Sawvel Looking to Finish What His Predecessor Started at Wyoming

LAS VEGAS, Nev., -- The foundation is in place.

The recruiting footprint hasn't changed. Neither has that "Cowboy Tough" mentality. Double repetitions are still the norm in practice. Development is key.

Get our free mobile app

Jay Sawvel won't deviate from that one bit, either.

Yes, the players now have names on the back of their jerseys. There's even a third uniform combination. The offense, yeah, that will look different. There's an emphasis on the passing game now, even a no-huddle attack.

Balance is a word that has been freely tossed around.

While Wyoming's new head coach is putting his own stamp on this program, as his predecessor would likely say, he's not about to throw the baby out with the bathwater.

In fact, There's only one real seismic change Sawvel has on his mind.

"There's one thing that I have to do to finish what he started -- and that's to win a championship," the 53-year old said Thursday at Mountain West Media Days in Las Vegas, referring to his former boss Craig Bohl, who spent the previous 10 seasons roaming the sidelines in Laramie.

This team has been specifically instructed not to throw around that "C-word," something Sawvel calls "big picture stuff," but he's not ignoring the elephant in the room.

Wyoming appeared in six bowl games during Bohl's tenure, winning four of those. He consistently beat the school's biggest rival, Colorado State, hoisting the Bronze Boot seven times. There were the memorable victories over Missouri, Texas Tech and Boise State. The latter, though, also provided the biggest headaches.

Ten total meetings, one memorable win.

Josh Allen orchestrated that in 2016, leading the Cowboy to a Mountain Division title and a berth in the conference championship game. San Diego State, despite sub-freezing temperatures on the high plains, triumphed that night inside War Memorial Stadium, 27-24.

Sixty-one total wins in the Bohl era. No banners.

This program hasn't won an outright conference championship since 1988.

Sawvel admitted Thursday he initially worried about his job security when Bohl turned in his walking papers in early December. Those feelings quickly turned to relief -- and validation -- when UW Athletics Director Tom Burman offered him the head gig.

It's not an opportunity he's taking lightly.

"It's a responsibility to take over for Craig Bohl," he said. "... He got the program up on its feet from where it was: facilities to fan base to national TV exposure to everything all the way through to the number of players that were drafted during Craig Bohl's time at Wyoming.

"There's one thing missing, and within that one thing, we've got to figure out a way to achieve that. That's what we're trying to do."

While the Mountain West's media doesn't share Sawvel's enthusiasm, selecting the Cowboys sixth overall in this 12-team league, he puts little weight into that. Reigning league champion Boise State, for the 14th straight season, was picked to win this conference. UNLV came in second, followed by Fresno State, Air Force and Colorado State.

A shoulder shrug and a head shake followed. So did the words "I don't care." Sawvel added that the work and habits he has witnessed from his team this offseason certainly doesn't scream sixth place.

In other words, he doesn't care if you believe -- he does.

Doubt just adds another log to the fire.

"There's an internal pressure about a championship from me," Sawvel said. "You know, I want that for our fan base. I want that for our university. I want that for our players. So, that's not something that that will ever go away."

- University of Wyoming’s Top 50 Football Players