Wyoming brings back experience and depth at d-end position
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Wyoming's defensive end depth was so limited last season that the Cowboys had to start a walk-on freshman and ask a true freshman to run to the locker room during a game to put on a uniform.
Jaylon Watson, currently playing fullback, got his first defensive reps of his collegiate career as an end in the Poinsettia Bowl.
This year, defensive end could be one of the most dangerous positions on Wyoming's defense.
"I see it as a strength," junior Kevin Prosser said. "It kind of holds everyone accountable. It keeps even our starters (from being) comfortable, because we do have some talented younger guys coming in. So, pretty exciting."
There's Prosser, who led Wyoming with 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss. There's Josiah Hall, the walk-on whose performance earned him a scholarship. There's Shiloh Windsor, the then-freshman called on for emergency depth last season. There's Nela Lolohea, a junior college transfer who played in all 14 games last season. And there's Garrett Crall, who redshirted last season and has impressed so far.
There will be Carl Granderson, who had a sack in each of Wyoming's first three games his sophomore year and four in the first six games before tearing his ACL. There will also be Trevor Meader, who has yet to play a snap for Wyoming because of two knee injuries. Both are out this spring but expected to be ready for the season.
Altogether, it's a far cry from last year when Wyoming had just "four D-tackles and four D-ends in spring," nose tackle Sidney Malauulu told the Casper Star-Tribune (http://bit.ly/2pBmAAf).
"It's all potential," defensive ends coach A.J. Cooper said. "And potential, as they say in this business, can get coaches fired. But for the first time there's some guys that have played quite a bit. Even a guy like Shiloh Windsor, who played a lot at the end of the year. Josiah, K.P., Nela. And then some young kids that redshirted ... that are really starting to come along.
"There's some depth, and for the first time, if you're out on the practice field, you don't hear me as much, because now the competition is what's pushing the kids. Ultimately, that's where we need to go as a football team. It's not the coaches that push these things. It's the players that get you over the hump."
It's easier for the players to do that if they've actually played.
"It's real nice having guys coming back with experience," Hall said. "I know going into last year, Carl was really the only one with a lot of game experience. K.P. had a little bit, not as much as Carl. I obviously had none, but it's real nice having guys that have played.
"I've been in those situations, and we're not starting from ground zero. It's real nice."
And this year, new contributors like Crall will be able to develop without being immediately thrown into the fire.
"I think what we'll see is the benefits of a guy being able to redshirt and develop his body," Cooper said. "He's in the mid 225s to 230s. He runs well. He's still learning some things, but he's certainly a guy that we're excited about, because I think now you're going to see what development will do for kids.
"As opposed to trying to catch up Carl and K.P. and Shiloh to their peers at that same age, you're going to see a guy that hopefully by the time we start next year is in the mid-230s, that runs well, is a smart kid, high football I.Q., is physical and can get to the quarterback."
And while this set of defensive ends might be tougher on quarterbacks, it should be easier on Cooper's vocal chords.
"I've noticed it a lot," Prosser said. "A lot more maturity. We're holding each other accountable. Even sometimes the younger guys are helping me out. It helps me a lot.
"There's a lot of numbers now. So if you mess up, get out. Another guy will get it right, and you'll go, 'All right. I know what I've got to do.' Versus getting yelled at."
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Information from: Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune, http://www.trib.com