Wyoming’s Eric Richardson No Longer ‘Just a Guy’

LARAMIE -- His spring game performance wasn't the exception, Eric Richardson's teammates and coaches say, it's now the rule.

Any time the topic of wide receiver has been broached this offseason, the name of the senior from Saint Robert, Mo., rolls effortlessly off the tongue. Richardson showed flashes in April, snagging six passes for 55 yards inside War Memorial Stadium.

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He did most of that damage by finding the soft spot in the zone and presenting a big target for Wyoming quarterbacks. Once he hauled in those short passes, he also showed off his break-neck speed.

When Richardson arrived on campus in 2025, coaches now say he was "just a guy."

Not anymore.

"Eric Richardson, you can put a check mark next to him," head coach Jay Sawvel said last week when it comes to opening-day starters at Colorado State. "He's had a great camp -- a great camp."

Christian Taylor agrees.

Wyoming's new offensive coordinator wasn't here for Richardson's first season in Laramie, one that produced just 10 catches for 112 yards, 41 of which came on a long touchdown grab down the sideline in a road loss at Colorado.

What he's witnessed over the last eight-plus months has him openly wondering why he wasn't even more productive.

"He's been a stud ever since the spring. He's just been ascending," Taylor said. "In this training camp, he just took off from where he left off. He willing to do anything -- and guys in this offense, on this team and in this program that fit really what this state is all about, do whatever's asked whenever they're asked with full intensity, full speed with max effort -- and he's been doing that.

"The ball's been finding him because he's been doing that. I'm just super excited for him."

Tyler Hughes said when he got to town, there was an instant connection with Richardson. The two -- quarterback and pass catcher -- would hook up in the offseason and throw any chance they got. When that duo wasn't on the field, they were rifling through the playbook together and pouring over film.

Though Richardson has a big, inviting smile -- typically covered by a diamond-encrusted grill -- and the personality to match, Hughes said these times were strictly about business.

It's paid off.

"He takes every single rep that we've had very seriously," Hughes added. "He keeps getting better every single day."

Fellow signal caller Landon Sims has noticed a major difference, too.

"Eric has been really great," he said. "You know, his work ethic has been really good. You can see it out on the field. You have to show up on the field, and he has. He's a great receiver."

Wide receiver Jackson Holman, immediately following the spring game, one in which the Cowboys scored five touchdowns, broke out the oldest adage in the book when it comes to Richardson: "the best ability is availability."

The latter suffered a torn pectoral muscle in the weight room shortly after arriving in Laramie. Was that a setback? You bet. And painful, Richardson added. The altitude, admittedly, was also a serious issue. He missed the entire spring, which meant stacking days on the field wasn't an option.

It is now.

Holman said no one has been more consistent this summer than Richardson.

"He's been making plays all spring and in every scrimmage he's shown up," Holman said in April. "That's just a testament of how he's worked out through the winter and all the stuff he's put in behind the scenes that no one else sees. I'm really excited to see what he does this season."

Richardson spent his first two collegiate seasons at Northwest Missouri State where he lined up outside and served, for a time, as a running back. During his final year in Maryville, the 5-foot-11, 181-pound wideout reeled in 25 passes for 411 yards and a team-high six touchdowns.

His best outing came against Central Oklahoma. That afternoon, Richardson finished with five catches for 92 yards and a score. All career-highs.

Now healthy and with a full offseason under his belt, Richardson said he wants to prove he's a playmaker at the FBS level. He has also had a shift in mindset. As one of the few veterans in the room, he has taken on a self-imposed leadership role. Setting an example has also in turn held him accountable.

Coaches have noticed. Now they'll be leaning on Richardson to lead a receiving corps that has been one of the least productive in the Mountain West Conference since 2018.

Challenge accepted.

"It feels good," he said. "The biggest thing for me is just seeing the things I worked on in the offseason come to light now. I'm just telling myself, 'I'm not done. I'm not done. I have to keep going.'"

Jovon Bouknight knows a thing or two about catching passes in a Wyoming uniform. From 2002-05, he caught 250 balls for 3,626 yards and 29 receiving touchdowns. The UW Hall of Famer is now entering his second year as the wide receivers coach at his alma mater, and he has noticed a serious change in his newly-crowned top downfield target.

"He's the one that really sticks out," Bouknight said of Richardson. "It's like a change of gear. I can see the improvement just as far as his ability out there. In that second year it's almost like things have slowed down a bit and he's playing faster. I'm really pleased with him."

Richardson said his confidence is high right now. He credits his fellow receivers for that. He also added, having the belief of his head coach, coordinator and position coach, has made a world of difference.

He isn't putting a specific number on what he considers success. He's not setting personal goals.

What he really wants is the feeling he experienced last October. Richardson capped the night with just three catches for 22 yards, but when the final whistle blew, the scoreboard read: 28-0. The Cowboys had just blanked their Border War rivals and the mad dash to the visiting sideline was on.

The Bronze Boot was staying put in Laramie.

"I've never been a part of fans storming the field," he said. "That was crazy. I was out there for at least an extra 30 minutes after the game. That was a real college football experience. That's one thing I'll never forget."

Wyoming and CSU will meet for the 118th time in history this Saturday inside Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. and the game will be televised on USA Network.

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