Running Back Terron Kellman Bringing the Boom to Pokes’ Backfield

LARAMIE -- Broken tackles wanted.

That's just part of the reason Jay Sawvel jumped on Terron Kellman in early January, snagging the junior out of the transfer portal after he spent the previous two seasons at the University of Charlotte.

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On the surface, the numbers are deceiving.

The Maryland native rolled up just 570 yards on 130 attempts, mainly playing a third-string role behind running backs Hahsaun Wilson and Cartevious Norton. Even quarterback Jalon Jones finished with 28 more carries than Kellman during the 2023 campaign.

What does stick out on film, according to Wyoming's head coach, is physicality. Rarely did the first tackler bring Kellman to the ground.

That was on display during a 76-yard performance against James Madison in the '24 opener. Kellman did that damage on just nine attempts. That's an impressive 8.4 yards per tote.

He's doing that again in spring camp.

If you didn't see the hit, you likely heard it.

Kellman blew through a hole in the line of scrimmage last Saturday inside the Cowboys' indoor practice facility and the collision that ensued left 305-pound Aneesh Vyas briefly lying on the ground before eventually making his way slowly to the sideline.

The defensive tackle bore the brunt.

"We talked it out," Kellman said. "It wasn't really nothing to talk about, for real. He just said it was good, you know? It happens."

Three days later, it was 202-pound safety Jaden DaCosta who took one on the chin strap. Kellman reached the second level of the defense in a flash, and the crash that followed, brought the veins to the surface in Sawvel's neck.

He loves the violence, but there are strict instructions not to take teammates to the ground. DaCosta did just that. Who could blame him?

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Kellman's official weight on the Charlotte website says 195. He is now tipping the scales at roughly 210.

This power, he joked, is new to him. The three meals a day at the school's training table is, too.

"I feel as though it's more protection, more armor," he added. "I mean, playing the sport that we play is physical, especially at running back. You take a lot of blows, a lot of hits. I've been feeling a huge difference this spring. I've just been able to take more hits, been able to deliver more power to the defenders. I feel great.

"... My first two years of playing, I was more fine, more speed, but at times, I could bring power when needed. But just adding the power side to my game, I feel more complete because I feel like I can do it all."

Kellman is certainly passing the eye test.

"He has very good vision and he has very good feet," Sawvel said. "He's a 208-pound running back, so he's not a guy that's an arm-tackle type of guy, either. He's everything that I hoped that he would be, in that regard."

"Man, he can run that ball," senior linebacker Ethan Stuhlsatz added. "He's shifty, too. He knows how to choose gaps, wisely."

Wyoming's ground attack averaged just 3.6 yards a carry during a mostly forgettable 2024 season. After a decade of nipping at Air Force's heels in the rushing department, the Cowboys plummeted to eighth in the 12-team Mountain West Conference, netting just 137.8 yards a game.

There wasn't a 1,000-yard rusher. In fact, no one reached 500 on the ground.

Injuries certainly played a role in that. So did all around ineffectiveness on offense.

Harrison Waylee, the team's leading rusher a year prior, appeared in just four games. Sam Scott dealt with a nagging knee bruise, too. Dawaiian McNeely capped his final season on the high plains with just two carries. He was injured after both.

DJ Jones, an offseason transfer from North Carolina, was in the backfield during the non-conference slate. He excused himself from the lineup for personal reasons in Week 5 and never returned.

Scott is back, though missing spring camp with that lingering contusion. Waylee and McNeely are currently on the open market, awaiting a call.

So is Jamari Ferrell, who last season rushed for 318 yards and a touchdown. He is taking advantage of the ruling that gives players who started their careers at the junior college level an additional year of eligibility.

True freshmen Patrick Broadway II (Houston), Jaden Lawrence (Parker, Colo.) and Samuel "Tote" Harris (Cibolo, Texas) don't arrive on campus until June. Sawvel and Co. are also on the hunt for at least one more back in the spring portal.

Kellman, who is currently sharing reps with redshirt freshmen Nico Hamilton and Dontae Burch, has a real opportunity to make an impression this April.

"It's a blessing," he said. "I mean, you don't find too many opportunities like this, and I'm going to take every advantage that I can. I'm just thankful for it. I'm thankful for coach Sawvel and coach (offensive coordinator) Jay Johnson for giving me a chance, bringing me out here and believing in me.

"So, I'm not going to let them down."

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players