take it slow because I kind of pushed myself last season to get back and they want me as healthy and as strong as I can be for this upcoming season. No Spring Ball for me this year. They care about me and want me to be healthy and ready to go for next season.”



And being able to play that sixth and final season as a Cowboy is important to Godbout. In the age of the transfer portal, it is a very personal choice for players to decide whether to stay at their current schools or decide to seek other opportunities. There are a wide range of reasons for staying and going: from financial considerations with NIL opportunities, where student-athletes can now make money from their name, image and likeness; to moving somewhere a player feels they may have an opportunity to play more. But for Godbout, he always knew he was going to stay committed to Wyoming and he had a clear reason why.



“I’m the type of player where I feel like I could have found success outside of this conference, but I honestly owe a lot to this program and owe a lot to Coach (Craig) Bohl,” said Godbout. “I was pretty under-recruited in high school, but Wyoming gave me a shot. With that in mind, Coach Bohl has done a lot for me and leaving was never really something I considered seriously because this program has given me so much and hopefully will help give me an opportunity to play at the next level. I was voted a captain by my teammates last year. This is my home.”



While there is a lot of talk about how the new transfer-portal era is hard for fans and coaches to get used to, it is also hard for players to get used to with old teammates leaving and new ones coming in each year. Godbout is understanding of other players’ situations and provides a good perspective on how players have had to adjust during this transition in college athletics.



“It definitely has been pretty wild,” said the sixth-year Cowboy. “You’ll have friends who you’ve built bonds with and gone through the wars with and then to see them leave can be heartbreaking. But at the same time, if they feel like leaving is the best route for them you’ve got to respect that because if you really care for them you want what is best for them.



“It works both ways -- coaches can leave after you have built relationships with them too. I think in both cases, whether it is players moving on or coaches moving on, I’m going to respect their decisions because I love those guys and I want the best for them.”



But Wyoming fans don’t have to worry about Godbout leaving UW. When the 2023 season kicks off from War Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 2 vs. Texas Tech, Wyoming fans will once again get the opportunity to witness the return of one of the great Cowboy defensive linemen. Just look for #94 in the middle of the Wyoming defensive line and appreciate the talent and work ethic of nose tackle Cole Godbout -- a Wyoming Cowboy for life.

TJH​

Burman must be so proud.........

Yes, Burman must be so proud, women's tennis is having its best start in MWC play ever.............and women's basketball had a good year, does this mean that women's basketball and tennis are the flagship programs at UW?

Mediocrity in almost every other sport, especially the high-profile men's sports is Burman's legacy!

If you were guessing that this post is dripping with sarcasm you are absolutely correct! How often do we have to flush down our expectations on sports at UW to continue to be Cowboy fans? At least we have high caliber kids who do well in school and graduate! We have a pretty expensive sports program where the ONLY point of achievement is to graduate, and graduate with good grades! Achievement on the field or court? As they say in New Jersey, Foget about it!
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Ken DeWeese Named Associate Head Coach

Ken DeWeese Named Associate Head Coach for Cowboy Basketball

LARAMIE, Wyo. (APRIL 11,2023) – University of Wyoming head men’s basketball coach Jeff Linder announced Tuesday that Ken DeWeese has been promoted and will now serve as associate head coach of the Cowboy basketball program. DeWeese is entering his fourth season with the Cowboys and eighth season on staff with Linder.

“Coach DeWeese has played a key role in this program both on and off the court,” Linder said. “He is a talented coach, and his enhanced role will be key to the future of our program. I look forward to this opportunity for him and he will continue to help push Cowboy Basketball to success.”

DeWeese helped the Cowboys reach the NCAA Tournament in 2022 finishing the season with a 25-9 overall record. The Pokes received their first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament since 2002 and marked the first trip to the Big Dance since 2015. The Pokes recorded 24 wins in the regular season for the most since the 1951-52 campaign. The Pokes, who were picked to finish eighth in the Conference ranked as high as No. 22 in the nation in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches' polls.

“My family and I are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue the work we started here at Wyoming three years ago,” DeWeese said. “Helping Coach Linder lead this program has been a great honor. I want to thank Coach Linder and the University of Wyoming athletic administration for trusting in my ability as a coach and character as a person. I am excited about the future of the program as we continue to grow and develop.”

The Cowboys featured the top offense in the Mountain West in his first season with the program. He helped revamped the Cowboy offense to averaging 76.5 points per game. Wyoming also led the MW in three-point field goals per game at 10.1. The Pokes ranked No. 12 in the nation in three-point field goals per game as well.

The Pokes went 6-1 in non-conference play in 2020-21 including a road win over an Elite Eight team in Oregon State. Wyoming won six total road games on the season for the most away from Laramie since the 2012-13 season. UW also had a winning record on the road since 2000-01 season.

In 2020, DeWeese was named one of 50 impactful mid major assistant coaches in college basketball.

DeWeese helped UNC to the most wins during a three-year stretch in program history, with 69 wins. The Bears also finished in the top-100 of the NCAA NET Rankings this past season.

DeWesse has also helped the Bears record 15-wins in Big Sky play in back-to-back seasons for the most in school history. He also helped lead Northern Colorado to its first postseason title in 2017-18, as the Bears won the College Invitational Tournament. It marked the first postseason title for any Colorado school since the 1940 season. It was also the first postseason title for a team from the Big Sky Conference. During the 2017-18 campaign, UNC won a school record 26 games on their way to the CIT Championship. The Bears finished the season ranked in the top-100 of the RPI.

During his time with the Bears he mentored Big Sky Player of the Year Jordan Davis, as well as Defensive Player of the Year Jonah Radabaugh, Sixth Man of the Year Kai Edwards and Freshman of the Year Bodie Hume.

Prior to his time at Northern Colorado, DeWeese helped guide the UTEP to over 120 wins, including three seasons of 22 wins or more and two NIT appearances. Known for his recruiting at UTEP, DeWeese signed 26 players that were on Conference USA commissioner’s Honor Roll selections.

In his first year as an assistant at El Paso, he recruited four-student athletes that went on to earn All-Conference USA honors, including C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. He recruited a consensus national Top 100 recruit, Vincent Hunter. Hunter went on to be C-USA Freshman on the Year in 2013-14 and First Team All-Conference in 2014-15. His 2013 recruiting class was ranked in the Top 25 by numerous media outlets.

In back-to-back years, DeWeese was ranked as the top assistant in C-USA by NextUpRecruits.com and was the second ranked assistant in 2013-14 and ‘14-’15.In six seasons at UTEP the Miners defeated nationally ranked opponents Oregon, Nebraska, Michigan, Texas Tech, New Mexico State, Auburn, Memphis, Tennessee, Xavier and Washington State.

Prior to UTEP, DeWeese spent a season at Utah Valley and four seasons at University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. With the Wolverines at Utah Valley he was in charge of recruiting the 2010 recruiting class, which led to back-to-back winning seasons for UVU, going 19-11 and 20-12 after finishing 12-18 in 2009-10.

DeWeese coached Vince Hunter of the Memphis Grizzlies, Former Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year Julian Washburn of the Memphis Grizzlies and Julyan Stone, who played for the Nuggets, Raptors and Hornets. Two of his players also play in the NFL in Cederik Lang of the Eagles and Aaron Jones of the Packers.

As an assistant at Mary Hardin-Baylor (2005-09) as an assistant under his father Ken DeWeese, the Crusaders finished with an 85-27 (.758) in DeWeese’s four seasons and clinched two NCAA (Division III) tournament berths. DeWeese was solely responsible for the recruitment of four student-athletes that helped UMHB reach the 2013 D3 National Championship game.

The many other accolades that DeWeese helped Hardin-Baylor receive were, No. 12 National Ranking in the Top 25 poll, leading all of Division III in field goal percentage, four American Southwest Conference tournament appearances and two division titles. His father has over 800 wins in his career as the head coach.

DeWeese got his start in the coaching ranks at Idaho in 2005 as the Director of Basketball Operations.

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