Bohl names Josh Allen starting QB heading into fall camp
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) - Third-year University of Wyoming football coach Craig Bohl didn't use many words to describe how the past month of spring football went.
"We made progress, and that's not rhetoric," Bohl said Tuesday.
UW concluded spring drills Saturday, and Tuesday, it released its post-spring depth chart. It contained few surprises compared with the one it released last month.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Josh Allen is the starter heading into fall camp in early August. Bohl alluded to that after the spring game. Allen beat out sophomore Nick Smith.
"I think Nick got a little bit better, but I thought Josh continued to progress and established himself as the No. 1 guy, and we'll go into fall camp that way," Bohl told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle (http://bit.ly/1SsrOZU ).
As for changes to the depth chart, sophomore C.J. Jennings is the starter at boundary cornerback over sophomore Antonio Hull. Jennings started the spring as the backup to junior Robert Priester at field cornerback. Priester remains the starter, with redshirt freshman Davion Freeman as the backup.
Redshirt freshman Logan Wilson of Casper is the starter at weak-side outside linebacker. Wilson entered spring as the backup. Former safety Adam Pilapil is behind Wilson.
Redshirt freshman interior defensive lineman Brent Gilliland has been moved to defensive end and is behind sophomore Kevin Prosser.
Bohl said redshirt freshman wide receiver C.J. Johnson established himself as UW's third wide receiver behind seniors Tanner Gentry and Jake Maulhardt. Johnson is listed as the backup behind Maulhardt.
Johnson caught a 62-yard touchdown pass in the spring game.
On special teams, senior linebacker D.J. May and redshirt freshman running back Milo Hall are listed as the top two kickoff returners. The top two punt returners are Gentry and sophomore free safety Andrew Wingard.
Bohl said he liked how the offensive line improved its run-blocking during the spring compared to last season. He also liked how senior running back Shaun Wick performed after he missed the last eight games last season due to concussions. Wick ran for a game-high 126 yards and three touchdowns in Saturday's spring game.
Bohl is concerned about depth at defensive end and linebacker and about the overall size of the defensive line heading into summer workouts and fall camp in early August.
Bohl said Tuesday sophomore wide receiver Justice Murphy from Vancouver, Washington, wants to transfer to another school and won't be back for fall camp.
Murphy caught one pass for 17 yards as a true freshman last season and had four catches for 67 yards in the spring game.
Bohl also said sophomore outside linebacker Luis Bach from Burgoberbach, Germany, won't return, along with senior nose tackle Jacob English and junior walk-on linebacker Waddie Love of Encampment.
Bach was listed as the starter at weak-side linebacker prior to the start of spring drills but was beaten out by Wilson.
English graduates in a couple weeks, and Bohl said he has decided to move on from football. Bohl said Love wants to pursue his dream of becoming a U.S. Navy Seal.
Bohl said senior defensive end Trevor Meader, who suffered a season-ending right knee injury during spring drills, wants to apply for a medical redshirt waiver from the NCAA and try to play in 2017.
Meader injured the same knee he hurt late in fall camp last season that cost him the 2015 season.
___
Information from: Wyoming Tribune Eagle, http://www.wyomingnews.com