LARAMIE -- Wyoming is expected to hire former Minnesota and Wake Forest defensive coordinator, Jay Sawvel, to the same position, according to sources familiar with the situation.

Sources also confirmed that Marty English, who coached defense and special teams at Wyoming under Joe Glenn and Dave Christensen from 2003-11 will be named the new defensive ends coach. Benny Boyd, who most recently coached the cornerbacks and special teams for one season at Eastern Illinois, will also be added to Craig Bohl's defensive staff.

These hires are expected to be officially announced by the school Thursday afternoon after contracts are signed.

These openings come after defensive coordinator, Jake Dickert, defensive ends coach, AJ Cooper, and cornerbacks coach, John Richardson, all accepted positions at Washington State last month.

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Sawvel spent parts of two seasons in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, helping lead the Demon Deacons to back-to-back bowl appearances for just the second time in program history. In 2017, Sawvel was the cornerbacks coach. As the defensive coordinator the following year, he lasted just four games into the season before being fired after a 56-27 loss to No. 8 Notre Dame.

After the lopsided loss -- the Deacons' second straight -- Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson released this statement.

“This was a difficult decision and not a spur of the moment decision,” Clawson said. “I want to thank coach Sawvel for all his hard work with our football program over the last two years. Coach Sawvel is a very good person and a good football coach.”

Sawvel did not coach in 2019.

The Ohio native came to Wake Forest from the University of Minnesota where he spent six seasons from 2011-16. Sawvel was the defensive coordinator his final season in Minneapolis. Current offensive line coach and run-game coordinator, Bart Miller, was also on that staff.

Sawvel will be the Cowboys third defensive coordinator in as many seasons.

English, who is known for his relationships and recruiting on the Front Range of Colorado throughout his 30-plus year coaching career, returns to Laramie after a two-year stint as the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Northern Colorado.

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After his run at Wyoming, English headed south to the Cowboys' Border War rival, Colorado State, where he served as the Rams' co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2012-17. After CSU's 31-28 loss to Marshall in the New Mexico Bowl, English retired.

It was short lived.

“I want to thank Marty English for his dedicated service to our football program and to Colorado State University,” then CSU head coach Mike Bobo said in a statement. “Marty has done an excellent job as a coach, teacher and leader of young men at Colorado State for the past six seasons, including the last three with me, and has represented us with class. He is a loyal, dedicated coach and family person, and somebody for whom I have a great deal of respect.”

During his first tenure in Laramie, English helped lead the Pokes to victories in the 2004 Las Vegas Bowl and 2009 New Mexico Bowl. The Cowboys' best defensive season came in 2007 when Wyoming held its opponents to just 25.9 points per game. The team finished 5-7 that season.

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Boyd spent 2015-18 as the special teams coach and cornerbacks coach at Central Washington. In 2018, his teams ranked second in the nation in Division II in blocked kicks.

The year prior, CWU also ranked second nationally in interceptions and fourth in overall defense.

The Dixon, Illinois, native has coached 19 All-Conference selections in five seasons.

Wyoming is expected to announce the signing of all three coaches Thursday afternoon.

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